Cull of Wild Boars in Forest of Dean - time for a sense of proportion

I support the re-introduction of some of the mammal and bird species which have been extirpated or driven to extinction in the UK by humans. Wild boars were re-introduced either by accident when animals escaped from farms or by activists who deliberately released them. Wild boars have now reestablished themselves in many areas, including the Forest of Dean where there is a healthy breeding population of around 1500. The Forestry Commission has estimated that a population of 400 is an optimum level. The Commission have decided to cull the wild boars.

There are activists who are opposed to this cull and are taking action to prevent the shooting of these iconic animals.

There needs to be some sort of agreement between the activists and the Forestry Commission. The predators of wild boars have also been eliminated. There is no longer a population of bears or wolves to keep wild boar numbers down or keep the boars on the move to prevent them causing too much damage. The lynx has also been extirpated and these predators would have taken young boars and would have helped to keep herds on the run. There is, therefore, nothing to stop the population of wild boars increasing. The boars are, therefore, free to damage their own environment and the environment of humans. There needs to be some sort of control. Activists who are attempting to  prevent the cull should take this into account. There is no justification for extirpating wild boars again but the Forestry Commission is not proposing this. There must be room for compromise.

A similar situation is being encountered with the deer population. Vast areas of woodland are being damaged by fallow and roe deer. In my own area it is not possible to cull the deer because the parks are too close to human habitation.

Attempts are being made to re-introduce the lynx to help control the deer population and keep it on the move but farmers are in the main totally opposed to the re-introduction of these predators for fear that they will take sheep. The farmers are wrong on this one as lynx rarely hunt sheep.

Human beings have upset the balance of nature in the UK  and it is now time to restore some of this balance. It is too late for the wolves and bears; a re-introduction programme would probably fail except perhaps for the wildest parts of Scotland.

There is very little reason, however, to object to the re-introduction of the lynx, beaver or eagle (to England and Wales). We can afford this and their presence would improve the environment for everyone. However, we need to control the population numbers, based on scientific evidence,
of the introduced species. This means, in the case of the wild boars, a limited cull where the facts justify it.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/12/boar-war-the-forest-of-dean-pixies-fighting-against-the-cull-of-wild-pigs