Hunting and Fauna: Lecco, a farmer from Colico was attacked by wild boar weighing at least one quintal; "Someone could get hurt."
“I was loaded by a boar of a quintal, I escaped but it could have hurt me very much ". This is the story of Ernesto De Bernardi, a farmer from Colico (LC) who was attacked by a huge sow in recent days. “I went up to the farm at 10.30, - says the farmer - I saw a sow at the bottom of the meadow and I saw a row of five small boars, one was just above the farm. I went with a piece of wood to remove it, I was in the middle of the cows, when he heard me the little one started running to escape. There is a lot of stuff nearby and behind it was a huge sow that I hadn't seen. She was already on her feet, she seemed to be waiting for me, she threw herself at me jumping on her hind legs and with her mouth wide open ”.
Continuing De Bernardi says “I got scared, I raised my stick and screamed, luckily the cows got scared and suddenly moved and this stopped the attack otherwise I don't know what would have happened. It was charging me like a fury ”.
The very serious episode was the subject of a complaint to the carabinieri and De Bernardi explains: “I made a complaint to the carabinieri and they told me that it is not a matter of their competence and I understand it well. The question should depend on the Province but the fact is that someone will end up badly here and only then will the Authorities arrive. If she managed to attack me, who would pay the damages? A sow weighing a ton can take your leg off and what should I do afterwards ?. I dare not think if a child is in front of him what could happen. I called the Province three times but no one ever showed up ”.
The accident occurred in the area of Mount Bedolesso, about 900 meters above sea level and De Bernardi says: «They completely destroyed 8 thousand square meters of land and I'm still here waiting to know who will compensate me. But the real problem is not the economic damage and the destroyed land. The real problem is that these boars are aggressive. I had seen them several times, also last year two sows arrived in front of the hut but as soon as they heard me they ran away. Here the story is now different ”.
“I was scared - says the breeder - because seeing such a beast almost standing up and running towards you with its mouth open makes you understand that it can kill you. Here in the mountains everyone knows that it is a problem but perhaps a tragedy is expected before taking action. I have always paid taxes and now where is the state? Here it will take two months to restore the soil conditions and we must hope that the wild boars will not destroy it again ”.
(21 August 2014)
Source: IlGiorno