Wild boar piglets at Jamie Burgess's farm in the New Forest, Farmer Jamie Burgess has turned part of his dairy farm into a fortress in a bid to introduce wild boar to the New Forest National Park for the first time in numbers since William the Conqueror's son, William Rufus hunted them to the verge of extinction 1,000 years ago. The last wild boar disappeared from the forest 300 years ago but Mr Burgess, 34, has reversed the trend by compiling a herd of 80, gleaned from established herds across Britain and beyond, including his first young piglets. They may loo
Wild boar piglets at Jamie Burgess's farm in the New Forest, Farmer Jamie Burgess has turned part of his dairy farm into a fortress in a bid to introduce wild boar to the New Forest National Park for the first time in numbers since William the Conqueror's son, William Rufus hunted them to the verge of extinction 1,000 years ago. The last wild boar disappeared from the forest 300 years ago but Mr Burgess, 34, has reversed the trend by compiling a herd of 80, gleaned from established herds across Britain and beyond, including his first young piglets. They may look cute and pet-like as youngsters but most will eventually weigh more than 20 stones, run at 30 miles an hour and be capable of jumping over six-foot barriers. Former soldier Mr Burgess has obtained a dangerous wild animal licence and transformed an area of his farm at Bramshaw into a huge pen designed to keep them from joining the horses and cattle which freely roam the forest. Mr Burgess explained:'' My perimeter fence is six feet high and goes a long way underground to stop them tunnelling to freedom and inside that is an electric fence. There is a double-gated entrance because they are an intelligent animal and always looking for a means of escape. '' We feed them on varied diet of crushed barley, maize, fruit and vegetables. Attempts had been made to re-introduce them in the past but they never took for some reason. '' The young are sweet and friendly and spotted for camouflage but in the end they will be destined for the butchers' shops. '' The meat is darker than conventional pork and and a lot tastier. Our method does not domesticate the boar as want them to live as naturally as possible. '' This means there is no unforced growth and on a diet similar to that which they would enjoy in the wild, they produce a rich, nutty flavour.'' Ends MIKE WALKER, MIKE WALKER PICTURES
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