Wild threats (From York Press)

Wild threats

9:46am Thursday 4th January 2007 in Letters By Reader's letter

MR H GRIFFITH (Arrogant' foxhunters who break the law, Letters, January 2), is against hunting with hounds. Is he not aware that the number of foxes in this country is now completely beyond control?

The main reason is the fox's ability to adapt to the urban environment. Now, in towns and cities, well beyond the reach of bullet or hound, the fox has only to eat and reproduce.

There is nothing to stop them multiplying until they are as common as rats. As far as the fox is concerned, any control should be good control.

Mr Griffith refers to the League Against Cruel Sports prosecuting a huntsman. Wasn't it this league that allowed the Government to slaughter more than 11,000 badgers in a series of worthless experiments, while it carried on its anti-hunting campaign? Hypocrisy indeed.

But now there is another player in the game. The Government, in a period of madness, allowed wild boar farming in this country.

Inevitably some escaped, and now, as they breed like rabbits, we have three large groups of them in the south-west. They are nocturnal forest dwellers, so we have no way of knowing how many there actually are. They are normally quiet and avoid contact with humans.

However, if they feel threatened they can become extremely aggressive, and can attack, kill and eat an adult. The best way to hunt them is with dogs, but we can't do that in this country.

The only other way is to shoot them with powerful rifles. Failure to control them now will allow them to overrun the country, just as the foxes have done.

Jeremy D Fox, Malton Avenue, York.