Save Rillette: The Fight for a Wild Boar in France
Wild boars are known for their fondness for ploughing up meadows and pastures. In the minds of some people, they appear only as a tasty roast. In France, however, one has captured hearts.
A wild boar that local authorities sought to have put down has become a celebrity in France, supported by animal welfare advocates and French actress Brigitte Bardot.
The wild boar, named after the French gourmet speciality rillette (a slowly cooked meat paste), was rescued by Elodie Cappé, owner of the Saint-Clair equestrian centre in Chaource (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region).
Rillette was first found injured in April 2023, having escaped from a hobby hunt Cappé took care of the wild boar, kept it in a secure enclosure and had it vaccinated.
The authorities of the Aube region and the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) demanded, however, that Rillette be transferred to a suitable sanctuary – or killed, citing the risk of disease and a threat to public safety, as reported by the newspaper Le Figaro.
Activists call for #SaveRillette
Cappé refuses to hand over the animal and now faces three years in prison and a fine of 150’000 euros.
Hashtags in support of Rillette have spread across social media and gone viral, including #sauvezrillette (save Rillette) and #vivrensemmble (living together).
A petition to save the wild boar has collected 173’810 signatures since the beginning of December, while French music YouTuber Monsieur Seby wrote a song in December 2024 entitled «La Chanson pour sauver Rillette» (The Song to Save Rillette) for his over 900’000 followers.
French actress and singer Brigitte Bardot also made her voice heard. In a handwritten note published on X, Bardot called the officials who wanted to kill the wild boar «murderers».
The Rillette case is the latest in a tension-filled debate about the role of wild boars in Europe. In Switzerland too, the recreational hunting of wild boar is being critically scrutinised.
What contribution do wild boars make to ecosystems in Europe?
Native wild boars play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity, as a study by the University of Queensland found in 2021.
The researchers described the mammals as “accidental forest gardeners” who contribute to greater tree diversity by pruning seedlings and building birth nests in shallow, dry forests.
By digging up the soil in search of food, they create complex microhabitats that help birds and other small animals to feed. Evidence that wildlife acts as invisible landscape architects.
The non-profit organisation Rewilding Britain describes the species as “the epitome of a soil ecosystem engineer”. However, most rewilding projects in the United Kingdom use domesticated pigs such as the Tamworth breed to fulfil a similar function, as there are laws preventing the reintroduction of wild boars into the British countryside.
