Boar

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Wild boar
Image:Wild Boar Habitat quadrat.jpg
Conservation status
Image:Status iucn2.3 LC.svg Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Suidae Genus: Sus Species: S. scrofa
Binomial name
Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is an omnivorous mammal of the biological family Suidae. It is native across much of Central Europe, the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa's Atlas Mountains) and much of Asia as far south as Indonesia, and has been widely introduced elsewhere.

Although common in France, the wild boar became extinct in Great Britain and Ireland by the 17th century, but wild breeding populations have recently returned in some areas, particularly the Weald, following escapes from boar farms.^[1]

Contents 1 Physical characteristics 2 Range 2.1 Reconstructed range 2.2 Present range 2.3 Status in Britain 2.4 Introduced wild boars 3 Wild or feral 4 Habits 5 Subspecies 6 Mythology and religion 7 Heraldry and other symbolic use 8 Commercial use 9 See also 10 References

[edit] Physical characteristics

The body of the wild boar is compact, the head is large, the legs relatively short. The fur consists of stiff bristles and usually finer fur. The colour usually varies from dark grey to black or brown, but there are great regional differences in colour, even whitish animals are known from central Asia.^[2] During winter the fur is much denser.

The size also varies highly within the range. Full grown female wild boars (5 years or older) have a body length of about 135 cm and a weight of 55-70 kg in central Europe, while adult males reach 140-150 cm and weigh between 80 and 90 kg there. In some areas, like Astrachan and the Caucasus wild boars grow much larger, with males reaching a body length of 200 cm and a weight of 200 kg. Even in parts of western France, Boar have been caught weighing around 100 kg. In the 1930s animals weighing 260 kg were shot in the Volga delta and at the Syr Daria. In the Russian Far East and the Carpathians, males of more than 300 kg have reported, but due to intensive hunting, the size of wild boars has declined. Currently, animals weighing 200 kg are counted as very large.^[3]

The tusks (the canine teeth) serve as weapons and grow continuously. The lower tusks of an adult male measure about 20 cm (from which seldom more than 10 cm protrude out of the mouth), in exceptional cases even 30 cm. The upper tusks are bent upwards in males, and are regularly ground against each other to produce sharp edges. In females they are smaller, and the upper tusks are only slightly bent upwards in older individuals.

[edit] Range

[edit] Reconstructed range

The wild boar is originally found in Northern Africa and much of Eurasia from the British Isles to Japan and the Sunda Islands. In the North it reached Southern Scandinavia and Southern Siberia.

A few centuries ago it was found in Northern Africa along the Nile valley up to Khartum and north of the Sahara. The reconstructed northern boundary of the Range in Asia ran from Lake Ladoga (at 60°N) through the area of Novgorod and Moskow into the southern Ural, where it reached 52°N. From there the boundary passed Ishim and farther east the Irtysh at 56°N. In the eastern Baraba steppe (near Novosibirsk) the boundary turned steep south, encircled the Altai Mountains, went again eastward including the Tannu-Ola Mountains and Lake Baikal. From here the boundary went slightly north of the Amur River eastward to its lower reaches at the China Sea. At Sachalin there are only fossil reports of wild boar. The Southern boundaries in Europe and Asia were almost everywhere identical to the sea shores of these continents. In dry deserts and high mountain ranges the wild boar is naturally absent. So it is absent in the dry regions of Mongolia from 44-46°N southward, in China westward of Sichuan and in India north of the Himalaya. In high altitudes of Pamir and Tien Shan they are also absent, however at Tarim basin and on the lower slopes of the Tien Shan they do occur.^[4]

[edit] Present range

In the last centuries the range of wild boar changed dramatically because of human and perhaps also climatic influence. They probably became extinct in Great Britain in the 13th century: certainly none remained in southern England by 1610, when King James I reintroduced them to Windsor Great Park. This attempt failed due to poaching, and later attempts met the same fate. By 1700 there were no wild boar remaining in Britain.

In Denmark the last Boar were shot at the beginning of the 19th century, and in 1900 they were absent in Tunisia and in Sudan and large areas of Germany, Austria and Italy. In Russia they were extinct in wide areas in the 1930s and the northern boundary has shifted far to the south, especially in the parts to the west of the Altai.

By contrast, a strong and growing population of Boar has remained in France, especially in the rural Central and Southern parts of that country.

By 1950 the wild boar had once again reached the original northern boundary in many parts of its Asiatic range. By 1960 they reached even Saint Petersburg and Moscow, and by 1975 they were to be found in Archangelsk and Astrachan. In the 1970's they occurred again in Denmark and Sweden, where captured animals managed to escape and survive in the wild. In the 1990s they migrated into Tuscany in Italy.

[edit] Status in Britain

Between then and the 1980s, when wild boar farming began, only a handful of captive wild boar, imported from the continent, were present in Britain. Because wild boar are included in the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, certain legal requirements have to be met prior to setting up a farm. A licence to keep boar is required from the local council who will appoint a specialist to inspect the premises and report back to the council. Requirements include secure accommodation and fencing, correct drainage, temperature, lighting, hygiene, ventilation and insurance.

Occasional escapes of wild boar have occurred since the 1970s. Early escapes occurred from Wildlife Parks but since the early 1990s more escapes have been from farms, the number of which has increased as the demand for wild boar meat has grown. By the 1990s a breeding population was rumoured to have established in areas of Kent and East Sussex.

In 1998, a MAFF (now DEFRA) study on wild boar living wild in Britain confirmed the presence of two populations of wild boar living in Britain, one in Kent and East Sussex and another in Dorset.^[1]

It is now generally accepted that the boar are back for good, and that they will probably not be eradicated for a second time. Organised hunts are now taking place for the first time in 300 years.

Populations

1. Kent and East Sussex. Originated in late 1980s from a now defunct wild boar farm in Tenterden, Kent, supplemented by escapes from an also defunct abbatoir near Ashford, Kent. Population numbers now well over 100 animals.
2. Dorset. Originated in mid 1990s from a now defunct wild boar farm in Bridport, Dorset. Recently supplemented by escapes from an operating boar farm in same area. Population numbers around 100 animals.
3. Herefordshire, Ross-on-Wye. Originated in late 1990s from a now defunct wild boar farm at Western under Penyard east of Ross-on-Wye and are probably of pure Eastern European origin. They reach large sizes and culled boar have been recorded to 210 kg in weight (clean). Population numbers increasing and the area inhabited is also increasing. Population probably now (2007) above 200 despite being regularly culled to protect crops.
4. Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean. Many sows and piglets have been observed originating from what appears to be a deliberate release of farmed stock in the Staunton area in late 2004. They are of separate origin to the Ross on Wye stock and may not be pure wild boar. Population probably now well in excess of 50 as over 30 have been photographed together.
5. Devon, Exmoor. On 23 December 2005, dozens of wild boar escaped from a wild boar farm after the fences were deliberately cut. Unknown number still at large.
6. Scarborough, North Yorkshire. There is known to be a group of boars that inhabit Newby near Scarborough.

[edit] Introduced wild boars

At the beginning of the 20th century wild boar were introduced for hunting in the USA, where they interbred in parts with free roaming domestic pigs. In South America, New Guinea, New Zealand, Australia and other islands wild boar have also been introduced by humans and have partially interbred with domestic pigs.

[edit] Wild or feral

The difference between the wild and domestic animals is largely a matter of perception;^{[citation needed]} both are usually described as Sus scrofa, and domestic pigs quite readily become feral. The characterization of populations as wild, feral or domestic in pig or boar is usually decided by where the animals are encountered and what is known of their history. In New Zealand for example, wild pigs are known as "Captain Cookers" from their supposed descent from liberations and gifts to Māori by explorer Captain James Cook in the 1770s.^[5] New Zealand wild pigs are also frequently known as "tuskers", due to their appearance.^{[citation needed]}

The term boar is used to denote an adult male of certain species, including, confusingly, domestic pigs. In the case of wild pigs only, it is correct to say "female boar" or "infant wild boar", since boar or wild boar refers to the species itself.^[6]

One characteristic by which domestic breed and wild animals are differentiated is coats. Wild animals almost always have thick, short bristly coats ranging in colour from brown through grey to black.^{[citation needed]} A prominent ridge of hair matching the spine is also common, giving rise to the name razorback in the southern United States.^{[citation needed]} The tail is usually short and straight.^{[citation needed]} Wild animals tend also to have longer legs than domestic breeds and a longer and narrower head and snout.^{[citation needed]}European adult males can be up to 200 kg (sometimes up to 300 kg in certain areas, particularly Eastern Europe) and have both upper and lower tusks; females do not have tusks and are around a third smaller on average.^{[citation needed]}

A very large swine dubbed Hogzilla was shot in Georgia, USA in June 2004.^[7] Initially thought to be a hoax, the story became something of an internet sensation. National Geographic Explorer investigated the story, sending scientists into the field. After exhuming the animal and performing DNA testing it was determined that Hogzilla was a hybrid of wild boar and domestic swine.^[8]

[edit] Habits

Wild boars live in groups called sounders. Sounders typically contain around 20 animals, but groups of over 50 have been seen. In a typical sounder there are two or three sows and their offspring; adult males are not part of the sounder outside of a breeding cycle, two to three per year, and are usually found alone. Birth, called farrowing, usually occurs in a secluded area away from the sounder; a litter will typically contain 4-6 piglets.^{[1](p. 6)} The animals are usually nocturnal, foraging from dusk until dawn but with resting periods during both night and day.^{[1](p. 4-5, 8-9)} They eat almost anything they come across, including nuts, berries, carrion, roots, tubers, refuse, insects, small reptiles--even young deer and lambs.^{[1](p. 9-10)}

Boars are the only hoofed animals known to dig burrows, a habit which can be explained by the fact that they are the only known mammals lacking brown adipose tissue. Therefore, they need to find other ways to protect themselves from the cold. For the same reason, piglets often shiver to produce heat themselves.^[9]

If surprised or cornered, a boar (and particularly a sow with her piglets) can and will defend itself and its young vigorously. The male lowers its head, charges, and then slashes upward with its tusks. The female, which is tuskless, charges with its head up, mouth wide, and bites. Such attacks are rarely fatal to humans, but severe trauma and blood loss can easily result.

Adult wild boar have few natural predators, though there have been cases of predation from tigers^[10] and wolves^[11].

[edit] Subspecies

Sus scrofa has four wild subspecies, each occupying distinct geographical areas:

• Sus scrofa scrofa (western Africa, Europe)
• Sus scrofa ussuricus (northern Asia and Japan)
• Sus scrofa cristatus (Asia Minor, India)
• Sus scrofa vittatus (Indonesia)

The domestic pig is usually regarded as a further subspecies, Sus scrofa domestica – but sometimes as a separate species, Sus domestica.

Spanish and French boar specimens have 36 chromosomes, as opposed to wild boar in the rest of Europe which possess 38, the same number as domestic pigs. Boars with 36 chromosomes have successfully mated with animals possessing 38, resulting in fertile offspring with 37 chromosomes.^[12]

[edit] Mythology and religion

In Greek mythology two boars are particularly well known. The Erymanthian Boar was hunted by Hercules as one of his Twelve Labours, and the Calydonian Boar was hunted in the Calydonian Hunt by dozens of other mythological heroes, including some of the Argonauts and the huntress Atalanta.

In Celtic mythology the boar was sacred to the goddess Arduinna^[13][14], and boar hunting features in several stories of Celtic and Irish mythology. One such story is that of how Fionn mac Cumhaill ("Finn McCool") lured his rival Diarmuid Ua Duibhne to his death - gored by a wild boar.

The Norse gods Freyr and Freyja both had boars. Freyr’s boar was named Gullinbursti ("Golden Mane"), who was manufactured by the Sons of Ivaldi as a gift to Freyr. The bristles in Gullinbursti’s mane glowed in the dark to illuminate the way for his owner. Freya rode the boar Hildesvini (Battle Swine) when she was not using her cat-drawn chariot. According to the poem Hyndluljóð, Freyja concealed the identity of her protégé Óttar by turning him into a boar. In Norse mythology, the boar was generally associated with fertility as well as a protective talisman in war, due to the animal's sometimes fierce nature.^{[citation needed]}

In Persia (Iran) during Sassanid Empire, boars were respected as fierce and brave creatures and the adjective "Boraz (Goraz)" meaning Boar was sometimes added to a person's name to show his bravery and courage. The famous Sassanid spahbod, Shahrbaraz, who conquered Egypt and the Levant, had his name derived Shar + Baraz meaning "Boar of the Kingdom"

Three boars are seen on the Grimsby coat of arms.

In Hindu mythology, the third avatar of the Lord Vishnu was Varaha, a boar.

In Chinese horoscope the boar (sometimes also translated as pig), is one of the twelve animals of the zodiac, based on the legends about its creation, either involving Buddha or the Jade Emperor.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Heraldry and other symbolic use

The boar and a boar's head are common charges in heraldry. A complete beast may represent what are seen as the positive qualities of the boar, namely courage and fierceness in battle; a boar's head may represent hospitality (from the custom of serving the boar's head in feasts), or it may symbolize that the bearer of the arms is a noted hunter.^{[citation needed]}

Scottish Highland Clan Campbell uses the boar on its badge to symbolize courage and fierceness. The chiefs of clans Gordon, Nesbitt and Urquhart similarly uses three boars' heads on their coat of arms. The wild boar was a symbol of Richard III of England.^[15]

However boar charges also lend themselves very well to canting (heraldic punning). The German towns of Eberbach and Ebersbach an der Fils, both in Baden-Württemberg, and Ebersbach, Saxony use civic arms that demonstrates this. Each depicts a boar - Eber in German (and in two cases a wavy fess or bars meant to represent a brook - Bach in German).

The flag of the Serbian rebel forces during the First Serbian Uprising featured the wild boar, together with other national insignia. During that time wild boars were common in Serbian forests and mountains, and pigs were the main export of the region.^{[citation needed]}

In Belgium, the wild boar is the symbolic animal of the Ardennes forests in the south of the country, and is the mascot of one of the Belgian Army's premier infantry regiments, the Chasseurs Ardennais, the soldiers of which wear a boar's head pin on their beret.^{[citation needed]}

Shakey the Pig is the mascot of the U. S. Air Force's 36th Air Base Wing's Munitions Squadron. Shakey is a wild boar caught within the jungles of Guam that is cared for and fed by the airman of the unit. Shakey is featured on the unit's patch.^{[citation needed]}

The 390th Fighter Squadron based at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho is known as the Wild Boars. The 390th currently flies the F-15 air superiority fighter, but has a long and rich heritage dating back through Vietnam where they flew F-4 Phantoms.^{[citation needed]}

Zastava 1ustanak.jpg Flag of the First Serbian Uprising, wild boar discernible on the right.

Wappen Eberbach Baden.png Arms of Eberbach, Germany

Wappen Ebersbach an der Fils.png Arms of Ebersbach an der Fils, Germany

Wappen Ebersbach Sachsen.PNG Arms of Ebersbach, Saxony, Germany

[edit] Commercial use

The hair of the boar was often used for the production of the toothbrush until the invention of synthetic materials in the 1930s.^[16] The hair for the bristles usually came from the neck area of the boar. While such brushes were popular because the bristles were soft, this was not the best material for oral hygiene as the hairs were slow to dry and usually retained bacteria. Boar hair is also used in the manufacture of the boar bristle hairbrush. Boar bristles continue to be used in the manufacture of premium dart boards for use with steel-tipped darts: a large quantity of bristles are aligned parallel to each other and compressed in a circular band of steel to form the board.

In many countries Boar are farmed for their meat and, in countries such as France, for example, Boar may often be found for sale in Butchers shops or on offer in a restaurant. (Although the consumption of Wild boar meat has been linked to transmission of Hepatitis E in Japan).^[17]

[edit] See also

• List of pigs over 1000 pounds
• Boar hunting

[edit] References

v • d • e Heraldic creatures
Beasts	Bear • Boar • Bull • Camelopard • Hind • Lion • Ox • Stag • Tiger • Wolf	Image:Blason agincourt 54.svg
Birds	Cock • Dove • Eagle • Martlet • Phoenix • Pelican • Rook
Fabulous creatures	Alce • Basilisk • Cockatrice • Dragon • Griffin • Keythong • Manticore • Opinicus • Phoenix • Unicorn • Wyvern
Fish	Dolphin • Ged • Luce • Scallop
Creeping things	Bee • Biscione • Cockatrice • Crapaudy • Emmet • Salamander • Serpent

v • d • e Game Animals and Shooting in North America
Game Birds:	Bobwhite Quail · Chukar · Hungarian Partridge · Prairie Chicken · Mourning Dove · Ring-necked pheasant · Ruffed Grouse · Sharp-tailed Grouse  · Snipe (Common Snipe) · Spruce Grouse · Turkey · Woodcock	Image:BgforhuntingCrop.JPG
Waterfowl	Black Duck · Canada Goose · Canvasback · Gadwall · Greater Scaup · Lesser Scaup · Mallard · Northern Pintail · Redhead · Ross's Goose · Snow Goose · Wood Duck
Big Game:	Bighorn Sheep · Black Bear · Boar · Brown Bear · Buffalo · Cougar (Mountain Lion) · Elk · Moose · White-tailed deer · Gray wolf · Mountain goat · Mule Deer · Muskox · Dall Sheep · Polar Bear
Other Quarry:	Bobcat · Coyote · Fox Squirrel · Gray Fox · Rabbit · Raccoon · Red Fox · Snowshoe Hare · Gray Squirrel
See also:	Bear hunting · Big game hunting  · Deer hunting · Waterfowl hunting · Wolf hunting · Upland hunting

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