---
title: "What the sources say about the Wild Boar | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "56 claims from the Wild Boar profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/wild-boar/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Wild Boar (*Sus scrofa*)

> 56 claims from the Wild Boar profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Wild Boar](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/wild-boar/)

## Sus scrofa (wild boar). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sus_scrofa/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A long-snouted omnivore | Their long, flattened snouts allow for a heightened sense of smell (note: tagline) |
| A long-snouted omnivore | Wild boars are omnivorous. (note: tagline) |
| upper canines are usually visible even when its mouth is closed | Their upper canines are usually visible even when their mouth is closed. (note: tagline) |
| Can live in grassland, woodland, farmland, shrubland and marsh; native to Europe and Asia and introduced on other continents | They may inhabit grassy savanna areas, wooded forests, agricultural areas, shrublands and marshy swamplands. (note: stats.habitat) |
| native to Europe and Asia and introduced on other continents | They originated in Europe and Asia, but were widely introduced to North America and are considered an invasive species in the southeastern United States and California. They are common throughout Eurasia, and inhabit every continent except Antarctica. (note: stats.habitat) |
| Mostly crops, fruit, nuts and roots, plus eggs, carrion, small rodents, insects and worms | They predominantly eat plant matter, particularly crops, fruits, nuts (mast), roots, and green plants. They have also been known to consume bird eggs, carrion, small rodents, insects, and worms. (note: stats.diet) |
| A long, flattened snout that gives it a heightened sense of smell | Their long, flattened snouts allow for a heightened sense of smell. (note: stats.superpower) |
| A wild boar's long, flattened snout gives it a heightened sense of smell, and as it forages it keeps that snout near the ground | Their long, flattened snouts allow for a heightened sense of smell. As pigs forage for food, they tend to keep their snout near the ground. |
| a boar with its nose down may find it harder to smell danger | This can impede their ability to smell, making it harder to smell possible danger. |
| Boars are omnivores | Wild boars are omnivorous. |
| Most of the menu is plant matter such as crops, fruit, nuts and roots | They predominantly eat plant matter, particularly crops, fruits, nuts (mast), roots, and green plants. |
| They have also been known to eat bird eggs, carrion (dead animals), small rodents, insects and worms | They have also been known to consume bird eggs, carrion, small rodents, insects, and worms. |
| Adult wild boars measure 153 to 240 cm in total length and weigh 66 to 272 kg | Wild boars range from 153 to 240 cm in total length and weigh 66 to 272 kg as adults. |
| Females tend to be smaller than males of the same age | Females tend to be smaller than males of the same age |
| A boar can stand as tall as 0.9 m at its bulky shoulders | Wild boars can stand as tall as 0.9 m at their bulky shoulders |
| Its upper canine teeth typically measure 5 to 10 cm and are usually visible even when the mouth is closed | Their upper canine teeth typically measure 5 to 10 cm and are generally larger than their lower canines. Their upper canines are usually visible even when their mouth is closed. |
| The thick, coarse coat runs from black to brownish-red to white | Adult wild boars have a thick, coarse coat of hair covering their bodies. Their coat ranges in color from black to brownish-red to white. |
| In the wild, hunting pressure greatly affects their mortality | Mortality for both male and female boars in the wild is greatly affected by pressures due to hunting. |
| At birth, piglets generally have yellowish-brown stripes down their backs | At birth, young boars generally have yellowish-brown stripes running down their backs that disappear into an even coloration within about 4 months. |
| The stripes let them stay concealed in undergrowth and in their nest | Piglets have stripes running the length of their back, enabling them to remain concealed within undergrowth and in their nest. |
| they fade into an even color within about 4 months | disappear into an even coloration within about 4 months |
| Wild boars tend to live in groups called sounders | Wild boars tend to live in large groups called sounders |
| A sounder is made up of 6 to 20 closely related females, but may hold over 100 animals | made up of 6 to 20 closely-related females, but may contain over 100 individuals |
| Males leave their mothers at 1 to 2 years old and generally join a sounder only during mating season | Males stay with their mothers until they are 1 to 2 years old and then leave the herd. After departing, they generally only join a sounder during mating season. |
| A sow's gestation period lasts 108 to 120 days, and a litter averages 5 to 6 piglets | A sow's gestation period lasts 108 to 120 days. Each litter consists of 5 to 6 piglets on average. |
| the mothers keep the young in the middle, with adults in the lead and at the rear | When traveling, mothers keep their young in the middle, with adults in the lead and rear. |
| Humans are the main predator | Humans are the main predator of wild boars. |
| Young boars are targeted by coyotes and bobcats, while juveniles and adults may fall prey to American black bears and cougars | Young wild boars are targeted by predatory animals such as coyotes and bobcats, while juveniles and adults may fall prey to larger predators such as American black bears and cougars. |
| Wild boars originated in Europe and Asia, and they live on every continent except Antarctica | They originated in Europe and Asia, but were widely introduced to North America and are considered an invasive species in the southeastern United States and California. They are common throughout Eurasia, and inhabit every continent except Antarctica. |
| They may live in savanna, forest, farmland, shrubland and swamp | They may inhabit grassy savanna areas, wooded forests, agricultural areas, shrublands and marshy swamplands. |
| They need a nearby water source and dense vegetation for cover | They require a nearby water source and shelter (dense vegetation) to protect and conceal them from predation. |
| Wild boars can be destructive to farmland and natural ecosystems | Wild boars can be destructive to farmland and natural ecosystems |
| tags: forest | They
may inhabit grassy savanna areas, wooded forests, agricultural areas, shrublands and
marshy swamplands. (note: #981: forest is one of ADW's biomes for the species; the breadth is carried by the adaptable tag) |

## AnAge entry for Sus scrofa. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Sus_scrofa

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| The longevity record is 27 years, set in captivity | Maximum longevity 27 years (captivity) |
| set in captivity by an individual of the subspecies Sus scrofa riukiuanus | One specimen of the riukiuanus subspecies lived for 27 years in captivity |

## Feral Swine: Impacts on Threatened and Endangered Species. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fsc-feral-swine-impacts-tes.pdf

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Feral swine, also called wild pigs or boar, use their keen sense of smell and their digging to prey on reptile eggs buried in sand or soil | Feral swine’s keen sense of smell, along with their digging and rooting abilities, allows them to prey on reptile eggs buried in sand or soil. (note: also-called from: 'Feral swine (also called wild pigs, boar, feral hogs, and many others)') |
| In the United States, feral swine are descended from escaped or released domestic pigs, Eurasian boar and their hybrids | Over centuries, domestic pigs, Eurasian boar, and their hybrids have escaped, been released, and been reintroduced, setting the scene for the expanded populations we have today. |
| They were introduced in the 1500s | introduced into the United States in the 1500s by early explorers and settlers |
| in 2020 the USDA put their population at about 6 million | feral swine populations of approximately 6 million |
| in 2020 the USDA | Program Aid No. 2195f Revised May 2020 |
| They have played a role in the decline of nearly 300 native plants and animals | Feral swine have played a role in the decline of nearly 300 native plants and animals in the United States |
| On Keewaydin Island in Florida, feral swine nest predation destroyed every nest on the island in some years, which devastated endangered green sea turtle reproduction | On Keewaydin Island in Florida, in some years, feral swine nest predation devastated endangered green sea turtle reproduction by destroying every nest on the island. |
| In Texas, feral swine wallowing in seasonal pools kept the endangered Houston toad from breeding successfully by disturbing adults, eating eggs and contaminating water | Feral swine wallowing in seasonal pools in parts of Texas have prevented the endangered Houston toad from breeding successfully by disturbing adult toads, eating eggs, and contaminating water. |

## Eurasian Boar. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/70843.html

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Eurasian boars can breed as early as 6 months of age and can breed several times a year | If weather is good and food is plentiful, Eurasian boars can breed as early as 6 months of age. They can breed several times a year |
| Litters range from 2 to 8 piglets, and litters as large as 10 to 12 have been reported | their litter size can range from 2-8, although litters as large as 10-12 have been reported |
| A Eurasian boar population can double in one year | A Eurasian boar population can double in one year. |
| A Eurasian boar population can double in one year | A Eurasian boar population can double in one year. (note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim) |

## Sain (2019). Hogs Gone Wild. National Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation.

https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2019/Oct-Nov/Animals/Feral-Hogs

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Sus scrofa is the same species as the domestic farmyard pig | Sus scrofa is the same species as the domestic farmyard pig |
| The feral hogs running loose in the United States descend from imported Eurasian wild boar, escaped domestic pigs or hybrids of the two | The feral hogs running rampant today are descendants of those imported Eurasian wild boar, escaped domestic pigs or hybrids of the two. |
| Feral hogs can be sexually mature as early as six months old | Sexually mature as early as six months |

## Scandura et al. (2025). Sus scrofa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T41775A215861797.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2025-1.rlts.t41775a215861797.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). (note: stats.conservationStatus) |
| The IUCN Red List rates the species Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). |

## Mataković, Beljan & Landekić (2023). Wild Animal Attacks on Humans in Croatia. South-east European forestry.

https://doi.org/10.15177/seefor.23-24

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| dangerLevel: Deadly | Several wild boar attacks that ended fatally show that wild
boars are not harmless animals (note: #981: tiers are capabilities (#631); boar attacks have killed people, though rarely) |

## Jezierski (1977). Longevity and mortality rate in a population of wild boar. Acta Theriologica.

https://doi.org/10.4098/at.arch.77-31

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A study that followed 376 marked wild boars in Poland's Kampinos National Park from 1963 to 1973 | During the period f r o m 1963—1973 individually marked wild boar ( Sus scroja L i n n a e u s , 1756) were frequently caught in the Kampinos National P a r k near W a r s a w (N=376). (note: #1005: lifetime table corrected for emigration; shot animals excluded from the material) |
| found an average life of 21 months for males and 24 months for females | Maximum (9 years) and average (males 21 months, females 24 months) length of life of wildboar was estimated from lifetime tables. |
| and the oldest male reached 9 years | The oldest male recorded in the studies presented here had reached the age of 9 years (survived for 100 months). |