Changes in public perceptions of wild boar presence and management in Flanders

The recolonization of wild boar ( Sus scrofa L.) in Europe presents growing challenges for human-wildlife coexistence, especially in densely populated regions. Public attitudes toward wild boar presence and management are critical for effective conflict mitigation yet long-term studies remain scarce. We examined shifts in public attitudes toward wild boar in Flanders, Belgium, where the species re-established after more than 50 years of absence. Using a quota-based sampling strategy to ensure representativeness, we conducted online surveys in 2017, 2020, and 2023, and compared residents living inside and outside established wild boar areas. Given the expansion of the wild boar area between the different survey years, the number of respondents living inside the wild boar area increased from 281 to 719, and eventually to 1,512. Conversely, the number of respondents living outside the area changed from 1,148 to 1,335, and then to 1,206. We analyzed attitudes toward wild boar presence and acceptance of management actions using the Potential for Conflict Index and ANOVA, estimating both p -values and effect sizes. Residents in wild boar areas exhibited more negative attitudes toward the species and higher acceptance of management, including lethal methods. Over time, the overall societal acceptance of wild boar presence, particularly for their presence in the respondents’ own region, declined, while the overall support for interventions such as electric fencing and hunting increased. Interestingly, we observed a high public acceptance of anticonception, although this method is not yet applicable for wild boars in the field. In contrast, there was little support for the use of cages. The observed shifts in acceptance were strongest among residents in municipalities with established populations and were accompanied by an increasing divergence in public opinion. Our findings reveal a growing risk of polarization, underscoring the need for policy makers to combine proactive public communication regarding management strategies and their practical constraints, with area-specific frameworks tailored to local shifts in public tolerance.