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Sus scrofa

Linnaeus, 1758

Wild Boar

G5Secure Found in 14 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105520
Element CodeAMALA01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderArtiodactyla
FamilySuidae
GenusSus
Other Common Names
Chancho, Puerco, Jabalí (ES) Eurasian Wild Boar (EN) Feral Hog (EN) Porco (PT) Sanglier (FR) Sanglier d'Europe (FR) wild boar (EN)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
The American Society of Mammalogists includes the domestic pig as a separate species, Sus domesticus. Sus scrofa is the wild form of S. domesticus and includes bucculentus; includes chirodontus, cristatus, davidi, leucomystax, moupinensis, taevanus, vittatus, and ussuricus, which were recognized as distinct species by Groves and Grubb (2011); also includes bucculentus (ASM 2025). Feral hog populations generally are mixture of European wild hogs, recent domestic hogs, and feral hogs (Sweeney and Sweeney 1982); few if any pure European wild boar populations.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-05
Change Date1996-11-19
Range Extent Comments
Eurasian-N. African species. Escaped or introduced in U.S. Many populations deliberately extirminated but still extant in parts of the southeastern U.S., U.S. West Coast, Hawaii (Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Hawaii), Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and elsewhere (Wood and Barret 1979).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Densely forested mountainous terrain, brushlands, dry ridges, swamps; sometimes in fields, marshes. Often in mixed hardwood forest with permanent water source. Seasonal changes in habitat use are linked to food availability. In southern Texas, prime habitat is open brush-savanna with free water (Ilse and Hellgren 1995). Young are born in a secluded spot in dense thicket or shaded area on high dry ground.

Ecology

Usually in groups (females and one or more generations of young) or solitary (adult male, nonbreeding season). At Welder Wildlife Refuge, Texas, crude density was 9.5 per sq km; mean annual home range size (95% minimum convex polygon) was 3.36 sq km (Ilse and Hellgren 1995). Home range averages 200-300 ha in the southeastern U.S., up to several thousand ha in the western U.S. In California, high mortality occurs in the young during the first 6 months (many starve).

Reproduction

May breed year-round; usually there are seasonal peaks. Gestation 108-123 days. Litter size ranges up to 12 (average 4-6 in California, 5-8 in the southeastern U.S.). Average of 2 litters/year in California. Sexually mature usually in less than 1 year (male may not breed until more than 1 year old).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldCropland/hedgerow
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNNA
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaSNANo
AlbertaSNANo
SaskatchewanSNANo
United StatesNNA
ProvinceRankNative
PennsylvaniaSNANo
GeorgiaSNANo
New MexicoSNANo
KentuckySNANo
ArizonaSNANo
FloridaSNANo
OregonSNANo
VirginiaSNANo
TennesseeSNANo
West VirginiaSNANo
TexasSNANo
North CarolinaSNANo
AlabamaSNANo
MississippiSNANo
Roadless Areas (14)
California (8)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Black ButteMendocino National Forest15,461
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
ThatcherMendocino National Forest16,652
Georgia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Tripp BranchChattahoochee National Forest615
Montana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mcgregor - ThompsonLolo National Forest27,211
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
References (43)
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