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Wild boar were hunted to extinction here in Britain more than 300 hundred years ago. In more recent years, the demand for their meat has led to the import of boar from Europe to be farmed here in the UK.

However, it's when these animals are released into the wild or escape that the problems can start. Carla Edmonds, a landowner in the Forest of Dean, reveals her surprise encounter with a herd of boar:

"They just came forward en-masse, like a wall. As we came up to them, the dogs then ran at them and with that the boar just started chasing the dogs. It was just so unexpected. I've seen deer, which were wonderful, in the Forest but I've never seen anything like that."

(Boar in the wild - 22 pictures)

Notoriety

Since they arrived in the Forest of Dean back in November 2004, the boar have gained a celebrity status in the local newspapers as well as a certain degree of notoriety. Carla Edmonds explains:

"The press like dramatic headlines, a bit of a wild story and it was over exaggerated. My reaction was over exaggerated because, as I've said since, I felt privileged to have seen them."

Dangerous

Boar are licensed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, which means they don't have to be tagged like domestic farm animals. That means they're difficult to trace if they escape or are dumped.

Boar like to root through soil for their food and this action can cause a tremendous amount of damage, which outrages landowners. Since the mysterious arrival of these boar back in November, there have been several incidents where people have been attacked and they've caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to pasture land where they've been rooting for food. Carla picks up the story:

"They have done amazing damage. To see them rooting in the ground is incredible because they have such sensitive noses. You wouldn't think that they would be able to use them like ploughs."

Ferocity

Former DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) scientist, Dr. Martin Goulding, has been studying wild boar for the past ten years. Back in 1998 he estimated the number of boar in the wild to be around several hundred. Now he thinks it's more like thousands. With him being an expert on boar, he's the ideal person to ask just how dangerous these animals are. He says:

"They have a reputation for ferocity but for an animal so brave, so steeped in history as charismatic, associated with bravery and strength, they scare very easily!"

Walking through the Forest of Dean, Martin quickly locates an good example of boar rooting (right). The ground has been plough up, exposing the roots in the soil. He explains:

"This is classic boar rooting. You can see how the earth has been overturned, where he's gone under with his snout, and he's exposing roots. This is what he wants to eat because boar are primarily vegetarian. If they were at a very high density, they would trash everything in the Forest but they don't live in such high densities. Vegetation [in the Forest] will recover quite easily."

The important question that is put to Martin centres on the mystery of where these wild boar in the Forest of Dean have come from. He replies:

"Nobody knows for certain because boar don't have to be identity tagged so the animals running around don't have ear tags. Nobody knows where they've come from, whether they have been deliberately let out or have escaped from farms or whether they've escaped from abattoirs - rumours are rife but nobody's going to own up to it."

Serious concern

Without accountability or traceability, there's no compensation for the damage caused by wild boar. However, there are wider issues beyond the physical damage that boar can cause. If these animals are carrying disease then it could be catastrophic for the farming industry. Richard Vaughan breeds valuable rare pigs and he's seriously concerned about the threat of disease. He explains:

"The Middle Whites are a particularly rare breed of pig, rarer than the Giant Panda and we've got nearly a quarter of the entire UK herd here but our herd is small. We go to endless troubles to ensure that our animals, our pigs do not come into contact with people who have had contact with pigs, never mind with other pigs. If we need to introduce stock to this farm, we have to go through a two month quarantine process before anything can come on here. The idea of wild boar ramping around and jumping over our hedges is just a nightmare."

Dr. Mark Goulding is also worried about the prospect of the diseases that could be carried by wild boar. He says:

"Wild boar can carry foot and mouth, swine fever, bovine TB. If one of these diseases has got into the wild boar population then the boar would act as a reservoir for that disease and you would have a heck of a job trying to get rid of it."

Richard Vaughan is worried about the consequences of just such a scenario. He explains.

"We've just been through a disastrous situation with foot and mouth in this country and wild boar would be wonderful carriers of it, trotting around from one farm to another. It beggars belief that this situation is there and DEFRA have not dealt with it earlier."

Options

According to Dr. Martin Goulding, DEFRA have three options. They can do nothing, in which case we'll be overrun by wild boar because they have no natural predators like they used to - there are no wolves or lynx in this country anymore. They could try to eradicate them all, which would be extremely expensive to the taxpayer and which may not be popular with animal rights groups and conservationists. The third option is to manage the animal and, as Martin says, the million dollar question is 'how do you manage them?'.

The government is due to release a report on the wild boar situation in Spring 2005 which will hopefully answer the concerns of many people. They won't comment on the recommendations of the report prior to its release but they did issue this statement:

"DEFRA is aware of the damage wild boar can cause. However, there are those who consider the accidental reintroduction as beneficial to biodiversity. These concerns have led us to plan a consultation on the future wildlife management (if any) of feral wild boar. The responses will then be used as a basis towards developing a wild boar management strategy."

Until that management is in place, the only method of control is shooting and that brings its own problems. John Park, an Animal Health and Welfare Officer from Gloucestershire Trading Standards, has this to say:

"A landowner who has the wild boar on their land does have the right to shoot them. They must do it humanely, of course - a shotgun, for example, would simply just be causing injury."

However, pig farmer Richard Vaughan insists the law is not as clear as that. He says:

"To shoot a wild boar you need to have a firearms certificate. Yes, you can get those but a regular firearms certificate does not allow you to shoot wild boar. Even one that states you can shoot vermin doesn't allow you to shoot wild boar. It has to specifically authorise you to shoot wild boar so most people who've got rifles still can't shoot them, they've got to get the special permit."

And boar specialist Dr. Martin Goulding warns that shooting could also create another problem. He explains:

"A wounded boar is a very dangerous animal indeed so if you're going to shoot it, make sure you kill it cleanly because you don't want an injured boar going around the woodlands. You've got massive public safety issues."

A future for the wild boar

Back at Carla Edmond's paddock in Gloucestershire, she and her horses have become accustomed to visits from the wild boar. She has plans for the family group of boar that live in the woods nearly her home. She explains:

"We are hoping we will be able to lure them into our stables and Alastair, the local llama trekking centre person, is going to give them a home. He actually has the facilities, he has the land and he has the fencing to keep them in. I think that would be a lovely ending for our little group."

Alastair Fraser, who runs the Llama and Camel trekking centre in the Forest of Dean, reveals his plans for the wild boar, if they could be captured:

"The farm here has fences of six feet and for the wild boar, we would obviously have to put reinforcing on the bottom. As far as the dangerous animals licence is concerned, of course we have one for the camels anyway. It's our intention to get different animals here and the dangerous animals licence is not a problem - we know what's involved."

Alastair's farm could offer a home to some of the wild boar who live in the Forest of Dean but until the DEFRA report comes out in the Spring, the future of the rest of the wild boar living free in this country remains uncertain.

Feature based on a Countryfile report
first broadcast on Sunday 13 February 2005

For more information about the Countryfile programme, which is presented by John Craven, and is shown on Sundays at 11.30am (ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ One), visit their website.

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