Animal Planet :: Mammal Guide -- Temperate Grassland

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Wild Boar

The wild boar, from which the domestic pig is derived, is the most widely distributed pig species; there are sixteen recognized subspecies.

Primarily nocturnal animals, they will eat almost anything edible, from tubers to insects and small mammals.

They are very strong and can be aggressive, using their tusks as weapons when alarmed.

With the decline of such natural predators as wolves and tigers, the number of wild boars has increased, causing problems for farmers in some areas.

Herds of wild boars can destroy a field of crops in one night as they root through the soil with their snouts in search of bulbs and tubers to eat.

	Name: Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) Family: Suidae (Pigs and Hogs) Range: Europe, northern Africa, Asia; introduced in United States Habitat: Grassland and scrub to forest Diet: Shrubs, weeds, bird eggs, snakes, grasshoppers, mice, roots, tubers, even manure Head and Body Length: 3.5 to 5 feet (1.1 to 1.5 m) Tail Length: 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) Shoulder Height: 26 to 31.5 inches (65 to 80 cm) Weight: 143 to 198 pounds (65 to 90 kg) Life Cycle: Mating varies with locale, November to January in Europe; gestation 110 to 115 days, one to ten piglets born Description: Brown, red-bron, dark gray or black coat; large head; long, narrow snout; smalle, erect ears; males grow tusks; ridge of hair along spine; straight tail with long tassels Conservation Status: Common