Thursday,
22nd August, 2002 12:00 BST
Forest wildlife - pigs |
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A pig on Forest land during pannage season |
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All
the pigs in the Forest are owned by Commoners. Each year they are
allowed onto open forest land for 60 days, known as pannage season,
to eat acorns which would otherwise poison the ponies. |
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You may be delighted at the sight of pigs in the Forest but they
will chase you if you go near them, so give them some space! You
should never try to feed them. Pannage is an important part of the
forest ecology. Pigs can eat acorns without a problem, whereas to
ponies the acorns are poisonous.
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| A
pig takes a look around Fritham |
Pannage
always lasts 60 days but the start date varies according to the
weather - and when the acorns fall.
The Forest Verderers decide when pannage will start.. The right
to allow pigs out onto the Forest in this way is called the 'right
of mast' and is not held by all commoners.
At other times the pigs must be taken in and kept on the owners
own land, with one exception. Pregnant pigs, known as "privileged
sows" are always allowed out.
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