Wildlife
Wild boars roam the oak forests and shrublands of Europe, Asia and north Africa. These large, bristly haired pigs are the ancestors of our farmyard pigs which have been domesticated for thousands of years. Their four, continually growing tusks are kept nice and sharp for fighting off other males during the breeding season, or when backed into a corner by a large predator. Injuries inflicted can be severe, especially after a powerful charge. Wallowing in mud and water helps to protect the wild boar against sunburn and biting insects.
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Boaring behaviour
The nocturnal foraging activities of wild boar leave clear traces of their presence.
The nocturnal foraging activities of wild boar leave clear traces of their presence.
Wild boars
A powerful presence in UK woodlands.
Wild boar, hunted to extinction in the 1600s, are back in Britain having escaped from farms where they were bred for their meat. They can now be found in many woodlands. A full grown adult is a powerful animal, three times the weight of a man.
Roaming boar
Presenter Michaela Strachan investigates the sometimes controversial issue of wild boar in the Forest of Dean.
Presenter Michaela Strachan investigates the sometimes controversial issue of wild boar in the Forest of Dean.
Stolen supper
A wild boar steals a kill from a pack of the dholes.
A wild boar steals a kill from a pack of the dholes.
Boar watching
Kent's wild boar are descendants of escapees from a boar farm.
Kent's wild boar are descendants of escapees from a boar farm.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Wild boar can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Himalayas, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Wild boar distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Population trend: Unknown
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
Wild boar (Sus scrofa), also known as wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises. Wild boar are native across much of Northern and Central Europe, the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa's Atlas Mountains) and much of Asia, including Japan and as far south as Indonesia. Populations have also been artificially introduced in some parts of the world, most notably the Americas and Australasia. Elsewhere, populations have also become established after escapes of wild boar from captivity.
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Mediterranean forest
Broadleaf forest
Temperate grassland
Tropical dry forest
Tropical grassland
Urban
Nocturnal
Nomadic
Polygynous
Active at birth
Social
Adapted to running
Seed dispersal
Viviparous
Dung eater