Portugal to pay hunters per wild boar killed in pilot scheme

Portugal's Agriculture and Sea Minister, José Manuel Fernandes, has announced a pilot scheme to pay hunters for each wild boar killed, targeting regions with the highest concentrations of the animal. The amount, eligible regions and rules have not yet been set. The measure responds to a growing population that damages crops and causes road accidents, including a fatal crash in Cuba, Alentejo, in August. The ICNF has already flagged that boar numbers exceed the environment's carrying capacity and allowed hunting in some tourist hunting areas. The government plans to test the scheme before deciding on any wider rollout.