Pomellen (dpa/mv) - After the confirmation of two cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in Poland near the border with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, hunters should again be rewarded for shooting wild boars. "We will therefore reintroduce the purrzel premium in the affected area," said Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) on Friday.
According to the ministry, two cases of ASF in wild boar have been confirmed in the municipality of Kołbaskowo in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Both cases are therefore about half a kilometer from the border with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. Backhaus urged increased vigilance.
The construction of protective fences reduces the risk of the animal disease spreading. "However, the fences are only part of the measures against ASF. Another important building block is the hunters. Hunters are called upon to hunt more wild boar and look for fallen game."
The "Purzel bonus" introduced in 2017 expired in April of this year. Hunters had received 50 euros for each wild boar killed.
According to the ministry, ASF only affects domestic and wild pigs. For the infected pigs, an infection is usually fatal. According to the information, 42 ASF detections in wild boar and one outbreak of ASF in domestic pigs have been officially confirmed in MV. The virus was first detected in November 2021 in a wild boar in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district.
