WILD BOARS URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP, please share this post.
NParks has decided to cull the wild boars and is not allowing ACRES to observe the culling process. ACRES is still campaigning for them to reconsider their decision. Please help speak up for the wild boars and write to NParks.
NParks has also yet to reply to our forum letter published in The Straits Times more than a month ago.
(Photo by Crystal Riley)
Pro-wild boar group seeks answers
Straits Times Forum 10 Jul 12;
AT A meeting a month ago, the National Parks Board (NParks) informed three non-governmental organisations that the carrying capacity for wild boars in our forests was 500 ('Wild boars: Public safety a prime concern for NParks'; June 30).
It now states that based on numerous studies done elsewhere, the upper limit of the natural population in a balanced ecosystem is 100 in the nature reserves.
Dr Kalan Ickes' research was quoted by NParks as proof of the negative impact of wild boars. However, Dr Ickes has had at least five publications from 2001 to 2005 based on only one particular forest in Malaysia that endured heavy logging.
Which particular study was selected and are such studies completely relevant and applicable to Singapore's context? Careful analysis of Dr Ickes' research will reveal the selectivity of wild boars on vegetation damage, and this can be instead used for more humane management practices.
The negative impact of wild boars on our forests has been highlighted by NParks; is it currently able to clarify the scientific studies that have been carried out to document this?
Wild animals are indeed unpredictable in their behaviour, but this applies to numerous native species in our forests; this cannot be used as a justification for culling.
We sincerely hope that NParks will carry out further studies and consider more humane options before making a decision to cull the wild boars.
Louis Ng
Executive Director
ACRES
https://www.facebook.com/notes/rui-jun-rj/please-write-letters-to-nparks-to-stop-culling-of-wild-boars/10151142461820141
AT A meeting a month ago, the National Parks Board (NParks) informed three non-governmental organisations that the carrying capacity for wild boars in our forests was 500 ('Wild boars: Public safety a prime concern for NParks'; June 30).
It now states that based on numerous studies done elsewhere, the upper limit of the natural population in a balanced ecosystem is 100 in the nature reserves.
Dr Kalan Ickes' research was quoted by NParks as proof of the negative impact of wild boars. However, Dr Ickes has had at least five publications from 2001 to 2005 based on only one particular forest in Malaysia that endured heavy logging.
Which particular study was selected and are such studies completely relevant and applicable to Singapore's context? Careful analysis of Dr Ickes' research will reveal the selectivity of wild boars on vegetation damage, and this can be instead used for more humane management practices.
The negative impact of wild boars on our forests has been highlighted by NParks; is it currently able to clarify the scientific studies that have been carried out to document this?
Wild animals are indeed unpredictable in their behaviour, but this applies to numerous native species in our forests; this cannot be used as a justification for culling.
We sincerely hope that NParks will carry out further studies and consider more humane options before making a decision to cull the wild boars.
Louis Ng
Executive Director
ACRES
https://www.facebook.com/notes/rui-jun-rj/please-write-letters-to-nparks-to-stop-culling-of-wild-boars/10151142461820141
Please write letters to NParks to stop culling of wild boars
by Rui Jun Rj on Thursday, 23 August 2012 at 10:01 ·
Please write a letter to NParks to let them re-consider the decision to cull wild boars. If you wish to you may use some of the information below.Dear Officer,
I am writing with concern about the decision to cull the wild boar population, and seek your understanding that culling wild boars / any animals of any kind is not going to be helpful in the long run, in fact it could result in them being more aggressively in reproducing to maintain their species.
The sustainability of any population depends on their predators and their prey. Wild boars belong to largely the top of the food chain as mentioned on your website, nevertheless, we cannot forget that their population is also controlled by their food source. I do not know how Nparks derived the numbers of wild boars that should be in a "balanced ecosystem" and whether we have the right number now compared to the past because it is relatively difficult to measure wild boar population. A balanced ecosystem naturally controls itself without human intervention. Every ecosystem must balance its inhabitants with the amount of food, water, space and energy available. If the number of inhabitants exceeds the food supply, they will begin to starve and die. When that occurs, the food supply can regenerate itself and again support the surviving inhabitants, creating a cyclical process.
Certainly, some imbalances lead to complete ecosystem failure, but this opens the door for a new ecosystem to emerge. However, this is part of evolution. Old species who cannot compete will die off and new species will emerge. This happens all the time in nature. If the wild boar is a natural native to the habitat, and not a foreign species introduced into the habitat and then start destroying other species, they should not be culled. This is because humans should not "artificially" control the natural habitat (like what we have always been doing, such that now our earth is in such a perilous deterioriating state).
I sincerely request Nparks can reconsider your decision to cull the wild boar population, and understand how we are linked with all species, that not being their predators or culling or hunting them does not necessary mean that their population size will grow indefinitely and throw the ecosystem off balance. It is more useful that we, as the most destructive species on earth now, focus on controlling the amount of food we consume and the amount of harm we bring to other species, than to try to control other species once their population seems to increase a little.
I sincerely hope you can re-consider your decision.
