TN may allow culling of wild boars to save crops

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government may soon allow ‘selective’ culling of wild boars that are venturing out of forest areas and damaging crops. At a meeting of the Farmers Conflict Resolution Committee held on Friday it was largely agreed that wild boars that are troubling farmers beyond 5 km from the forest boundary can be shot down.

Official sources told TNIE that keeping ecological and predator-prey balance in mind, wild boars will not be disturbed within 0-1 km or 0-3 km from forest boundary. Though farmer representatives in the committee were insisting on eliminating wild boars beyond 1 km, forest officials and scientists were against it.

A final decision will be taken by Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy who will issue orders under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, after holding consultation with the state government. Sources said the culling will be selective and executed by the forest department. Local-level committees consisting of foresters, VAO, panchayat head, and a farmer representative will be formed to assess the wild boar population. Factors such as carrying capacity of the area will be also considered by the panel before recommending the number of animals that could be culled, unlike Kerala where mass culling was carried out. It is estimated that over 4,000 wild boars were culled so far in the neighbouring state.