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Last Updated: Friday, 6 January 2006, 21:12 GMT
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Motorists warned over freed boars
Baby and parent boar at the Woodland Wild Boar Farm - PA
Boar have been reported 80 miles away from where they were released
Devon and Cornwall police are warning drivers near Exmoor to take extra care after a motorist collided with one of the wild boar on the run in the area.

Fifty-nine animals are still at large after being freed by animal rights activists in West Anstey 16 days ago.

The accident happened near South Molton on Thursday evening when a woman called police to say she had hit a boar.

When her husband got out to check on the animal the boar had run off but there was a pool of blood on the road.

WILD BOAR FACTS
Wild boar
Wild boar were hunted to extinction in Britain 300 years ago
Small breeding population has emerged in East Sussex in last 10 years
Males can weigh up to 200kg
Boar can run at speeds of up to 40mph
Can reach 25 years of age in captivity
Exceptional hearing and sense of smell, but poor eyesight
Males grow upper and lower tusks
Very wary and shy from human contact
On Wednesday a local hunt only managed to catch one of the creatures, which have caused damage put at thousands of pounds to land managed by local farmers.

About 40 have been recaptured and the South West Lakes Trust says it is taking seriously reports of sightings of wild boar close to Plymouth, nearly 80 miles from their home farm.

The 100 animals escaped around East and West Anstey, near South Molton, in December after a fence was cut by animal activists at Allan Dedames' Woodland Wild Boar Farm.

The Animal Liberation Front has said it was responsible for freeing the animals.

Members of the Dulverton Farmers' Hunt said they would launch another search for the animals if farmers requested it.

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Devon BBC Devon
Sport, travel, weather, things to do, features and much more

Contacts and information about animal rightsAnimal rights
Starting points to help you take action on animal issues

SEE ALSO:
Farmers fear further boar damage
05 Jan 06 |  Devon
Wild boar hunt 'mayhem' warning
04 Jan 06 |  Devon
Attempt to round up roaming boar
04 Jan 06 |  Devon
Hunt helps find 60 missing boar
03 Jan 06 |  Devon
Hunt goes on to find missing boar
23 Dec 05 |  Devon
Herd of 100 boar freed from farm
22 Dec 05 |  Devon


RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
North Devon District Council
British Wild Boar
South West Lakes Trust
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