Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a national monitoring system for wild boars and feral pigs.

Defra encourages all pig keepers and members of the public to be vigilant and help protect our pig sector and wildlife from the threat of African swine fever and other notifiable diseases. Found dead feral wild boar and feral pigs in England should be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Sightings of live feral wild boar and feral pigs can be made through the Mammal Societies Mammal Tracker app or directly through the National Biodiversity Network, the work of which is supported Natural England, Environment Agency and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Defra have no plans at this time to introduce alternative monitoring systems for live feral wild boar and feral pigs. However, Defra work closely with Forestry England to actively monitor and control the population of feral wild boar in the Forest of Dean and work closely with stakeholder organisations share intelligence and monitor the population of feral wild boar and feral pigs nationally.