Police in Germany say a hunter has died after being attacked by a wild boar he was trying to shoot.

The 50-year-old man was on a boar hunt with a dozen others near the north-eastern town of Greifswald on Sunday when he was attacked by the male boar.

Witnesses reported that he fired off a shot and then moved into some reeds, where he apparently encountered the pig.

Police say the man suffered serious injuries to his left thigh and fell into nearby water. He died at a hospital and has not been identified.

Police say the boar’s whereabouts are unknown, and it is not clear if the animal was injured.

About 500,000 wild boars are killed each year in Germany. Experts say that is not enough to stop the population from growing.