Professor Arvo Viltrop from the Estonian University of Life Sciences says that the last major wave of swine fever was in 2014-2016. The current wave could last another couple of years. The wild boar population is too large, which helps spread the disease.
Professor Viltrop says that the wild boar population should be 0.2 animals per square kilometer. Currently, however, it is 0.3 or even 0.4. Hunters try to hunt the boars, but there are too many of them.
Pig farms should implement strict biosecurity measures. There should be a 5-meter zone around the farm where no one can enter without control. But this is difficult to do because many farms are located near roads.
There is no good vaccine against African swine fever. The vaccines used in China and across Asia have made the situation even worse. These vaccines have become dangerous and do not prevent the disease.
Tõnis Korts, head of the Estonian Hunters' Association, says that the wild boar population is historically low. The problem is that the disease comes from Latvia. Latvian hunters are unable to control the disease sufficiently.
Estonian hunters want to use night vision devices more. Currently, they can only be used from a height of 2.5 meters. This makes hunting difficult. Hunters want night vision devices to be usable from the ground as well, as this would be safer and easier.
Wild boars forage for food at night. A hunter must use a night vision device only if he is at a height. If he cannot get to a height, he cannot hunt the boars. Hunters want the laws to be changed to make hunting easier.