Second boar herd was ‘becoming more feral and aggressive as each day passed’
Is it ‘all clear’ now on the wild boar front in Badenoch?
The word from the landowners involved is ‘Yes’.
Quietly and efficiently the remaining animals which had been illegally released have now been rounded up and despatched.
The deed was done several days ago but no general release was put out, perhaps because ‘once bitten twice shy’ after the hunters had thought it was all over the first time.
This afternoon a Forestry and Land spokesperson told the Strathy: “Following the discovery and capture of nine more feral pigs in the Cairngorms area, it was agreed with partners the same process would be followed as with the previous group.
“With the assistance of partner organisations, the animals were captured removed to an FLS location and humanely culled one evening last week.
“This second group was becoming more feral and aggressive as each day passed and their capture has been a relief to all involved.
“Further to this, we engaged a contractor to carry out a thermal drone survey of the Uach Lochans area but no other feral pigs were detected.”
No further progress has been confirmed as to the investigation into who dumped the animals in the first place - either all 20 or so of the herd or at least part of it.
But the Strathy can point out that the primary responsibility for controlling feral pig populations lies with individual land owners, and where feral pigs are present, land managers are encouraged by Scottish Government to control feral pig numbers to manage their impacts on agriculture, forestry and the environment.
Wild Boar is considered to be a Non-Native Species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence under Section 14 of the Act to release any type of pig, including wild boar.
It is also an offence to allow them to escape from captivity.
