Wild boars and half-breed pigs have invaded the Ionina airport, creating serious problems in its operation and threatening the safety of aircraft during the landing and take-off process.

For its part, the Ministry of Environment announced special measures after documents on the problem from both the Civil Aviation Authority of the airport Ioannina as well as from the Prosecutor’s Office of Ioannina, while there was communication with the Forest Policy Enforcement Inspectorate, the airport manager and the Hunting Federation to assess the extent of the problem and propose measures to reduce the risk and remove the wild boars from the airport area.

According to the Environment Ministry’s decision, the special measures will last until the end of December and apply to the wider airport area.

The control measures include in particular the complete control, through hunting, of wild boar (Sus scrofa) individuals or their hybrids that have intruded into the airport area, or if this is feasible the removal and release of these individuals at a great distance, and, for the same purpose, to take measures to control and remove the population of wild birds and/or reptiles from the airport site to reduce the risk of accidents involving aircraft on the site.

The Civil Aviation Authority should develop the wildlife management programme, and then the hunters will take action with the use of firearms only within the airport area.

At the same time, animal trapping can be done with special traps to be provided by the airport, and the release of animals will be done at a long distance from the airport.

The Civil Aviation Service / Ioannina Airport should, along with the immediate measures to control the wild boar population, ensure the control (restriction) of the accessibility of wild boars to the airport area, ensuring the relevant fencing and the control of transit points (open drains – rainwater drains, etc.).