Animal Invasion Frightening Residents of Coronavirus Lockdown City in Israel

WILD boars have launched an animal invasion of the coronavirus lockdown city of Haifa in Israel, which is frightening residents.

“We are scared to go out, even to throw out the garbage. I don’t which way the boars will come,” said music teacher Meirav Litani.

The boars used to pop up at night, but have now taken advantage of the quiet city to make regular daytime appearances, often making their journeys in packs.

The animals are said to be going through garbage as well as blocking roads and scaring off cats and dogs.

The port of Haifa is the third largest city in Israel after Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with the boars coming down to the coastal community from the hills.

“They come here and turn over our rubbish containers. This is a lack of protection and we actually feel defenceless,” Litani added.

Haifa Council last year suspended boar culling, which some animal scientists say is a natural reaction to humans moving more into their territory.

Another issue concerns devout religious Jews or Muslims who consider the boars to be ritually unclean.

Meanwhile some animal-rights supporters have leant a hand by forming patrols that try to shoo the animals away.

“I’m scared that after the coronavirus passes, the boars will have got used to coming to the city all the time,” said activist Yaron Hanan, who has been running a campaign for Haifa to do something about the visiting boars.