Wild Boar

Scientific name	Sus scrofa
Other names	All domestic breeds of pigs
Global distribution	Originally, Europe and Asia. Current worldwide due to reverted ‘wild’ domestic form human introduction into Australia and North America
Habitat	Widespread, generally where there is vegetation for cover. Most plentiful in oak forests and reed beds in Asia. A major limiting factor is snow depths of 40-50 cm.
Conservation status	Widespread and hunted
Physical characteristics	Body size		900 – 1,800 mm. Shoulder height 550 – 1,100 mm
	Weight		Variable from 40-350 kg Males usually larger than females
	Colouring		Dark gray to black or brown
	Hair		Stiff bristles and usually some finer fur. The pelage is often quite scant and the tail is only lightly covered. There may be a mane on the nape and side whiskers.
	Wart		No warts, although some types may have tassels
	Piglet colouring		Wild piglets are stripped. Generally the domesticated forms are not stripped.
	Tail		300 mm
Anatomical points	Peculiarities	Oesophageal diverticulum Pyloric torus – bile duct close to stomach Preputial diverticulum Testes upside down Lymph nodes reversed anatomy Multipapillary kidney Piglets born with 8 needle teeth
	Glands	Carpal glands
	Dental formulae	( i 3/3, c 1/1, pm 4/4, m 3/3) x 2 – 44 The canines in males the inferior surface is narrower than the posterior surface. The female canines are small versions of the male.
Behaviour points	Maturing age			5-12 months male 6- months female
	Mating ritual			Males join group for mating and then leave.
	Conflict			Animals walk parallel to each other, edge closer until shoulders touch and then shoving begins. They may rear up, lean against each other and attempt to knock each other off balance. In neither yields, thrust with the mouth open and tusks bared
	Seasonal breeding			Breeding occurs throughout the year in the tropics, birth peaks shortly before or just after the rains. In the temperate regions the young are born in the spring.
	Oestrus period			18-24 days
	Gestation period			112 – 120 days
	Litter size and lactation			6-12 up to 40 domestic breeds
	Lactation			6 pairs of teats. Lie down to suckle.
	Weaning age			8-12 weeks
	Family groups			Small groups of 6 females sow and litter. Males solitary. S. scrofa may occur in sounders up to 100 individuals.
				S. verrucosus comprise of 4-6 individuals
				S. barbatus, bands or sounders may form comprising of hundreds to join for the annual migration.
	Cooling behaviour			Mud wallows and avoidance – shade.
	Sleeping			Construct crude shelters by cutting grass
	Peak activity			Nocturnal and crepuscular
				Swift runners and good swimmers
	Range			May migrate over distances. 2-15 km overnight within an area of 20-150 ha. Home range over a period of 2-3 months is 500-1,000 ha for adult females and 1,000 -2,000 ha for adult males. S. barbatus may over hundreds of kilometers in the course of the year.
Diet	Omnivore – fruit, seeds, roots, grasses, insects, small mammals and scavenging
Diseases/ disorders	Full range of pig diseases