“They were coming towards me, my children were screaming”: a herd of wild boars sows terror in a residence north of Montpellier

Residents tell of their encounters with the animals, which are entering the grounds of their building. Some residents are said to be having fun feeding them. 

For several weeks, families of wild boars have taken up residence in the grounds of the Carré Richer de Belleval residence, in the La Valsière district, in Grabels, north of Montpellier.

While residents are worried, others are having fun feeding them. The situation has become dangerous. On the evening of Wednesday, July 31, it was Corinne who paid the price for this situation.“Around 9:30 p.m. we took the dogs out with my daughter, being very careful because they are in the driveway every evening. On the way back, the sow charged us, I fell on the concrete. I couldn't get up, a neighbor came to bring me water, I was holding my breath. She called the firefighters, I was taken to the emergency room”.

Wound and sprain to a knee

Corinne got away with a wound and a sprain to her knee. But for her, her daughter and the neighbours, fear and anger remain. The same evening, Aziza returns home with her children:  "The mother and her five children came towards us, fortunately the neighbours' door was open, we took refuge. I stamped my feet to scare them away, but they came towards me more and more. My children were screaming. They want us to move".

Defective fences

A year ago, alerted, the lieutenant of wolf hunting had noticed the defective fences and had informed the social landlord of this residence, ACM. The situation has not improved. For his part, the gamekeeper of Grabels wants to remind people that wild boars must not be fed, under penalty of having them permanently, and that other accidents are repeated.