Boar Attack!

A few days ago some hikers were attacked by several wild boars in the Madonie Mountains outside Castelbuono. Here in Sicily, when one thinks of boar, the Nebrodian Black Swine comes to mind. This domesticated species is part boar and lives in the Nebrodi Mountains. In fact, that more extensively forested area boasts far more boar than the Madonie.

In many parts of Europe it wouldn't be too unusual to encounter some wild fauna. In Sicily most wild boar have been extinct for well over a century, and there haven't been native deer in Sicily since the 17th century. These black boars seem to be a hybrid crossed with the more docile black swine.

In the event, the hikers climbed into some oak trees for safety. The boar, seeing that their young were not endangered by the hikers, retreated into the woods. All is well that ends well...