Irish wild boar makes a comeback

McArmalite

Now I'm not as into nature as probably the rest of you, but I was glad to hear that wild boars still exist in Ireland. Though of course we have a gobsh!te, a Barry Coad in this case, expressing that it's a ' problem ' "quite widespread throughout the country" :rolleyes:. Interesting to see they exist all the same and our ancestors did not hunt them into extinction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8411667.stm

Mjollnir

McArmalite wrote: »

Now I'm not as into nature as probably the rest of you, but I was glad to hear that wild boars still exist in Ireland. Though of course we have a gobsh!te, a Barry Coad in this case, expressing that it's a ' problem ' "quite widespread throughout the country" :rolleyes:. Interesting to see they exist all the same and our ancestors did not hunt them into extinction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8411667.stm

Here in California, they're a beautiful part of nature and a severe nuisance. The hunting season is year round, and tags are cheap. I'm surprised that, given their nature, they could have remained undiscovered (and alive) in Ireland so long with no one noticing.

That, and they're delicious.

This isn't me, but an acquaintance of mine. They grown them large here.

It wasn't me!

They were hunted to extinction, they've been artificially introduced. They're an astronomical agricultural problem, which cost stupid money annually in places like Germany, where they're prevalent. And with respect, what qualifies you to say that Barry Coad is wrong in saying that? Where's your information, beyond "I like wild boar, therefore having wild boar is a good thing, and to hell with the consequences"? For what it's worth, I recognise the damage they do to farmland and orchards, but still wouldn't mind seeing them on a small scale. They'll need to be rigorously controlled to be remotely feasible however, so I'll be reinforcing the hanging structure in the cooler and buying a bigger rifle.

KTRIC

Where I'm living at the moment is beside a large forest in the east of Munich. We have had problems with them coming into residential areas and digging up gardens and rooting in bins.

They are seriously dangerous if challenged and breed like rats if the weather is good.

I don't know who thought it was a good idea to re-introduce them to Ireland. :rolleyes:

KerranJast

Godammit. Now we're going to have the change the name of the town. Thanks lads :rolleyes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanturk

Graces7

Where are they please? I have seen them in pet farms here.

Dusty87

Graces7 wrote: »

Where are they please? I have seen them in pet farms here.

First recorded one shot in Tipperary few months back.

jmkennedyie

Two areas flagged on the map at http://maps.biodiversityireland.ie/Default.aspx.

From memory they were approx South Wicklow and Carlow.

Kess73

KTRIC wrote: »

Where I'm living at the moment is beside a large forest in the east of Munich. We have had problems with them coming into residential areas and digging up gardens and rooting in bins.

They are seriously dangerous if challenged and breed like rats if the weather is good.

I don't know who thought it was a good idea to re-introduce them to Ireland. :rolleyes:

Yeah the larger boars can be very testy when they feel threatened. Lived in the South East of Germany some years ago and came across them a few times in forests. Needless to say I did not provoke them.

McArmalite

It wasn't me! wrote: »

They were hunted to extinction, they've been artificially introduced. They're an astronomical agricultural problem, which cost stupid money annually in places like Germany, where they're prevalent. And with respect, what qualifies you to say that Barry Coad is wrong in saying that? Where's your information, beyond "I like wild boar, therefore having wild boar is a good thing, and to hell with the consequences"? For what it's worth, I recognise the damage they do to farmland and orchards, but still wouldn't mind seeing them on a small scale. They'll need to be rigorously controlled to be remotely feasible however, so I'll be reinforcing the hanging structure in the cooler and buying a bigger rifle.

" They were hunted to extinction, they've been artificially introduced. " When were they reintroduced ?

Dusty87

McArmalite wrote: »

When were they reintroduced ?

The only person who knows that is the one who released them, and he/she isnt going to say.

Is there any wild boar farms in Ireland? Heard there was. Is it possible it could be an escapee??

McArmalite

Dusty87 wrote: »

The only person who knows that is the one who released them, and he/she isnt going to say.

Is there any wild boar farms in Ireland? Heard there was. Is it possible it could be an escapee??

It's been known for a state to officially reintroduce an animal that has gone extinct. For example the Swiss have reintroduced the Lynx.

http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/nancy/news/cn05_01.htm

Dusty87

McArmalite wrote: »

It's been known for a state to officially reintroduce an animal that has gone extinct. For example the Swiss have reintroduced the Lynx.

Yea but if the government did introduce it, why did they keep it so secret????
Conspiracy Theories is that way

---

>:p

Alun

McArmalite wrote: »

" They were hunted to extinction, they've been artificially introduced. " When were they reintroduced ?

They weren't re-introduced, at least not in any legal way. They are more than likely either escapees from poorly secured farms (these things will bury under anything, you need serious fencing to keep them in) or a farm owner who's had enough and just set them free.

As others have said they're vicious b@stards when cornered, especially the adult males who have pretty vicious tusks, and you really wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of one in that situation. It might sound very romantic and all that, but you really don't want these things roaming around forest areas anywhere where the public has ready access if you can avoid it.

lightening

Like any wild animal, don't corner or provoke them. I have come across them abroad, they are harmless if you have a bit of cop on.

Graces7

This place has or had them and were breeding them a few years ago.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~swanislandfarm/html/locallinks.htm

Dusty87 wrote: »

The only person who knows that is the one who released them, and he/she isnt going to say.

Is there any wild boar farms in Ireland? Heard there was. Is it possible it could be an escapee??

MarkR

Reintroduce wolves. Problem solved.

bigeasyeah

MarkR wrote: »

Reintroduce wolves. Problem solved.

Then there will be a thread bemoaning the abundance of wolves.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Look lads, there were 4 individuals spotted in a 5 year period. They are not re-introduced. Neither are they re-established in any way. Let's not lose the run of ourselves in fantasy.

Half-cocked

I'm not even sure if we have enough suitable habitat in this country for a viable population to establish itself. They like deciduous woodlands and we don't have much of that here. I've seen them in the wild in Hungary and Germany and they are are very shy and will avoid humans if at all possible. Only dangerous if cornered or wounded. They do cause a lot of damage to crops and if they did establish here, I think that would be a big problem given the lack of natural food sources for them.

Git101

Jaelynn Glamorous Network wrote: »

Look lads, there were 4 individuals spotted in a 5 year period. They are not re-introduced. Neither are they re-established in any way. Let's not lose the run of ourselves in fantasy.

I saw more than that together some time ago.

There were some adults and a number of young roaming wild in woodlands.
As far as I'm aware there is no boar farm in the area where I spotted these so somebody went to the trouble of releasing them there.

I have not seen them since but I did get some video of them at the time.

McArmalite

Dusty87 wrote: »

Yea but if the government did introduce it, why did they keep it so secret????
Conspiracy Theories is that way

---

>:p

SIGH :rolleyes:, another wannabe comedian. The Humour forum is that way
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=22 where you can try and impress fellow clowns with your ' wit '

lightening wrote: »

Like any wild animal, don't corner or provoke them. I have come across them abroad, they are harmless if you have a bit of cop on.

They probably are harmless, like badgers, foxes etc if left alone and not cornered they are probably more likely to be scared of us.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Git101 wrote: »

I saw more than that together some time ago.

I have not seen them since but I did get some video of them at the time.

Look, they are being farmed and sometimes released into woodland for a while. The ones you saw are either butchered now or back in pens.

There is no viable wild herd of Boar in Ireland at present.

It always amazes me how people with such an interest in Wildlife and Nature get caught up in discussions of Boar, or Wolves, or Big Cats when they should know better. Sorry ranting again.:o

Graces7

The babies at the Leitrim farm were the prettiest things ever.
It was a privilege to see them close up.

Jaelynn Glamorous Network wrote: »

Look, they are being farmed and sometimes released into woodland for a while. The ones you saw are either butchered now or back in pens.

There is no viable wild herd of Boar in Ireland at present.

It always amazes me how people with such an interest in Wildlife and Nature get caught up in discussions of Boar, or Wolves, or Big Cats when they should know better. Sorry ranting again.:o

Mjollnir

lightening wrote: »

Like any wild animal, don't corner or provoke them. I have come across them abroad, they are harmless if you have a bit of cop on.

Good advice, up to a point. Having hunted them since my teenage years, I'm relatively familiar with their behavior. They are most definitely unpredictable, and it's rather unwise to consider them 'harmless' under any circumstances. Given the size/aggression potential, I'd suggest treating them like we treat bears: always potentially very dangerous.

donaghs

McArmalite wrote: »

SIGH :rolleyes:, another wannabe comedian. The Humour forum is that way
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=22 where you can try and impress fellow clowns with your ' wit '


They probably are harmless, like badgers, foxes etc if left alone and not cornered they are probably more likely to be scared of us.

They've escaped from farms. Wild boar farming is more fashionable noawadays.They haven't been hiding out for more than a century and just reappeared.

While I like the countryside to have some natural danger, and not to be all health & safety, wild boar are significantly more dangerous than badgers and foxes. If they do decide to charge they can kill. But that's normally a risk hunters should expect if they go after them.
http://news.scotsman.com/odd/Bin-saves-the-bacon-of.5910985.jp

Git101

Jaelynn Glamorous Network wrote: »

Look, they are being farmed and sometimes released into woodland for a while. The ones you saw are either butchered now or back in pens.

There is no viable wild herd of Boar in Ireland at present.

I am not a gobsh1te please don't treat me like one.
I was only pointing out that there were more than the "4 individuals spotted in a 5 year period"
I never mentioned that I thought there was a viable herd, in fact in a previous post on the same subject here I said that I suspected that the ones I saw had been shot.
Time to get off your high horse, Jaelynn Glamorous Network

lightening

Mjollnir wrote: »

Good advice, up to a point. Having hunted them since my teenage years, I'm relatively familiar with their behavior. They are most definitely unpredictable, and it's rather unwise to consider them 'harmless' under any circumstances. Given the size/aggression potential, I'd suggest treating them like we treat bears: always potentially very dangerous.

Fair enough, you have more experience with them than me.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Git101 wrote: »

I am not a gobsh1te please don't treat me like one.
I was only pointing out that there were more than the "4 individuals spotted in a 5 year period"
I never mentioned that I thought there was a viable herd, in fact in a previous post on the same subject here I said that I suspected that the ones I saw had been shot.
Time to get off your high horse, Srameen

I never said you were. Why perpetuate the line that "Wild" Boar are roaming free in Ireland?

No High Horse intended just stating FACTS.

I'm fast thinking it's time to abandon this thread!

mayordenis

bigeasyeah wrote: »

Then there will be a thread bemoaning the abundance of wolves.

Later, Bart receives an award from Mayor Quimby outside the town hall. Several lizards slink past.

QUIMBY
For decimating our pigeon population, and making Springfield a less oppressive place to while away our worthless lives, I present you with this scented candle.

Skinner talks to Lisa.

SKINNER
Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.

LISA
But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?

SKINNER
No problem. We simply unleash wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.

LISA
But aren't the snakes even worse?

SKINNER
Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.

LISA
But then we're stuck with gorillas!

SKINNER
No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

The family head back to the car.

McArmalite

Mjollnir wrote: »

Good advice, up to a point. Having hunted them since my teenage years, I'm relatively familiar with their behavior. They are most definitely unpredictable, and it's rather unwise to consider them 'harmless' under any circumstances. Given the size/aggression potential, I'd suggest treating them like we treat bears: always potentially very dangerous.

" I'd suggest treating them like we treat bears: always potentially very dangerous. "
Interesting, now we appear to have man killing/mauling/hunting boars. How many people have been killed by them in say the last 10 years ?

(And accidents such as a car swerving to avoid them does not count ).