The wild boar is a massive ungulate mammal, with a strong body covered in rough, gray-brown fur, darker on the back and lighter on the sides and ventral parts. It has a pronounced muscular hump in the shoulder area, a short tail and an elongated snout, adapted for digging in the ground in search of food. Mature males develop tusks originating from the submaxillary incisors, used both in territorial fighting and for defense.
Habits
Wild boars are mainly active during twilight and late night, although in less hunted areas they can also be seen during the day. They live in family groups (“capreni”) consisting of adult females and cubs, while mature males often separate and hunt alone. They feed by stirring up foliage and soil with their snouts, consuming both plant matter (roots, bulbs, fruits, roots) and small prey (invertebrates, reptiles, rodents).
Reproduction
Females reach sexual maturity at around 7–10 months, and estrus occurs with the spring vegetative signal. Estrous cycle of 21–23 days, with only one heat period per season; gestation lasts about 115 days, usually resulting in 4–6 piglets per birth, which the mother nurses for about 3–4 months.
Distribution
The wild boar is native to the forested and grassland regions of Eurasia and northern Africa, from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula to Siberia and northern Iran. It has also been introduced to North America, South America, and Oceania, where it forms feral populations adapted to diverse habitats, from temperate forests to agricultural and subtropical areas.
