Authorities forced to take drastic action as wild animals run amok in unexpected location: 'Disgusting'

The internet might be brimming with cute videos of cats and penguins, but when it comes to animal neglect, folks are quick to take up arms. This was on full display when residents discovered a group of feral pigs in the Cairngorms, in Scotland, believed to have been dumped illegally and recklessly.

On Feb. 12, BBC News Scotland disclosed that eight of the nine wild pigs, not typically found in the Highlands, were caught and culled. 

This development sparked hundreds of outraged Facebook comments lamenting both the irresponsible release and sanctioned culling.

"Time they found out who is dumping these poor creatures," one commenter said.

"Cull them ????? That's disgusting," said another.

This isn't the first time non-native wildlife has been released in the Highlands. Just one month earlier, four Eurasian lynx were illegally let loose in the Cairngorms, not five miles from where the pigs were later abandoned, The Guardian reported. While all four were recaptured, one was reported by the West Highland Free Press to have later died of starvation.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, the Scottish Parliament's Edward Mountain considered the unmonitored release of these lynx an attempt at "guerrilla rewilding," not unlike the long history of "beaver bombing" in the United Kingdom or the latest release of feral pigs in the Scottish Highlands.

Alongside concerns about the unregulated introduction of species into new regions, the original BBC post inspired discourse around what seemed to be preferential treatment of the lynx over the pigs. After all, the lynx were rescued by the Edinburgh Zoo, while the feral pigs were euthanized. 

The BBC cited the fact that these feral pigs in Scotland are considered an invasive species that can cause environmental damage.

"Their rooting behavior can cause soil erosion, damage plant life, and disturb invertebrates and small mammals," wrote BBC Scotland's Catherine Lyst. "Feral pigs may prey on the eggs of rare ground-nesting birds, negatively impacting biodiversity." 

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely 👍 Depends on the animal 🤔 No way 👎 Just let people do it for free 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Lyst went on to describe the threats these pigs pose to humans, from the destruction of agricultural property to the spread of infectious diseases such as swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.

Still, feral pigs may provide some environmental benefits, per the publication, including nutrient cycling and plant growth, and several commenters on the Facebook post claimed that Scottish authorities could have treated these Highland pigs more humanely.

"Surely they could have been homed," one suggested.

"Why cull? Isn't there a sanctuary or farm that would take them?" asked another.

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