Wild boar were once a common sight across Britain, but centuries of hunting and habitat destruction led to their extinction in the 13th century. For hundreds of years, they were absent from the landscape—until small populations began to re-establish in the late 20th century, mainly escapees from farms who had been importing wild boar from mainland Europe to raise them for their meat.

Today, wild boar are found in scattered populations across parts of England and Scotland. While their numbers remain relatively low, this keystone species still plays a crucial role as ecosystem engineer – their rootling in search of food aerates the soil, and the disturbed ground left behind becomes habitat for myriad insects and forage for birds. Wild boar love wallowing which creates muddy pools. These in turn attract all kinds of creatures for a drink or a bath, and become home to amphibians.

Many of our team have seen wild boar on the land, although this image of 3 piglets is the only photo we have captured. It’s difficult to advise where to go for the best chance to spot them as they are continually on the move. If you do manage to get a photo, please tag us @42acresretreat – we’d love to see.