Saarland

Wild boar attacks man in the city center

Wild boars are generally considered to be peaceful animals.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Frank May)

A 27-year-old man is said to have been attacked and slightly injured by a wild boar in the center of Sankt Ingbert - the fifth largest town in the German state of Saarland. Before the alleged attack, the police reportedly received several tips that the animals were roaming around.

The wild boar reportedly bit the man on the thigh, the police said on Sunday. The 27-year-old was then able to go to hospital on his own and was released a short time later.

The local police received numerous reports of sightings of wild boar. Officers had searched the entire inner city area but found no more bristle-toothed animals, it was reported. At least six animals are believed to have been roaming around Sankt Ingbert.

Generally peaceful animals
Wild boars are generally considered to be peaceful animals that are afraid of humans and avoid getting close to them. When they do attack, which is considered to be very rare, it is usually because they are worried about their young, which need to be protected. If the bristle-tailed lemur becomes aggressive, that's the end of the fun. The animals weigh up to 200 kilograms, run at speeds of up to 50 km/h and have razor-sharp teeth. As a rule, the pigs first attack the legs of humans in order to knock them over. Their teeth can easily get through any pair of trousers.