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Wild boar appear destructive, but they make excellent conservationists

Keystone species such as wild boar, eagles and lynx were managing the planet quite well for millions of years before humans got involved. We must cherish them, says Benedict Macdonald

By Benedict Macdonald

28 September 2022

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Michelle D’urbano

WELCOME to some uncomfortable truths: keystone species were managing the planet quite well for millions of years before humans ever got involved, and wild boar may be considerably better conservationists and foresters than we are.

In recent decades, we have seen great breakthroughs in the study of wild animals. But when I began writing Cornerstones, a book about how keystone species such as beavers, eagles and lynx once helped to shape Britain’s ecology, one thing became clear.

While there are many studies of animals as organisms within a landscape, we appear far more reluctant to admit that some animals profoundly …

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