Is this creature a baby boar all the way from France?

Monday 06 November 2023

The body of a creature islanders believe to be a baby boar who made to the island from France has washed up at La Corbiere.

After spotting the animal corpse yesterday, Nat Sims posted on the 'Jersey Wildlife' Facebook group to ask for advice about if she should inform anyone.

This led to group members to speculate about the species of the animal, with the general consensus being that it was a young wild boar which had been washed up from Normandy where the animals are common.

"The stripes are characteristic of a young boar," explained one commenter.

This is not the first time wild boars have appeared in the Channel Islands.

Wild boar corpses have washed up across the Channel Islands before, but in 2013, a live wild boar was spotted in Alderney.

Pictured: Nat Sims posted on the 'Jersey Wildlife' Facebook group to ask for advice about if she should inform anyone about the washed up dead animal.

It was believed to have swum to the island from France.

The wild boar was on the run in the island for around a month, and was usually only seen at dusk which led to it being dubbed the "ghost pig".

However, it was later thought to have been shot and disposed of by someone concerned that the animal might be carrying disease.

Pictured: Photos of Jersey's first live coypu were taken by Ewan Pilley in Trinity in October 2022.

More recently, the first alive coypu was spotted in Jersey near Rozel. 

Up until last year's sighting, the animals had only been found dead on the island’s shores.

In the aftermath of Storm Cierán, islanders are being urged to “keep an eye out for injured wildlife” impacted by the storm – and should contact the Government’s animal health and welfare team if found dead, and the JSPCA if found alive.