Wild boars count underway as TN farmers demand culling

CHENNAI: After repeated complaints from farmers across the state that wild boars have been uprooting their crops, the government has taken up a study on the population of the animal. Farmers have been demanding that the state take up culling of wild boars-something Kerala had done.

The chief wildlife warden, in a circular sent to field directors of tiger reserves and the conservator of forests of all circles in December last year, said that they received several reports about the damage to agriculture crops in villages located close to forests. A scientific study is required to see if the animal needs to be culled or shot dead when found in agricultural fields.

Despite the fact that the wild boar population is increasing, no scientific enumeration on the population of these animals was so far taken. There is no scientific data available with the authorities to take a decision. The study is expected to be over by mid-March, wildlife officials said.

In the last couple of years the authorities received complaints of crop damage by wild boars in large number from Dharmapuri, Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli, Srivilliputhur in Virudhu Nagar and Perambalur districts. In 2012-13, 290 cases of crop damage due to wild boar attacks were reported. The cases rose to 350 the next year. The compensation paid by the forest department increased from 26 lakh in 2012-13 to 32 lakh in 2014.

A senior wildlife officer said in Kerala, wild boar has been brought out of the scheduled list of endangered animals. In northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana the neel ghai (blue bull) population was increasing. There again the authorities took the bull out of the scheduled list.

Conservationists cautioned that wild boar is being poached for its meat, and not because of the damage it does to crop. If the authorities declare the boar as a 'vermin,' rampant poaching will take place in the state.