“He didn't dare go out for fear of being attacked”: wild boars have been causing panic in a residence for several months

Nearly ten wild boars regularly come to this residence in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille at night, causing a lot of damage. (Illustration) MAXPPP – Florian Launette & Mégane Chêne

For several months, a residence in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille has been regularly attacked by wild boars. These nighttime intrusions, which have become more and more frequent, cause material damage and create a feeling of insecurity among the residents. Faced with this situation, the residents are demanding rapid intervention.

It's a residence in Marseille, wild boars appeared last spring. These wild animals, apparently attracted by the flower beds, regularly come to turn over the earth and ravage the green spaces in search of food. "They arrive in the evening, stir everything up, and in the morning there's nothing left", explains Danielle Godefroy, caretaker of the residence to France Info. “In 27 years, this is the first time this has happened here”, she adds, stunned by this unprecedented intrusion.

Stuck in his car facing wild boars

The consequences are not only visible in the gardens. The residents themselves are now living in worry. Donovan, one of the residents, had a particularly striking experience and confided in our colleagues. While returning home around 4 a.m., he found several wild boars in the parking lot. Fearing an attack, he remained stuck in his car for nearly two hours. “He didn't dare go out, for fear of being attacked”, Danielle Godefroy continues, recounting the anxiety shared by other neighbors. Several of them even found themselves stuck, unable to leave the residence to go to work.

An expected response from the authorities

Faced with these recurring intrusions, the residents tried to repair the fence of the residence themselves, broken by the wild boars. But these improvised initiatives are not enough. Steps have been taken with the town hall, and some have even contacted hunting associations to try to set traps. For the moment, the town hall of the 9th and 10th arrondissements has transferred the file to the “Animal in the city” service, without any concrete response for the moment.