Feral Pigs Discovered in Cairngorms Park In Scotland Have Been Killed

Feral pigs, believed to be hybrids between wild boar and domestic pigs, were recently discovered in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Considered illegal and non-native species, the pigs were captured and killed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as they did not want to give them to a sanctuary. The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) stated that the pigs appeared to have been abandoned and illegally released, leading to their capture and subsequent culling.

Although wild boar are native to Scotland, they were hunted to extinction about 700 years ago. In recent years, populations of free-roaming pigs have been established in various regions through escapes from farms or illegal releases. The incident in the Cairngorms National Park highlights the ongoing issue of feral pigs impacting agriculture and the environment, prompting the need for land managers to control their numbers to prevent further consequences.