THE number of boar on Forestry Commission land in the Dean has fallen by nearly a quarter over the last year, the annual survey has found.

But is still not clear whether the drop in numbers from 1,500 to 1,204 is actually the brakes going on the upward trend in the population over the last few years or just a “statistical blip”.

It could well be that those 300 boar have left the ’public forest estate’ because they are finding easier sources of food in the towns and villages, said Deputy Surveyor for Forest Kevin Stannard.

Research in Barcelona has found a distinct split between those animals who stay hidden in the woods and those who spend most of their time in urban areas.

“We may be seeing the early signs of that,” Mr Stannard told the Forest Council’s overview and scrutiny committee.

The 23 per cent drop in boar on Forestry Commission land mirrors a 28 per cent reduction in road accidents over the last year but that will have to be compared with the 2018 survey to ensure it is not just a ’blip’.

See next week’s Review for the full story.