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Tales of huge numbers of wild boar are probably exaggerated and there is no reason why a UK population cannot be sustainable, says Jack Bell
The history of wild boar in the UK
During the reign of King William I, the enactment of the Forest Law (1087) laid down that those guilty of killing a stag, roebuck or wild boar were liable to the punishment of blinding, and the hunting of these “beasts of the forest” was reserved only for nobility.
Forest Law was designed to protect game species and the habitat that sustained them, implemented for the sole purpose of protecting game stocks for the king’s personal hunting forays. Originally, royal forests were designated hunting grounds, not limited to afforested areas, but encompassed open heathland, grasslands and wetlands. However, the implementation of the Forest Law led to a monumental push for afforestation, often at the expense of local communities whose homes were burned, entire villages evicted and lands cleared
Last modified on Sat 10 Apr 2021 05.31 EDT
Ashleigh Whiffinâs day job as assistant curator of entomology is to look after National Museums Scotlandâs vast collection of preserved insects. But her passion for the creatures doesnât end when she goes home; in her spare time she spends hours recording and verifying sightings of a specific group of large carrion beetles in the family
silphidae.
âSilphidae are absolutely brilliant,â Whiffin says from her Edinburgh office. âTheyâre decomposers, so they are really vital for recycling and also have forensic applications. Some of the members in the family are called burying beetles and they actually prepare a carcass, make a nest out of the corpse and then feed on the rotting flesh and regurgitate it for their kids. Theyâre quite a charming â but also grisly â insect.â
Hundreds of churches across the England and Wales are taking part in a week-long nature count this summer to gather information on wildlife in churchyards.
People are being encouraged to visit churchyards and record the nature they find there as part of the citizen science event running from June 5 to 13.
Data from the “churches count on nature” scheme will be added to the National Biodiversity Network, which collates wildlife information from around the country.
The Church of England says that church land, which covers an area equivalent to a small national park and is often unploughed and undeveloped, could be a habitat for endangered plants and wildlife.
People urged to join summer nature count in churchyards oxfordmail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from oxfordmail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.