Alzey-Worms district: Successes in the fight against African swine fever!

Alzey-Worms district: Successes in the fight against African swine fever!

There are currently no new cases of African swine fever (ASF) to report in the Alzey-Worms district. Loud wildundhund.de A total of 26 cases have been detected since July 2024, the last one was registered on March 17, 2025. The affected wild boars come from the Gimbsheim Old Rhine, a core area that is now subject to strict security measures.

In order to stop the spread of ASF, electric fences were specifically erected. A fence runs along the Rhine to prevent the disease from entering Hesse. Another fence extends along the railway line from Guntersblum to Osthofen and along the federal highway 9 south of Worms. In addition, corresponding remote barriers were installed on highways 63 and 61 to prevent the entry of possibly infected wild boars. These measures are part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing the wild boar population in the affected area. The number of wild boars was reduced from an estimated 100 to around 15 animals.

Additional containment measures

The hunting laws have also been adjusted: In areas outside the core zone, other game species can be hunted if fewer than two wild boar per 100 hectares have been shot there in the last five years. At the moment, hunting is only permitted as a stand hunt with a silencer. Hunting restrictions have been relaxed several times in recent weeks, most recently in March 2025.

Dog teams and drone flights are used to further monitor the wild boars. A few wild boars were still spotted in the Seegraben nature reserve, but here too the population has reduced significantly. The demarcation of the affected area has now been completed, which has further reduced the risk of ASF spreading.

The big picture

However, the threat of ASF is not just a regional but a national issue. A total of 871 ASF cases were registered in Germany in 2024, including 11 in domestic pigs. The risk of infection comes primarily from wild boars, which are considered the main vectors of the disease. Interestingly, experts point out that ASF viruses can survive for a long time in meat and humans represent a key risk factor. This often happens due to improperly disposed of food scraps, which could serve as a food source for wild boars. To counteract this, there are educational campaigns by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture on hygiene in pig farming.

According to the current requirements of European animal health law, a exclusion zone II can only be lifted if no ASF-positive animal is detected over a period of twelve months. This shows how seriously the situation is taken in other federal states such as North Rhine-Westphalia. Here, hunters are allowed to use special night vision devices to better track wild boars. Measures to protect smaller pig farms are also being planned to prevent contact between wild boars and domestic pigs, which is essential protective measures to combat the disease.

Developments in the region and ongoing efforts to control ASF highlight the urgency and importance of a comprehensive approach to combat the disease. The population is invited to take an active part and point out the risks of African swine fever in order to prevent it from spreading further.