THOOTHUKUDI: When sprays, fences, and official advice failed to keep feral pigs away, farmers in Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts have turned to man’s best friend. Packs of native hunting dogs—Kanni, Chippiparai, Rajapalayam and Kombai—brought in to chase down and kill the animals ravaging their fields.
Farmers cultivating short-term crops in the rainfed tracts of Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Ottapidaram, Ettayapuram, Vilathikulam and Pudur, besides paddy farmers in Srivaikuntam and Karungulam, are facing a severe threat from the pig menace.
Huge herds of feral pigs, believed to be domestic country breeds, enter paddy fields and maize and millet farms at night, particularly during the northeast monsoon season, and ravage crops, causing substantial economic losses. Maize fields are among their favourite targets.
The forest department had suggested several biological and preventive measures to keep the animals at bay. However, farmers say these measures failed to provide relief.
“The spraying of biological repellents around the farm did not yield the desired results, and we are not paid compensation for crop damage. Hence, we are forced to kill them,” said a farmer wishing anonymity.
According to sources, hunting dog breeders from the Ezhupatti villages, a cluster of seven villages in Ettayapuram, besides groups from Singilipatti and Sinnavan Nayakkanpatti in Vilathikulam and Poosaripatti near Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district, are being called in. They bring around 100 to 150 dogs per hunt; with the farmers bearing the food and transportation expenses. The expenditure is estimated at Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 for a day, sources said.
“The dogs are let into thorny bushes and areas covered by seemai karuvelam, where the feral pigs take refuge. A dog can hunt two to three pigs. The dogs kill the pigs and drag the carcass to us,” said a hunter. “The dogs hunt nearly 200 to 300 pigs in a day. We take away the meat,” he added.
A DNA analysis conducted by the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) identified the animals as domestic pigs and not wild boars. “Had they been identified as wild boars, provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act could have applied, and farmers could have sought compensation for crop damage. The state government has also issued a GO to the forest department to kill wild boars damaging crops,” a senior forest official noted.
Following the successful trial of trapping pigs using cages, the district administration has provided one iron cage each for the eight blocks to capture the animals.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior forest officer said plans were afoot for the mass removal of seemai karuvelam, which provides a haven for the pigs to proliferate. “Talks are also on to contact pork sellers and exporters and rope in Kattunayakan and gypsy communities to catch the pigs,” he said.