Radioactive Boars in Europe

The Radioactive Boars 

The post of our fellow classmate concerning the population of radioactive boards in Japan had sparked my memory about reading an article on a similar situation in Europe related to Chernobyl and the wild boars.

The striking similarity between northern Japan and certain European countries (such as the Czech Republic) is that the boar is considered a delicacy. In northern Japan, the shishi-niku (wild boar meat) is a winter delicacy featured in a stew known as botan nabe (McLachlan et al. 33). However, the animals were slaughtered due to their radioactivity measuring 300 times higher than safety standards (de Freytas-Tamura "Radioactive Boars in Fukushima Thwarts Residents' Plans to return Home"). Despite decades since Chernobyl, the countries in the region must still be attentive to repercussion of the Caesium 137 on their ecosystems.

The wild boars of the Sumava mountain region that have been feasting on mushrooms that absorbed the radioactive isotope Caesium 137 - which after 30 years fell in its original value with the passing of its half life.  (Jeffery "Pigs Might Fly: Radioactive wild boars are roaming Europe"). Yet, despite falling, the isotope affects and will continue to affect food for years. This includes the boar met used in goulash - a stew of meat, sauce, and dumplings - that is a delicacy in the Czech Republic. The impact of the disaster can still be observed as "614 pigs inspected between 2014 and 2016 were too radioactive" (Becker "Radioactive pigs are wandering Central Europe").The presence of radioactive food sources in the market is a consequence of nuclear disasters that increases vulnerability of populations as they become susceptible to the impact of the hazard. However, steps can be taken to prevent increases in vulnerability that include raising awareness and taking initiative by testing the meat to prevent unnecessary exposure of the population to unsafe meat. The Czech government assures its citizens that radioactive boar meat is not sold and all meat is screened before making its way to the market.

The situation of Chernobyl demonstrates the long-term consequences of a nuclear disaster that await Japan. However, more importantly the political acknowledgement of radioactive wild boars by the Czech government illustrates how organized initiatives can diminish a population's vulnerability to consequences of nuclear disasters even decades after the disaster.