IWT position on wild boar in Ireland

Wild Boar by Ben Locke

In recent years a number of sightings of wild boar have been recorded in Ireland. These are thought to have been illegally released, possibly for the purpose of hunting. Wild boar is a former native species that became extinct in historical times, due to overhunting and deforestation. Boars are also a keystone species in forest ecosystems, as their rooting activity creates a disturbance regime that increases plant diversity and aids tree regeneration. For these reasons, the Irish Wildlife Trust objects to the current classification of wild boar as an invasive species by Invasive Species Ireland, as it does not fit the definition of an invasive species as laid out by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). We feel that this move confuses members of the public about what an invasive species actually is, making it more difficult to raise awareness about the threats from actual invasives, such as grey squirrel, rhododendron and zebra mussel.

The Irish Wildlife Trust also objects to the illegal release of wild boar and feels that if a reintroduction should take place, then it should be only be sanctioned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and done in accordance with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines on reintroductions – as has been done for recent reintroductions of birds of prey. This would involve assessing whether there is sufficient habitat in Ireland for a viable population of wild boar, ensuring that the reasons for extinction have been resolved, sourcing animals that are closely related to the extinct population and engaging with interested stakeholders, such as foresters and farmers. Illegal releases bypass these important steps and also risk importing diseases that may threaten agriculture. The animals may also not be pure wild boar but a mix of wild boar and domestic pigs, making them inappropriate for a reintroduction project. These irresponsible introductions could be prevented without having to define wild boar in Ireland as invasive.

If a population of wild boar is now established in Ireland, then the IWT would like a study to be conducted on the “purity of animals”, genetic origin, disease status and habitat availability for such a population. If it is found that that animals are relatively “pure”, of appropriate genetic stock for Ireland and disease free then an assessment should be made as to whether they should be allowed to remain, through consultation with interested stakeholders.

Further reading
Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2005). Feral wild boar in England: status, impact and management. Department of Food and Rural Affairs. London.

Invasive Species Ireland (ISI) (2011). Policy Position Statement on Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and hybrids in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Belfast.

Welander, J. (1995). Are wild boar a future threat to the Swedish flora. IBEX Journal of Mountain Ecology. 3: 165-167.

Woodman, P., Mccarthy, M. and Monaghan, N. (1997). The Irish quaternary fauna project. Quaternary Science Reviews. 16: 129-159.

Yalden, D. W. (1999). The history of British mammals. Poyser Ltd, London.