Thursday, July 12, 2012

Wild Boar


Animals Unique | Wild Boar |
Wild Boar Classification and Evolution
The Wild Boar is a species of Wild Pig, native to the forests of Europe, north-west Africa and it is also found throughout Asia. The Wild Boar has an extremely wide distribution with the number of estimated Wild Boar subspecies ranging from 4 to 25. 
 
 Naturally, it is hard to classify them all as They can easily interbreed, so it is Widely Agreed That there are four subspecies around the which are determined by Their location. They are all very similar in size and appearance, but growing niche to Vary somewhat in color, depending on geographic Their location. The Wild Boar is an extremely adaptable animal as it is found in a variety of different habitats, eats almost anything That will fit in it's mouth and not only runs fast, but also swims well too. They are also commonly known as the European Wild Pigs, hogs or simply Boars.

Wild Boar Anatomy and Appearance
The Wild Boar is a medium-sized mammal with a large head and front end, that leads into a smaller Hind. They have a thick and course double coat of fur, that consists of a harder, bristly top layer, with a softer Undercoat Beneath it. The hair That runs along the ridge of the Wild Boar's back is also longer than the rest. The Wild Boar varies from brown, to black, to red or dark gray in color, something the which depends on the Generally individual's location. For example Wild Boar individuals found in Western Europe growing niche to be brown, where Those inhabiting the forests of Eastern Europe can be completely black in color. The Wild Boar has incredibly poor eyesight due to it's very small-sized eyes, but They also have a long, straight snout the which enables them to have an incredibly acute sense of smell.

Wild Boar Distribution and Habitat
The Wild Boar is the most Widely distributed land mammal on Earth as it's native range extends from Western Europe, right across to Japan to the east, and down to the Rainforests of Indonesia in the south. The four separate subspecies are determined by Their location with one inhabiting Europe, north-western Africa and western Asia; another is found across northern Asia and in Japan; the third inhabits the tropical jungles of India, South East Asia and the Far East, with the last being found only in Indonesia. Wild Boars are found in a variety of different habitats Including tropical jungles and grasslands, but They growing niche to broad-leafed Favour deciduous forests where the vegetation is incredibly dense.

 
Wild Boar Behaviour and Lifestyle
Wild Boar are nocturnal animals come out That only at night to forage for food. They spend around 12 hours sleeping in a dense nest of leaves during the day, before waking up to find a meal under the cover of night. Female Wild Boars are Relatively Sociable animals, inhabiting territories in loose groups known as the which can contain Sounders Between 6 and 30 individuals. Sounders consist of Breeding Females and Their Often young and can be found in the same area as other groups, although the two growing niche not to mix. Males however, are solitary for the majority of the year, with the exception of during the breeding season when They can be found in close proximity of both the Sounders, and indeed other lazy. Male Wild Boar Compete with one another by fighting for the chance to mate with a female.

Wild Boar Reproduction and Life Cycles
Once mated the female Wild Boar Gives birth to 4-6 piglets in a nest found in a dense thicket, the which is made up of leaves, grasses and moss. The mother with her piglets Remains solidly for the first couple of weeks to protect them from hungry predators. Wild Boar piglets are incredibly distinctive animals as They have light brown fur, with cream and brown stripes run the length of That Their Backs. Although these stripes begin to disappear when the piglets are Between 3 and 4 months old, They PROVE to camouflage the Wild Boar young into the debris on the forest floor, very Effectively. Once They are two months old, the piglets begin to venture out of the nest on short foraging trips, before They Become independent at around 7 months old and are almost red in color. The fur of the Wild Boar does not reach adult colouration until the animal is about a year old.

 
Diet and Prey Wild Boar
The Wild Boar is an omnivorous animal feeds primarily on plants That. Plant matter comprises around 90% of the Wild Boar's diet as They feed on young leaves, berries, grasses and fruits, and unearth roots and bulbs from the ground hard with Their snouts. Living in highly seasonal regions, Wild Boars have had to adapt to the changing fruits and flowers, and are known to Favour the protein-rich nuts (Such as acorns) That Become available in the autumn and prepare them for the winter ahead. They will however, eat almost anything That will fit into their mouths, and supplement the diet by eating Their eggs, Mice, Lizards, Worms and Snakes events. Wild Boar will also happily finish off the kill of another abandoned animal.

Wild Boar Predators and Threats
Due to Their incredibly large distribution, Wild Boars are prey to predators of all shapes Numerous and sizes, throughout Their natural habitats. Large felines Such as Leopards, Lynx's and Tigers are amongst the most common predators of the Wild Boar, along with other large carnivores like the Wolves and Bears, and also Humans. Although Their numbers in the wild have dropped rapidly in much of Their natural range, in other areas Including mainland Europe, Poland and Pakistan, there have been significant population actually Rises and the exact Reasons are not really known. It is thought to be due to a variety of Things Including the decline of Their predators around, Their Increased protection, and the more regulated hunting of them in their native regions.

 
Wild Boar Interesting Facts and Features
The snout of the Wild Boar is probably one of this animal's most characteristic features, and like other Wild Pigs, it sets these apart from the others Mammals. The snout of the Wild Boar has a cartilaginous disk at the end, the which is supported by a small bone called the prenasal, that allows the Wild Boar's Snout to be used as a bulldozer when it is foraging for food. All Wild Boars Tusks have on Their bottom lips, although the male's are larger than Those of the female, and actually curve upwards out of Their mouths. More interestingly however, also have a hollow lazy Tusk on Their top lip too, the which actually acts life a knife-Sharpener, constantly sharpening the male's bottom Tusks, both of the which can grow up to 6cm long.

Wild Boar Relationship with Humans
Wild Boars are now farmed in many places for Their meat but They have also been hunted for Their Tusks sharp as prize trophies for Centuries, meaning even Populations That Became extinct in some areas, Such as Britain. Today however, Humans have introduced the Wild Boar to Numerous different countries around the world, purely so That They can be hunted and eaten. This includes Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Sweden and Norway. They have in fact been farmed by people for so long, that the Wild Boar is actually the common ancestor of domestic Pigs. Although a number of the world's Wild Boar Populations are actually Increasing, the species as a whole has been Threatened by habitat loss to Humans, Mainly through deforestation and continuously growing settlements.

 
 
Wild Boar Conservation Status and Life Today
Today, the Wild Boar has been listed by the IUCN as being a species of Least Concern That Is Becoming extinct in of it's natural environment in the near future. Population numbers are Suffering on the whole however, Mainly due to hunting and loss of habitat. In a number of areas though, there have actually been rapid inclines in Wild Boar Populations, possibly due to the loss of many of Their Such predators play as Wolves and Tigers.

Wild Boar Facts
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Suidae
Genus: Sus
Scientific Name: Sus scrofa
Common Name: Wild Boar
Other Name (s): Wild Pig, Wild Hog, Boar
Group: Mammal
Number Of Species: 4
Location: Throughout Europe and Asia
Habitat: deciduous broad-leaf forests
Colour: Brown, Red, Black, Grey
Skin Type: Fur
Size (H): 55cm - 100cm (21.6in - 39.3in)
Weight: 80kg - 175kg (176lbs - 386lbs)
Top Speed: 48kph (30mph)
Diet: omnivore
Prey: Berries, Roots, Worms
Predators: Tiger, Wolves, Humans
Lifestyle: Nocturnal
Group Behaviour: Sounder
Life Span: 15-20 years
Age Of Sexual Maturity: 7-10 months
Gestation Period: 3-4 months
Average Litter Size: 5
Name Of Young: Piglet
Age Of Weaning: 2-3 months
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Estimated Population Size: Sustainable
Biggest Threat: Habitat loss
Most Distinctive Feature: Long, hard and straight snout
Fun Fact: Males have a top Tusk to sharpen the bottom one!

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