(live here) – A heated debate on the subject of the shooting of wild boars in Haifa took place in the Knesset Education Committee last night (Tuesday, 25/2/25).
In ten months, 507 stray pigs were shot in Haifa. CEO of the Let the Animals Live association, Yael Arkin: "The finger is light on the trigger." Committee chairman, MK Yosef Taib: "Supervision of pig hunters in Haifa must be tightened."
The phenomenon of wild boars in Haifa has long become a major topic of conversation that ignites heated debates, especially regarding methods of dealing with the problem.
In recent times, it seems that the issue has gradually calmed down, as fewer and fewer pigs have been seen on the city's streets, which apparently corresponded to Yona Yahav's election promise - the complete eradication of wild boars in the city.
But recently, as reported last night in Haifa, the pigs have begun to appear again throughout the city. At first in small numbers, a single pig or pairs, and in recent weeks, entire herds have been seen, numbering several pigs, and their number is only increasing.
The article published last night – at the link:
An unprecedented number
From the beginning of 2024 to the end of February 2025, an unprecedented number of pigs were shot in the city, 507 to be exact, which is provoking heated reactions among residents, animal rights activists, and various professional bodies. Many are convinced that the method used by the Haifa Municipality in the current term - through massive shooting - is not the best solution. On the other hand, some argue that other methods have proven themselves ineffective and that the important thing is to eradicate the phenomenon by any means possible.
"Shooting does not bring a solution"
During the discussion in the Knesset Education, Culture and Sports Committee, headed by MK Yosef Taib, a serious report by the Nature and Parks Authority and the Haifa Municipality was presented. According to the report, in May 2024, shootings reached a peak of 207 cases, but since then the cases have been reduced to single digits.
Aside from the concern with numbers, the very use of shooting at the pigs caused unrest in the debate. "Shooting does not bring a solution, it only makes the situation worse," said MK Yasmin Friedman, the initiator of the debate. Friedman showed harsh photos of injured pigs and strongly condemned what she called "indiscriminate conduct on the part of the hunters."
Representatives of the Haifa Municipality were not present at the committee but participated in it via Zoom. This did not please the chairman, to say the least, who expressed his displeasure with the matter. Attorney Yamit Klein, the legal advisor to the Haifa Municipality, claimed in response that approval for this was received from the committee secretary.
The secretary categorically denied the claim and stated that she had never received such a request. All this was broadcast live, in front of the chairman, the rest of the attendees and viewers.
Dispute between professional bodies
Representatives of the RTG, who work to issue shooting permits, responded by claiming that shooting is only carried out in extreme cases, in which the pig has become "unruly," meaning it has lost its fear of humans. "Shooting is not our goal," said Amit Dolev, a RTG representative, "but when there is no choice, we act in accordance with the law." Dolev also noted that since the end of January, the number of these cases has decreased, with only 7 pigs being killed last February. However, the disputes between municipal and professional officials on this issue do not end there.
A harsh daily reality
Haifa residents who participated in the discussion described a difficult daily reality due to the wild boar phenomenon. "The bins on the city streets are full to the brim, and this is a powerful source of attraction that brings them to the neighborhoods," claimed Dror Schwartz, a city resident. "The vegetation in the northern neighborhoods of the city also attracts the pigs, and they find their food there at night." He added that there are water sources on the streets that lure the pigs, especially in the summer season, when they have difficulty finding water in the wild.
Shooting at night
Residents did not stop at filing complaints, but noted that they often hear gunshots late at night, leading to fear and frustration. "There was a case where a pig was dying for hours after the shooting," said Alexandra Vernigora, a resident of the city, describing one of the horrifying cases. "There was simply no supervision there."
The issue did not end with technical aspects. The influence of political considerations also, it seems, played a role. Gali Atron, a lawyer from the "Israeli Lawyers Forum for Animal Protection," claims that there is a prominent political aspect to the shooting incident. "During the time of the previous mayor, Einat Kalish, they used to kill the pigs by shooting. But when Yona Yahav took office, the policy changed, and they switched to using live ammunition on the streets."
RTG representatives denied the claim that this was a political consideration. Amit Dolev noted that "the mayor can decide on the method of euthanasia, and this is carried out in accordance with the law." However, the political disputes did not prevent the problem from worsening.
The solutions to be tested
During the discussion, MK Yousef Tayeb called for tighter supervision of hunters and ensuring that they act according to the mandatory guidelines. In addition, he demanded that the guidelines and policies be published to the public in a transparent and clear manner. Tayeb, together with Knesset members and professional bodies, strive to find long-term solutions that will stop the suffering of the pigs, but will also solve the urban problem. The questions that remain open are how to prevent the problem from occurring, what will happen if the shooting does not stop, and whether there are additional measures that can improve the situation.
The current situation in Haifa is an extreme example of the dilemmas between protecting animals and the need to protect residents and property. So far, shooting pigs has failed to eliminate the problem, and the public is demanding a change in policy. Is it time to rethink solutions based on cooperation between the municipality, RTG, and residents? Time will tell.
continue
All methods are kosher to eradicate the phenomenon of wild boars in residential areas. It is not possible that people cannot enter their homes because a pig decided to sit at the entrance. It also does not make sense that mothers cannot let their children eat in the garden because the pig will come and may attack. A few days ago, my friend and I left the auditorium in the evening. We walked to the parking lot on Tzedekiyahu Street and were greeted by a huge pig. My friend had a bag of snacks in her bag and she threw it as far as she could and the pig ran towards the front. It was very scary. I was very happy to hear a shot fired at it.
Moreover, the pigs enter private and well-kept gardens, dig, turn over and crush seedlings, break up rocks and drain a lot of labor and money invested in beautifying the area. It is unpleasant, to say the least, to wake up in the morning after such destructive nocturnal activity. Since Yona Yahav returned to the mayorship, he has kept his promise and it seems that the issue of pigs – which was so dear to his predecessor and therefore sent on its way along the pig path that she had paved for herself – has been well taken care of. Recently, they have returned and the 106 hotline is attentive and it seems that they are also transferring them for treatment. I don't care how they exterminate the pigs, in Tardamon, with effective shooting, around the clock. Good luck Yona, continue as you promised and have done so far!