Residents in the New Forest are calling for visitors to stop harassing their pigs for selfies.
Every autumn, around 600 domestic pigs are released into the national park to snuffle out acorns, which are poisonous to cattle and ponies. The practice is known as “pannage” or “Common of Mast”, and dates back to the time of William the Conqueror.
The right for the pigs to roam was granted to local people and still plays an important role in the Hampshire woodland’s ecology.
Now, New Forest animal safety campaigner Gilly Jones has raised her concerns about the harm to the animals from sightseers trying to snap a shot with them.
Jones said she had witnessed someone putting a camera three inches from the snout of a sow and children chasing piglets around a car park.
The New Forest Commoners Defence Association chair Andrew Parry-Norton told The Independent: “When encountering pigs in the New Forest, members of the public should look but not touch, keep a respectful distance and avoid any form of interaction with them.
“The animals play an extremely important role in the forest, hoovering up acorns which can prove toxic to other livestock such as ponies and cattle if consumed in large amounts.
“It is, therefore, essential the pigs are allowed to carry out their work without disturbance.”
Parry-Norton urged people to take photos from afar and use the zoom function rather than closely approaching the pigs.
He added: “Dogs must be kept on leads, as sows may act defensively to protect their young, and drivers should proceed with caution and give them a wide berth.
“We appreciate people want to come and see the pigs during pannage season but we ask for them to respect the pigs – and all the other livestock in the Forest – while doing so.”
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