Sticky buns ‘devastating’ for Swedish wild boar

“It is not at all good for the animal’s health,” said Anders Hallengren at Skåne county council to the local Skånska Dagbladet daily.

The hunters in southern Sweden use bait to bring the animals out in the open and thus easier to target.

The hunters are reported to favour using cinnamon buns and other baked goods as they are both tempting for the boar and are also cheap.

But local officials warn that the practice, while increasing the chances of a successful hunt, it increases the risk that the boar suffer from weight problems and poor dental hygiene.

“A diet of cinnamon buns is devastating for a wild boar,” Hallengren told the newspaper.

Furthermore as the baked bait is often placed alongside roads in the region there is a concern that the chance of car accidents involving wild animals will increase.

According to the National Wildlife Accident Council (Nationella Viltolycksrådet – NVR), a road accident involving a wild animal occurs on average every 15 minutes in Sweden.

The council has thus launched an information campaign to increase awareness and encourage road users to act more responsibly.

One key element of the campaign is to encourage car drivers to plan their trips in advance and thus enable them to avoid driving at excessive speeds.

The council has also launched a new telephone application which can be used to inform road users when they are entering a high risk zone.