Root out nuisance of boars, say Scots farmers

Senior News Reporter

Saturday 8 September 2012

THEY last roamed free in Scotland more than 400 years ago, when the heavy woodland provided the perfect cover for the stout, hairy beasts.

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Alison Campsie

Wild boar died out due to hunting and loss of their forest habitats, but the tusked animals are increasingly being spotted once again – with some farmers and landowners hailing their return as an unwelcome one.

The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) is calling on the government to address the growing wild boar population after land managers reported significant damage.It is thought the rise in boar numbers is due to the creatures escaping, or being freed illegally, from farms where they are reared for their meat.But their roaming has caused havoc for some, with the loss of livestock reported.One Lochaber farmer claims to have lost a significant number of his lambs to boar.He said: "What we want from the government, through Scottish Natural Heritage, is advice on how to deal with this."We need to cure this problem before it becomes really bad. "I have made my feelings known, but no-one seems to be doing anything. We need real advice on what we can do to manage the situation."He added: "I reckon we must have around 14 wild boar living close to the croft now, some really big. Two years ago, they took about 20% of my lambs, some over 30kg. In the wider area, there could be 50, 100 or 200; no-one knows because they are nocturnal and rarely spotted by humans."Talks have been held to reintroduce wild boar to Scotland, with claims they can help the forest ecosystem – their habit of rooting the soil with their snouts aids seed germination.But the SGA, in its call for tougher action, cited a 2004 study by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) which concluded boar will take young livestock.The SGA also highlighted a report by Utah State University, which found free-roaming boars in America cause environmental damage worth an estimated $1.5 billion (about £936 million) a year The French government has paid up to the equivalent of £12 million in compensation to farmers between 1984 and 1992.Wild boar also carry diseases such as classic swine fever.Damage in England, where several pockets of boar exist, would "likely increase substantially" should populations increase, according to Defra.This is something land managers fear is happening in Scotland, with boar populations known to grow slowly initially before rapidly expanding.Alex Hogg, SGA chairman, said: "There are a lot of confusing messages being sent out to people in the Scottish countryside. Recently, SNH declared a shoot-on-sight policy if anyone saw a Muntjac deer crossing the Border into Scotland from England, but there are people with wild boar on their doorstep in this country and no guidance is being given. "The same situation was allowed to happen with illegally released beavers on the Tay."No matter people's opinion of either of these species, positive or negative, no-one can contest that they have been released in contravention of wildlife law."If the authorities decide just to leave things, it sends out a signal that anyone can release any animal into the Scottish countryside and get away with it. It also opens up the authorities to the criticism that they are being subjective over which species they are willing to turn a blind eye to and which species they are not."A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are aware of a small number of feral pig populations in Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage are considering the impact and determining what action could or should be taken in relation to them."It is an offence under new legislation to release any non-native animals or to allow them to escape. The non-native species legislation also provides the Scottish Government and SNH with powers to take action."

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Root out nuisance of boars, say Scots farmers

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