Wild boar at large after dash for freedom
By Paul Kelbie, Scotland Correspondent
The Borders features so infrequently in the National Press that it was quite a surprise to find this headline on page 9 of theTabloid 'Indy' the story is as follows:
15 September 2004
Somewhere among the woodland which surrounds the market town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, a fugitive lies in hiding unaware of the fuss his great escape from captivity has caused.
Following in the footsteps of the Tamworth Two pigs, a wild boar has made an attempt for freedom from a slaughterhouse. Known as Houdini for his death-defying escapade from the Scottish Borders Abattoir in the town's Winston Road, the boar spent most of yesterday dodging police and slaughtermen trying to recapture him among the bushes on the outskirts of the town.
The animal's fate now rests on either evading capture or engendering the sympathy of the general public.
In 1998, the Tamworth Two caused a media frenzy after they escaped from an abattoir in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
The public was advised by Lothian and Borders Police not to approach the latest escapee as experts warned that wild boar could be dangerous if cornered or frightened. (
The Independent)
Devotees of this rant will remember the sightings of the Hutton panther earlier this year. Sadly since Dave the Paper gave up his dawn run there have been no further sightings reported to Huttonian. If anyone would have seen the Galashiels Wild Boar it would have been Dave-and Galashiels is not all that far from here-perhaps 3o miles on a good day. So a visit is on the cards.
I am not quite sure how this beast is going to engender the sympathy of the general public. Boars are not generally cuddly and will anyhow need to be cornered before any acquaintanceship can be struck up. But the police have stated that the creature is dangerous when cornered so that does not seem much of an option.
However here is a golden opportunity for the Borders Tourist Board to add an attraction to Scotland's Favourite Short Break Destination and perhaps some enterprising Safari company could organise game drives-a panther and a wild boar are a good start for the Borders Wild Game reserve. "Wild Borders! A Boars Paradise!" would make good tourist copy but one would have to be careful with the spelling.
