Farmers call for payouts over crop damage by wild boar

HUNDREDS of years ago they were hunted to extinction in the UK by aristocrats who prized them as trophies.

But now wild boar are back with a vengeance – roaming the Scottish countryside and causing scenes of chaos that could cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Farmers have warned the Scottish Government it could face a huge compensation bill if it fails to wipe out the animals destroying their crops.

The boom in the boar population follows animals either being released or escaping from farms and breeding rapidly.

Amid the prospect of the Government letting the animals roam freely as part of a ‘re-wilding’ scheme, Perthshire wheat farmer John Bruce, head of the British Deer Society, said: ‘The main reason for not wanting wild boar or feral pigs loose in the landscape is the astonishing damage they do to agricultural land.’

He added: ‘If the Government allows any creature which has a nuisance factor to re-establish,

‘Owner would be liable’

they should compensate and take responsibility for it.’

He was backed by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association. A spokesman for the group said: ‘If it was decided to let wild boar roam free, it would be very difficult to grant this without introducing a compensation scheme, like they have in many other European countries where boar are allowed free range.’

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is studying the impact which feral pigs are having in areas across Lochaber and the South-West and is due to submit its report to the Government in November.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We look forward to receiving SNH’s report and will consider its findings and recommendations carefully.’

SNH’s non-native species adviser Stan Whitaker said: ‘In cases where escaped pigs cause damage to neighbouring property, the owner of the animals would be liable for the cost of repairing the damage.’