Wild Boars in England

Weird, weird weather - the temperature's been rising since 10 p.m., and it's now 55 degrees (F) outside at 9 a.m.; but we're supposed to have snow falling, starting around 5 this afternoon, as the temperature is now going to drop for the rest of the day....
  I read, with amazement, of a man dying in a car wreck in Gloucestershire, England  earlier this week.   The man was driving his car in the middle lane (6 lanes, 3 each way) when he struck a wild boar on the M4.  The car was then hit by a large truck, as it slid into another lane.  I'm used to reading about wildlife-caused accidents here in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  I know there are wild deer in England, as well as smaller wildlife.  But I never envisioned wild pigs in the UK as a driving hazard - the deer, yes; wild ponies in Dartmoor and Exmoor, yes; Scottish wildcats, yes.  A wild boar?  No way.  Then, today's Wiltshire Gazette newspaper states that Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, lost one of her prized pigs, a Gloucester Old Spotted boar, to the attack of a wild boar.  Gatcombe Park, the country home of the Princess, is not very far from the wild boar accident site on the M4.  And the Gloucester Old Spotted Pig is a type of pig that was almost bred out of existence - they are bred for their docility and intelligence currently, but were great pork producers centuries ago.  I wonder if there is a wounded boar, crazed with pain from a car accident, wandering the Princess' neighborhood?
   Today is the Grand Parade of the Denver National Western Stock Show, starting at noon.  It's the kick-off event for the Stock Show, and will be followed by the annual barbecue at the Wells Fargo Building at 17th and Broadway.
   Back to wild boars, or wild pigs...  I know they live on continental Europe.  I know they live in the southern United States and in Mexico, and I've read about the destructive tendencies in the Carolinas, Louisiana, and Alabama...  But, somehow, I didn't think that wild boars still existed in the United Kingdom.  Shows I still have a lot to learn....

Wildlife in Sweden

Young beaver

Wild boar sow with piglets

Red fox

Brown bear

What we Americans call moose, and Swedes call elk...

Unusual Adoptions

An Alsatian has adopted a wild boar piglet

 

This poodle adopted squirrels

 

Do we call the babies tiglets?

 

The cat adopted an injured squirrel