Introducing myself - researcher of wild boar

SophieL

New Member
Hi there!

I'm a Bristol-based writer. I don't actually hunt, although I support hunting animals such as deer where populations need management (and it's of course far more ethical to eat a wild animal than one raised on a factory farm). My reason for joining the site is that I've started working on a book on wild boar, and I am trying to determine where their populations persist in the UK (other than the Forest of the Dean, their stronghold). I found this website through a forum thread discussing whether the Kent/East Sussex population has been hunted out, so I thought it would be worth joining to ask if anyone knows anything more, either about the Kent/East Sussex population or others. However, I do appreciate that some people may prefer not to discuss such information openly.

Here's the forum thread I mentioned: Wild boar on the increase ?
 
There has been a book already written and published a few years back about the Wild Boar on the Kent and East Sussex border. It was written by an acquaintance of mine who lives at Peasmarsh in Kent. Its called "Wild Boar in the UK, the story so far" It covers the facts about Wild Boar in the whole of that area since they escaped from a farm near Tenterden. This is or was owned by the Tetra pack people. All of the Boar to my knowledge were from Poland, and escaped during the hurricane is 1987.

I spoke to Derek a few months back and he has a second book ready for publication, but whether he goes ahead with it or not I do not know.
 
There has been a book already written and published a few years back about the Wild Boar on the Kent and East Sussex border. It was written by an acquaintance of mine who lives at Peasmarsh in Kent. Its called "Wild Boar in the UK, the story so far" It covers the facts about Wild Boar in the whole of that area since they escaped from a farm near Tenterden. This is or was owned by the Tetra pack people. All of the Boar to my knowledge were from Poland, and escaped during the hurricane is 1987.

I spoke to Derek a few months back and he has a second book ready for publication, but whether he goes ahead with it or not I do not know.
Thank you for your reply - I have read Derek's excellent book and I am pleased to hear he is still around. My book will take a wider focus, looking at boar across the country and comparing their case to that of boar in continental Europe and further beyond. Plenty to write about when it comes to this tenacious species!
 
Welcome, and great to hear that there is another book in the offing on boar in the UK. They are a species that is on my bucket list to photograph!

Last year's Atlas of the Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland, from the Mammal Society, purports to show a good distribution of boar in the Kent/Sussex area. That said, I am not sure where the data came from behind those distribution maps. However the 2015 position statement on their website speaks to Kent/Sussex being one of only four sustainable populations, at least based on CJ Wilson's 2014 research: Position statement: Re-establishment of Wild Boar in Britain - The Mammal Society.

For those who may prefer a source "closer to home", the GWCT also speak to the Kent/Sussex herd: Wild Boar facts, distribution and abundance - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Perhaps you might want to approach the GWCT to see when their most recent sightings of boar in Kent/Sussex have been?

As @sikamalc says above, the Rausings of Tetra Pak fame own Wadhurst Park, where they have more recently introduced Mangalitsa pigs to mimic the effect of wild boar: Environmental purpose

It's hard to believe this was 20 years ago! Gamekeeper shoots wild boar
 
Welcome, and great to hear that there is another book in the offing on boar in the UK. They are a species that is on my bucket list to photograph!

Last year's Atlas of the Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland, from the Mammal Society, purports to show a good distribution of boar in the Kent/Sussex area. That said, I am not sure where the data came from behind those distribution maps. However the 2015 position statement on their website speaks to Kent/Sussex being one of only four sustainable populations, at least based on CJ Wilson's 2014 research: Position statement: Re-establishment of Wild Boar in Britain - The Mammal Society.

For those who may prefer a source "closer to home", the GWCT also speak to the Kent/Sussex herd: Wild Boar facts, distribution and abundance - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Perhaps you might want to approach the GWCT to see when their most recent sightings of boar in Kent/Sussex have been?

As @sikamalc says above, the Rausings of Tetra Pak fame own Wadhurst Park, where they have more recently introduced Mangalitsa pigs to mimic the effect of wild boar: Environmental purpose

It's hard to believe this was 20 years ago! Gamekeeper shoots wild boar
Thanks Willie! The GWCT is a good shout. I think a lot of the figures being bounced around about boar numbers across the UK are recycled from out-of-date information, unfortunately.
 
There has been a book already written and published a few years back about the Wild Boar on the Kent and East Sussex border. It was written by an acquaintance of mine who lives at Peasmarsh in Kent. Its called "Wild Boar in the UK, the story so far" It covers the facts about Wild Boar in the whole of that area since they escaped from a farm near Tenterden. This is or was owned by the Tetra pack people. All of the Boar to my knowledge were from Poland, and escaped during the hurricane is 1987.

I spoke to Derek a few months back and he has a second book ready for publication, but whether he goes ahead with it or not I do not know.
The Tetrapak people formerly owned the Morghew Estate, Tenterden as far as my knowledge goes.
 
Welcome from Gloucestershire.

I haven't seen any sign of fresh boar activity on my permission in Sussex since 2013...around there they were all poached by a known local who boasted of it. The one consolation is that the deer are coming back.

I have been taking annual-ish photos of the rubbing tree, but all the wallows have disappeared now.

Alan


2013

IMG_0594.jpeg


2019

IMG_7586.jpeg
 
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Welcome from Gloucestershire.

I haven't seen any sign of fresh boar activity on my permission in Sussex since 2013...around there they were all poached by a known local who boasted of it. The one consolation is that the deer are coming back.

I have been taking annual-ish photos of the rubbing tree, but all the wallows have disappeared now.

Alan


2013

View attachment 216186


2019

View attachment 216189
Those are great photos Alan, thank you. I've always been amazed at how effectively boar can plaster a tree with mud. It's sad to see that it only took a few years for their brief existence on your land to vanish into the past again. It just goes to show how fragile their presence is in this country.
 
Those are great photos Alan, thank you. I've always been amazed at how effectively boar can plaster a tree with mud. It's sad to see that it only took a few years for their brief existence on your land to vanish into the past again. It just goes to show how fragile their presence is in this country.

@SophieL

What distinction do you make between 'wild boar' and feral/escaped formerly domestic pigs?

Personally don't see why they should be conserved in the UK.

As you will know they cause far more damage than any deer can due to their reproduction rate and ability to destroy root structures.

Shoot on sight should be the nationwide policy for any wild pig!
 
Hi Sophie,

Welcome to the site. There seems to be a well established population in the Lochaber area.
 
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