Wild boar populations have expanded dramatically across Europe. Their management through hunting raises welfare questions alongside ecological and agricultural concerns.
Wild boar management presents genuine tension between legitimate agricultural, ecological, and disease control objectives and the welfare of intelligent, social animals. Hunting as a management tool raises significant welfare concerns due to wounding rates, pursuit stress, and disruption of social family groups. High-welfare hunting practices include use of appropriate calibre weapons, trained hunting dogs for locating wounded animals, shooting at close range, and rapid humane despatch of wounded individuals. The welfare of orphaned piglets following sow culling deserves consideration in management planning. As African swine fever drives intensified culling pressure, welfare considerations risk being deprioritised. Engaging hunters and wildlife managers in welfare-informed practices can reduce suffering without compromising necessary management objectives.