Could rewilding animals turn Britain into a modern day JURASSIC PARK? How beavers, bison and wild boar could wreak havoc if they break free - and could even become DEADLY

Love it or hate it, rewilding is coming to the countryside near you.

Beavers have been reintroduced to the UK since 2008 in a bid to restore natural environments, with the latest colony due to be set up in the London Borough of Ealing.

Likewise, wild boar have already been let loose in the Forest of Dean, with promises that they will help restore biodiversity and control invasive plant life.

The same has been claimed for the release of four wild bison near Canterbury in Kent last year, as part of a £1.1 million rewilding project.

But not everyone is thrilled about their new neighbours and, here, MailOnline takes a look at why some see the reintroduction of these creatures as ‘dangerous’.

The environment forum chair of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Richard Bramley told MailOnline: ‘Both [wild boar and bison] are classed as dangerous wild animals and there’s a reason for that – because they are dangerous.

‘There are escapee wild boar in parts of south England and the Forest of Dean, they have been known to cause road accidents and they are known to be aggressive if cornered.

Beavers have been reintroduced to the UK since 2008 in a bid to restore natural environments, with the latest colony due to be set up in the London Borough of Ealing

‘There’s an enclosure of bison down in Kent, and I’m told they are even more dangerous animals, so really the thought of these roaming wild across the plains of wherever just doesn’t seem feasible.

‘There’s often a focus on these large iconic species, which end up absorbing a lot of bandwidth.

‘It sounds like a good idea but, when you really think about it, it’s not a good idea. You’re absorbing time and effort from good ideas.

‘There are other species we can reintroduce with success that can be celebrated and have low impact, like the large blue butterfly.’

Wild boar are not naturally aggressive, but have been known to become territorial and confrontational if people, or dogs, get too close

This article by Fiona Jackson was first published by The Daily Mail on 1 May 2023. Lead Image: Four wild bison were released near Caterbury last year. Pictured: Rangers open a gate to allow one of the bison to walk into its new enclosure as part of a £1.1m project.

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