Wild boar-infested areas outside forests to be identified in Coimbatore district

Forest Department in Coimbatore identifies areas colonized by wild boars outside jungles for regulated culling initiative.

In the wake of the recent Government Order (GO) on regulated culling of wild boars, the Forest Department will identify places colonised by the omnivorous wild animal outside the jungles of the Coimbatore Forest Division.

D. Venkatesh, Conservator of Forests and Field Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu that instructions were given to the District Forest Officer to map places outside forests where wild boars had colonised or often frequented by the wild animal.

“Training for the department staff for the regulated culling initiative is currently under way. Meantime, the DFO has been tasked to identify hotspots in the district,” he said.

Senior officials from the department, including forest range officers, were also instructed to attend the weekly grievances redress meeting of farmers held at the collectorate and find out places where crop damages caused by wild boars are high.

Field staff of the department would interact with farmers and identify places where wild boars caused damage to crops.

According to field staff, presence of wild boars was common at the Maruthamalai foothills, Vadavalli, Kanuvai, Pannimadai, Thondamuthur and Siruvani Road. Besides causing damage to agricultural crops, multiple accidents caused by sudden crossing of roads by wild boars outside forests were reported in the district.

They added that improper waste management was another reason for wild boars to extend their territory into residential and semi urban areas as they naturally inclined to scavenge.