Wild Boar
Mariela Batres
Mariela Batres
Taxonomy
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Mammalia
Family - Suidae
Order - Artiodactyla
Genus - Sus
Species - S. scrofa
Evolution
Subspecies
Indian Boar
Central European Boar
Banded Pig
Japanese Boar
Northern Chinese Boar
Maremman Boar
North African Boar
Anatolian Boar
Sus Scrofa Riukiuanus
Central Asian Boar
Wild Boars have been around between 500,000 and one million years ago
The closeset living relative to wild boars is a pig
Description
Physical description
Long, blunt snout
Small eyes
Large ears
Generally thinner than domestic pigs
Key Characteristics
Double layer of grey/brown fur
Mature males have tusks that protrude from the mouth
Piglets are lighter brown with stripes for camoflauge
Size
Stands up to 35 inches tall at the shoulder
Weight
Males - 170 to 220 lbs
Females - 130 to 180 lbs
Life Span
4-5 years in the wild
14-20+ years in captivity
Differences between males and females
Males are larger overall
Males have larger tusks
Males have a ridge of hair along their shoulders
Males have a steeper forehead
Habitat & Diet
Wild boars live in a wide range of habitats. From scrublands, grasslands, and wetlands, to rain forests, temperate forests, and savannas. They tend to be in areas with a water source and rain.
Wild boars eat just about whatever they can find. They are omnivores that enjoy grass, acorns, nuts, fungi, roots, bulbs, tubers, fallen fruits, and forbs. They also feed on small animals such as birds, rodents, snakes, and larvae
Boars eat 3-5% of their body weight daily
They eat around 7-11 meals a day
Distribution
Native to Eurasia and North Africa
Introduced to the Americas and Oceania
Wild Boars are invasive as they wreck crops and hunt birds and reptiles close to extinction
Social Structure
Solitary males
Groups of females with young boars
Around 4 stay together
They vocalize, mostly through grunts
Reproduction
Reproduce once or twice per year
Give birth anywhere from one to a dozen piglets
Gestain is about 114 days
Males stay with their mothers until they are about 1-2 years old
Development
3+ years of age is an adult
Males leave their mothers and females stay together
Causes of Death
Disease
Starvation
African Swine Fever
Large feline predators
Bears
Wolves
Competition
Deer compete with boars for food sources
Boars fight each other by starting with grunting at each other and posturing
IUCN Rating
Least concern due to its wide range and large numbers
Humans & Wild Boars
Boars can transmit diseases to humans
Boars are typically more afraid of humans than humans are afraid of them
Humans hunt boars for meat as well as to mitigate any
damage they may cause to crops and forests