As the environment in Beijing's suburbs improves, wildlife populations, including those of boars and pheasants, are growing in some mountain village areas. But the wild boars are turning into a huge headache for farmers, who are seeing what should have been a bumper harvest devastated by the porcine invaders.

Seventy-year-old Dong Decai is one of the victims of the swine that chewed up nearly one-third of his corn crop in Beijing's Yanqing County in the past week, reported the Beijing News.

The same thing happened to a farmer surnamed Song in Jiuxianmiao Village, near the Badaling section of the Great Wall. He said his crop was not the only one ruined.

The tracks left in the devastated fields matched those of wild boars.

Last Friday, the village rang with the noise of firecrackers. "The fireworks can drive boars away," said Song.

The farmers are prohibited from taking more drastic action against the marauders, which are under second-class state-level protection.

The Beijing News reports that forestry staff have said that farmers whose crops were damaged by wild animals will receive compensation from the government. Last year, 17,200 yuan (US$2,080) was paid to farmers in the Pianpoyu and Shuikouzi villages in Yanqing for damage to 4.2 hectares of crops.

Reports from other parts of the country indicate that wild boars are reappearing in large numbers elsewhere as well. With no natural predators such as wolves in such areas, their numbers are growing.

Experts say the appearance of so many boars shows an improvement in the environment, but as their natural predators have not recovered at the same speed the boars could cause big problems for farmers.

(China Daily August 23, 2004)