Wild boar tips over stroller in Kraków, child hospitalised; city calls emergency crisis meeting
A sow with piglets charged a mother pushing a pram on Thursday afternoon, sending a 13-month-old girl to hospital with head injuries. The city announced an extraordinary crisis management meeting for Friday morning as residents voiced alarm over daily boar sightings.
What happened
On Thursday, 18 June, shortly before 5 p.m., a female wild boar with young appeared on a path near the Church of St. Rafał Kalinowski on the Kliny-Zacisze housing estate in Kraków. Witnesses told local media that the animal suddenly rushed at a stroller being pushed by a mother. The boar tipped the pram over; the 13-month-old girl fell out and struck her head on the pavement. Paramedics took her to hospital, where she was examined. Police spokesperson Anna Zbroja said officers were not initially alerted to the incident, but after media reports emerged they contacted the hospital to check on the child’s condition, confirming her life is not in danger.
City response
Within hours, Kraków’s municipal authorities announced an extraordinary session of the City Crisis Management Team. The meeting was set for Friday, 19 June, at 8:00 a.m. with a focus on heightened boar activity in the Kliny area. Participants include the city secretary, municipal services, a veterinary surgeon, representatives of the Department of Safety and Crisis Management, and units responsible for animal capture. City guard spokesman Marek Anioł described immediate actions:
We received a report from a resident that there are boars in Kliny. We intervened and are on site. We are securing the area and will watch over the boars until the breeding centre arrives.
- Sow with piglets charges a stroller on Kliny-Zacisze estate; 13-month-old girl falls, hits head on pavement.
- Kraków municipal authority announces emergency crisis management team meeting for next morning.
- Extraordinary session of the City Crisis Management Team convenes, focusing on increased boar activity in Kliny.
Residents’ alarm
Locals told news outlets that encounters with boars are no longer occasional. “It’s always been a problem, but in the last several days it has got definitely worse,” one resident told the lovekrakow.pl portal. “We’re slowly having trouble moving around for fear of boars.” Residents say entire groups of sows and piglets are seen almost daily near apartment blocks, playgrounds and footpaths. In one earlier instance, municipal guards had to cordon off a playground so children could pass safely. Several residents insisted they have repeatedly asked the city to tackle the issue.
A long-standing urban challenge
Wild boar numbers in Kraków have been growing for years. A task force convened by the municipal authority two years ago estimated the city’s boar population at 1,000 to 1,500 animals across its 33,000-hectare area. More recent local reporting suggests the figure may now reach around 2,000. The animals are drawn by easy access to food from unsecured bins and occasional deliberate feeding, as well as the milder urban microclimate.
Safety guidance from the city
In a statement issued after the attack, city officials reiterated basic precautions: if you see a boar, keep calm and retreat without rapid movements. Never approach or feed the animals. When a direct encounter occurs, freezing in place is the safest reaction. Sows with piglets are especially dangerous, as they can become highly aggressive when defending their young. Dog owners are advised to keep their pets on a leash and never set them on a wild boar.
