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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