By: Lauren Smathers

Environmental Biology Lab- Section AQ

These mammals are in the species of the pig and part of the biological family Suidea.

They are usually black in color and have straight tails. Wild boars can weigh up to 300 pounds.

The males have tusks that grow out of the sides of their mouths.

Wild Boars have tough snouts, which help them dig for food. They do not have very good hearing or sight, but make up for it with their sense of smell. Their ears always stand straight up, unlike farm pigs, whose flop down.

Above: Where boars wallow to stay

cool.

Left: A boar’s bed

Boar’s

tracks

We chose the Wild Boar randomly based on its name and the fact that we did not know any information about this animal.

Wild Boars are native across Northern and Central Europe, the

Mediterranean Region, and much of

Asia.

They have also been introduced in the

Americas and Australia for hunting

purposes.

Wild Boars mate between the months of

November and January. The females are

then pregnant for 110-115 days. They can

have between one and ten piglets.

Boars like to live near

ponds and streams in

the forest. They prefer

to live near oak trees,

for their nuts.

Boars do not have

sweat glands, so they

roll in the mud to stay

cool.

The rest of the year,

boars eat roots, fruits,

mushrooms, small

birds, and rabbits.

If there is plenty of

food, they will live in a

10 mile radius; if there

is a scarce amount,

they will travel up to

50 miles.

WHAT IS THE MODE OF INTRODUCTION?

WHAT ECOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DOES IT HAVE?

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE OF THE SPECIES?

HOW IS THE SPECIES SUCCESSFUL?

The wild boar , a native of

Eurasia made its introduction to

the continental U.S. In 1539 on a

ship commanded by Fernando De

Soto .

The wild boar was released for

hunting purposes for food by

humans.

Later they were released again

in the 1900s for sporting

purposes.

Wild boars feeding on plants have a negative affect on

the abundance of plant species by rooting (natural

feeding behavior)

Wild boars cause soil/landscape erosion. Crop damage

is caused because wild boar feeds on almost every type

of cultivated plant

Wild boars affect the animal community negatively by

disturbing the habitat community of various animal

species. (i.e. ground nesting birds) and by competing

with other species for food.

Wild boars costs an estimated $805 million dollars a year

in America.

Of all of the members of

the pig family, sus scrofa

occupies the largest range.

With origins in Europe,

Asia, and North Africa

there are numerous island

populations that are

included in its native range.

Wild boars are

continuously released in

Texas to increase hunting

opportunities and

economic returns.

While wild boar has earned the reputation of “ pest”, they

are an integrated part of the diets of humans.

They can also feed on human garbage which make them

efficient and valuable in some agricultural systems.

Wild boars are hunted for sport and smaller wild boar are

prey for larger animals such as wolves and tigers

Wild boars does disperse seeds which can be a positive

contribution

Fences

• Save crops

• Keep boar off streets

and highways

• Keep boar out of public

areas

• Keep boar from

endangering family

pets

Traps

• Used to subdue wild

boar either to move

them to a different

location or for a use

of lethal control

• Traps account for

14% of hogs that are

hunted

Snares

• Account for 55% of the

wild boar removed

• Steel cable with a loop

that catches the animal

as it passes through it

• Mostly placed near the

opening of a hog den

Hunting with Dogs

• The use of dogs to

follow wild boar scent

• Once the dog follows

the scent to a wild boar

the chase is on

• Wild Boar cannot

outrun a dog

• Hunter catches up and

shoots the boar

Aerial Hunting

• Using a fixed wing

aircraft or helicopter to

shoot wild boar.

• Accounts for nearly

17% of boar hunting

• Requires an

experienced pilot and a

excellent marksman

New Fencing Design• Fencing is a very effective

method of control, but the fence needs to made out of sturdier material that is cost effective at the same time because fencing is very expensive and boars usually break the fences.

Integration• We need a combination of

all methods. A combination of greater education for greater public awareness, poisoning, fencing, hunting, caging, etc.

• Integration is really the only solution, using one method at a time is not working.

• We need a method of control that combines all the current best methods.

Hunting• Everyone wants to hunt deer,

ducks, and turkey. Why not boars?

• In some states they get rid of the hunting season altogether so people can hunt them all year round. All states should do this. So whenever it is not a hunting season for something that people like to hunt, they will hunt boars.

Education• Raising awareness of the

problem could be done through holding public forums on the problems of wild boars so everyone will know about the damage they do to the crops and food supply.

• If more people are educated on the problem, this will reduce the risk of an unintentional introduction of wild boars.

“Wild boars are an ecological black box.” They represent many unknowns to many biologists.

We need more research and better understanding of the impact that they have on our environment.

Wild boars can even harbor and transmit diseases to humans and to livestock.

With more understanding, research, and education we can solve the problem of the wild boar.

http://animal.discovery.com/guides/mammals/habitat/tem

pgrassland/wildboar.html

http://www.britishwildboar.org.uk/index.htm?profile.html

http://texnat.tamu.edu/symposia/feral/feral-23.htm

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/infor

mation/Sus_scrofa.html

http://invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/wildboar.shtml