WILD BOARS have sparked a discussion on basic Buddhist values among Bhutan's planners and decision makers. The animal is a voracious eater and prolific breeder and has emerged as the most notorious of pests because it manages to dodge traps. However, Buddhism does not permit the killing of wildlife.

Wildlife analysts point out that farmers are responsible for the depletion of the population of the phao, which is a natural predator of the boar. This has resulted in the uncontrolled rise in the boar population and upset the ecological balance.