The wild boar is native to forests in Europe, north-west Africa and Asia. Human intervention has spread its distribution further, even in many countries that are not their natural habitats. The species is now one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world.
The Roman poet Horace went against the current Roman fashion for pretentious and complicated recipes. Instead he promoted wild boar as a noble, highly flavoured dish.
The steroids of ancient Rome were dried boar's dung. Chariot-racers often took a drink made from the dung before major events.
The emperor Nero liked to drink a traditional charioteer's potion of dried boar dung in water in the belief that it gave him strength.
In medieval times in England, boar from the Royal Forest were supplied for the Royal table - there is a record of an order for 100 boars and sows for a Christmas feast in 1254.
A Chinese emperor developed the first toothbrush in the late fifteenth century by fixing hairs from the neck of a Siberian wild boar into a bone handle.
Wild boar was hunted to extinction in Britain several centuries ago. Britain's last wild boar was hunted down by James I of England in Windsor Park in 1617.
Charles I attempted to reintroduce the species into the New Forest, though this population was exterminated during the Civil War.
The wild boar population has started to rise again in Britain after several programmes to reintroduce them in the 20th century. Farming of wild boar in Britain became fashionable in the 1970s and boar originating from the European mainland were kept under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
Occasional escapes of wild boar from wildlife parks and farms have occurred. During a terrific storm in October 1987 a few wild boar that were kept in captivity escaped and now the breed is flourishing.
In 1999 several escaped from a farm and in 2004 a group of 60 were dumped - further boosting wild populations. Since then the population of wild boar has grown steadily in Britain - with complaints about them digging up graveyards, gardens and grass verges.
Wold boar have roamed wild in the Forest of Dean since 2004, after a 700 year absence. There are also populations in Kent/East Sussex, Dorset, Gloucestershire/Herefordshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
When fully grown a wild boar stands around 3ft 3in (100cms) tall, can be 6.5ft (196 cms) long, weighs around 20 stone (127 kgs) and can jump 6ft (183 cms).
Males have four continually growing tusks used when fighting for females.
Its tail can move very quickly, and the wild boar often uses it to show when his mood.
The wild boar has 44 teeth in its jaw, which helps its strong bite.
The dark coat is made up of coarse bristles with varying amounts of underfur.
The young are striped.
Mainly woodland-dwelling, these gregarious animals feed on roots, nuts and other plainstuffs, with some carrion and insects.
Wild boar is usually secretive and nocturnal and is likely to stay out of the way of humans.
They can travel large distances and reach speeds of 30mph (48 kms).
They reach sexual maturity within their first year and can breed all year round.
Herds are known as sounders and are dominated by females.
Their heightened sense of smell allows them to sniff out food underground and they have acute hearing.
They are good swimmers. One wild boar reportedly swam across a 2,300ft wide river.
The male is known as a boar, the female as a sow.
King Richard III of England had a boar on his badge and they are commonly used in heraldry.
The hair of wild boar was often used to make toothbrush bristles until the 1930s. The brushes were popular because the bristles were soft. However, this was not the best material for oral hygiene because the hairs dried slowly and usually held bacteria. They have now been replaced for hygiene reasons.
Daily Mail
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| Pixabay |
WILD BOAR IN HISTORY
The Roman poet Horace went against the current Roman fashion for pretentious and complicated recipes. Instead he promoted wild boar as a noble, highly flavoured dish.
The steroids of ancient Rome were dried boar's dung. Chariot-racers often took a drink made from the dung before major events.
 |
| Roman relief of a dog confronting a boar. By Photo taken by user BS Thurner Hof |
The emperor Nero liked to drink a traditional charioteer's potion of dried boar dung in water in the belief that it gave him strength.
In medieval times in England, boar from the Royal Forest were supplied for the Royal table - there is a record of an order for 100 boars and sows for a Christmas feast in 1254.
A Chinese emperor developed the first toothbrush in the late fifteenth century by fixing hairs from the neck of a Siberian wild boar into a bone handle.
Wild boar was hunted to extinction in Britain several centuries ago. Britain's last wild boar was hunted down by James I of England in Windsor Park in 1617.
 |
| The Boar Hunt – Hans Wertinger, c. 1530, Danube Valley |
Charles I attempted to reintroduce the species into the New Forest, though this population was exterminated during the Civil War.
The wild boar population has started to rise again in Britain after several programmes to reintroduce them in the 20th century. Farming of wild boar in Britain became fashionable in the 1970s and boar originating from the European mainland were kept under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
Occasional escapes of wild boar from wildlife parks and farms have occurred. During a terrific storm in October 1987 a few wild boar that were kept in captivity escaped and now the breed is flourishing.
In 1999 several escaped from a farm and in 2004 a group of 60 were dumped - further boosting wild populations. Since then the population of wild boar has grown steadily in Britain - with complaints about them digging up graveyards, gardens and grass verges.
Wold boar have roamed wild in the Forest of Dean since 2004, after a 700 year absence. There are also populations in Kent/East Sussex, Dorset, Gloucestershire/Herefordshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
ANATOMY
When fully grown a wild boar stands around 3ft 3in (100cms) tall, can be 6.5ft (196 cms) long, weighs around 20 stone (127 kgs) and can jump 6ft (183 cms).
 |
| Pixiebay |
Males have four continually growing tusks used when fighting for females.
Its tail can move very quickly, and the wild boar often uses it to show when his mood.
The wild boar has 44 teeth in its jaw, which helps its strong bite.
The dark coat is made up of coarse bristles with varying amounts of underfur.
The young are striped.
BEHAVIOR
Mainly woodland-dwelling, these gregarious animals feed on roots, nuts and other plainstuffs, with some carrion and insects.
 |
| Pixiebay |
Wild boar is usually secretive and nocturnal and is likely to stay out of the way of humans.
They can travel large distances and reach speeds of 30mph (48 kms).
They reach sexual maturity within their first year and can breed all year round.
Herds are known as sounders and are dominated by females.
Their heightened sense of smell allows them to sniff out food underground and they have acute hearing.
They are good swimmers. One wild boar reportedly swam across a 2,300ft wide river.
FUN WILD BOAR FACTS
The male is known as a boar, the female as a sow.
King Richard III of England had a boar on his badge and they are commonly used in heraldry.
The hair of wild boar was often used to make toothbrush bristles until the 1930s. The brushes were popular because the bristles were soft. However, this was not the best material for oral hygiene because the hairs dried slowly and usually held bacteria. They have now been replaced for hygiene reasons.
Daily Mail
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