Many freed boars in Britain still at large

EXMOOR, England, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- A British village has become overrun by boars -- some weighing more than 440 pounds -- after they were allegedly let lose by animal activists.

After the raid of the 100 boar at the Woodland Wild Boar farm Dec. 22, the farm's owner, Alan Dedames, tried to catch the hulking animals but ran into red tape as a result of regulations made during the Foot and Mouth disease crisis of 2001, reported the Sunday Telegraph.

Dedames was told that if his animals strayed onto another farm -- some were seen 30 miles away -- nothing could move off the farm and he would be fined more than $8,600 for every animal retrieved.

Because of Christmas vacations, Dedames said it took more than a week to get an emergency license to catch his animals.

The animals can tear up the countryside and the males have sharp tusks, so people in the village have been staying indoors, because 60 boars are still at large.