THE wild boar population in the Forest of Dean is 'rocketing' prompting the biggest ever cull to be carried out, it has been revealed.

Deputy surveyor for the Forestry Commission Kevin Stannard revealed at last week's scrutiny sub committee meeting that the local feral boar population had increased significantly over the last 12 months and that the number of wild boar involved in road traffic accidents had risen to 43 and for the first time the numbers were exceeding the number of deer killed on the district's roads.

Mr Stannard explained to members that the ideal feral boar population was around 400 but after the results of the annual thermal imaging had be analysed it had increased to 819 - twice the number expected by the Forestry Commission.

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