PIGS will continue to roam the New Forest in search of fallen acorns until December last year as Pannage season is extended due to a 'large fall of acorns'.
Pannage season will go beyond its usual 60 day period because there are so many acorns this year.
Hundreds of pigs will now be snacking on acorns until December 9 in the New Forest.
New Forest has reminded the public to keep their distance from all the animals, not to feed them, and pass wide and slow when using the roads.
Pannage is the practice of releasing domestic pigs into a forest (also known as ‘Common of mast’) and goes all the way back to the time of William the Conqueror, who founded The New Forest in 1079.
READ MORE: Hundreds of pigs released in annual pannage to hoover up New Forest acorns
The pigs are released into the forest to eat fallen acorns, beechmast, chestnuts and other nuts; green acorns in particular are poisonous to the New Forest ponies and cattle which roam the forest the majority of the year.
A spokesperson from New Forest Commoners Defence Association said: "This year's pannage has been extended to the 9th of December due to the large fall of acorns.
"Remember to keep your distance from all animals in the New Forest, pass wide and slow when using the roads and do not feed them."
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