Boy, 11, Seriously Injured by Wild Boar in Belgian Town

An 11-year-old boy identified as Ahmed was seriously injured after being attacked by a wild boar in Marchienne-au-Pont, a district of Charleroi in Wallonia, Belgium, according to RTBF. The incident has renewed concerns about the growing presence of wild boar in populated areas across Belgium.

The Attack

The attack occurred on Wednesday, May 20, while Ahmed was playing football with friends on the grounds of the former Marchienne Docherie football club. When he kicked the ball into nearby bushes and went to retrieve it, a wild boar sprang at him and bit his hand multiple times.

Despite Ahmed’s screams, the animal continued its attack. His friends managed to scare the boar away by kicking it. The boy, bitten to the bone, returned home and was rushed to Marie Curie Hospital in Charleroi, where he underwent emergency surgery. According to SudInfo/La Nouvelle Gazette, cited by RTBF, the use of one of his fingers is permanently lost.

Defensive Behavior

Nicolas Yernaux, spokesperson for the Public Service of Wallonia (SPW), said the boar was likely a sow protecting her piglets. “The young man was dealing with a sow that wanted to defend her piglets,” Yernaux told SudInfo.

Growing Urban Wildlife Concerns

This incident is part of a broader trend of increasing wild boar encounters in Belgian urban areas. Wild boar populations have been rising across Wallonia, driven by urban sprawl encroaching on natural habitats and the availability of food sources such as gardens and garbage.

Recent years have seen wild boar spotted in Brussels parks, including Woluwe Park in 2024, and in the city of Namur, where local authorities have actively pursued population control measures. The expansion of urban areas into traditional wildlife corridors has created more opportunities for these encounters.

What to Watch For

Local authorities in the Charleroi area may face increased pressure to address wild boar management following this attack. The incident raises questions about public safety awareness and the need for non-lethal wildlife management strategies in urban settings where traditional hunting is difficult to conduct.

Ahmed’s recovery continues, though the permanent loss of finger function represents a life-altering outcome from what began as an ordinary afternoon playing football.