Sometimes known as the European wild boars, wild boars are mammals raised as livestock in some areas. Unfortunately, they are among the regulated agricultural pests, contributing to the human-wild boar conflict in many parts of the world.

A wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a large, omnivorous mammal from the order Artiodactyla, often referred to simply as "pigs." It is the largest member of the Sus genus, native to forests, grasslands, and wetlands worldwide. Wild boars predominantly live in Europe, Eastern Russia (Sakhalin) and Asia. If you are in New Zealand or America, you will find them among the native feral species. These bristly-haired animals remain famous for their sharp tusks, which are growing continuously. Although they are unaggressive, male wild boars use their tusks as weapons to fight each other or large predators like bears and lions. They also use them to dig.

Interesting Facts About the Wild Boar

• Wild Boars live in groups of 10 to 20 animals, consisting of a sire and several females and their offspring.
• The wild boar is nocturnal.
• They are omnivorous: Their diet consists of roots, berries, nuts, and insects.
• The wild boar is swift with great speed and ferocity: The animal can run up to 35 miles per hour, making it a favorite beast to train hunting dogs in India and parts of Europe.
• Wild boars are brilliant animals. They have a great memory which makes them incredibly cautious about their surroundings.
• Environmental advocates consider them essential to the ecosystem because they help aerate the soil when they make deep holes with their tusks.
• In Asian countries, people eat wild boars: They are part of a popular recipe known as "suppanzogi" in the historic Korean city of Kaesong.