THERE are around 580 wild boar on Forestry England land in the Dean according to latest estimates.

Research carried out between March 10 and March 27 this year detected 68 groups or sounders each with an average of 3.04 animals.

From that it was estimated there is a density of 6.25 boar per square kilometre giving a range for the whole of the area between 348. 86 and 977.24.

The report by Forest Research calculated the total estimated “abundance” of wild boar at 583.41 individuals.

The number of wild boar has been monitored since 2013 and reached its peak five years later when it was estimated there were 1,635 animals on the public forest estate.

For this year’s research the Forest was divided into two regions, “central” and “periphery”.

There was a slight increase in both boar and deer in the peripheral areas while the number of boar in the central area between the edges of Coleford and Cinderford were slightly down.

In each region two observers travelled 235km at night using thermal imaging scopes to identify the animals.

Distance and angle from the observer was recorded which has proven effective for estimating the number of animals such as boar where visibility is limited.

Report author Cally Ham concluded: “We found a slight increase in the estimated density of both boar and deer within the Periphery region, and of deer within the Central region.

We found a slight decrease in the estimated density of boar within the Central region.

In general, the estimated density of both boar and deer throughout the Forest of Dean is similar to that of previous years.”

The number of deer across the Forest was estimated at 1,645.72 and a statistical range of between 1,310.86 and 2,067.02.

The actual number of each species observed was 459 fallow deer, 113 muntjac and 59 roe.