Wild boar are returning to Britain through escapes from farms and deliberate releases. Their welfare in rewilding contexts involves both opportunities (natural behaviour expression) and risks (conflict with humans).
Wild boar in forests expressing natural rooting behaviour have substantially better welfare than farmed boar in barren pens. Rooting, social grouping, and ranging are fundamental behaviours restored in wild settings. The welfare cost comes from human conflict — boar that approach people seeking food may be shot or trapped. Managed coexistence with clear boundaries is the welfare-optimal approach.