Tear down the pig fences!
Now the African swine fever (ASP) has also broken out in Baden-Württemberg, as reported on 26.05.2022 and 27.05.2022 the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Tagesspiegel. The ostracized proboscideans come as a carrier probably rather out of the question, for that the way would be too far. But the National Park Association has always pointed out that as a carrier of ASF by no means only wild boars, but also birds of prey and corvids, rodents and even the man comes into question, the feed, but also meat and sausage products over long distances and borders transported and thus, if they are infected, also the virus. Viruses cannot be stopped by fences, not even by the new “anti-imperialist protective wall” on the Oder-Neisse border, despite its double construction. It is unreasonable and disproportionate in every respect, not only in terms of the exorbitantly high costs, about the distribution of which the district, state and federal government are engaged in an unworthy squabble. Everyone would like to pass the costs on upwards. It is also disproportionate because the fences cut up the landscape, are not only a nuisance for farmers, residents and visitors, but also prevent the important migrations of ungulates, such as the return of bison and elk from Poland, but also the escape of deer confined by the fences in the national park, which die miserably in the fences during floods. A cattle-like cruelty to animals! As predicted, the virus will continue to spread throughout Germany. Vaccination will come too late, if at all, and will have little effect. The epidemic must be allowed to pass through and new populations must be given a chance from resistant residual stocks. Reports such as the one from Baden-Württemberg will be repeated time and again. Therefore, I would like to ask all responsible persons in the districts once again: Tear down the pig fences!
Dr. rer. nat. Ansgar Vössing
Vice Chairman of the Board
