WAS IS LEGAL TO SHOOT WILD BOAR AT SCHOOL?
Date : 02.02.08
http://tinyurl.com/28wu5u
The day after a wild boar was shot dead on the grounds of a Forest
primary school no one, including the Forestry Commission, could say if
it was legal to shoot the animal on private property.Wild boar were
believed to be extinct, so since their reintroduction into the Forest
in November 2004, the guidelines for their management have been a
cloudy issue.

Rob Guest, deputy surveyor for the Forest of Dean, confessed he was
unsure as to who is allowed to shoot them.

He said: "At the moment, you may be able to shoot them on your own
land, but even this isn't clear.

"Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) are
currently undertaking a risk assessment."

Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper accused the Government of dithering over
introducing a new strategy for managing the wild boar population.

He said: "They finished the consultation two years ago and I have been
pressing them since May last year to make up their mind.

"But still they dither and delay. Hopefully, this incident will force
the Government's hand." The boar shot on Thursday had been stalking
Ruardean Primary School for the majority of last week, but became
aggressive on the day it was killed.

A ranger was called in from the Forestry Commission and the decision
was made to destroy the animal.

Peter Smith, a resident and a parent of a pupil at the school said:
"No one was frightened of it. We kind of got used to it in the end.

"I was surprised when I heard they shot it, but if that's what they
had to do then so be it."

Another parent, who asked not to be named, said: "They're wild animals
so I guess it's in their nature to attack.

"I'm sure more will come, but I'm confident they'll be dealt with
appropriately."

Meanwhile, Kathy Reynolds photographed the boar on Saturday while she
was walking her dogs.

She said: "It was a shame they had to kill it, but you can understand
because of the children.

"It was about three foot high and it was in the middle of the road
looking at me. I warned the school that it was there at 8:15am.

"It wasn't acting aggressively when I was taking my photos, but you
can never be sure of boar. I didn't want to walk past it with my dog."

A Government decision on the policing of wild boar is expected in
February.





Reader comments

The unnamed person which made comments such as, "more will come" and
"They're wild animals so I guess it's in their nature to attack",
needs educating before they condemn the boar. This is a very touchy
subject at the moment and as in Kathy Reynolds statement, where she
said the boar was looking at her, the boar were more concerned about
her dogs, rather than her. She did the right thing though, by standing
still or backing off, the boar will move on. There are people that
just want to be heard, there are other people that sit at home and
help destroy our wildlife without going near the woods themselves and
there are the uneducated people that believe everything they read and
condemn animals without doing any research for themselves. Some people
would believe it if it was printed that a Lion was spotted at speech
house and it is these people that WILL partly be responsible for the
demise of the wild boar, even though they are a NATIVE species.
Rob Ward, Cinderford