Boar

The Wild Boar (''Sus scrofa'') is the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. It lives in woodlands in central Europe, the Mediterranean regions, across southern Asia and as far as Indonesia. Animals similar to the wild boar include the warthog of Africa and the peccary or javelina of the American Southwest; but these animals do not share the pig's taxonomic genus. The wild boar for a long time was extinct in Great Britain, although some are farmed for their meat. In recent decades escaped wild boars have bred into a new wild population in some areas, particularly the Weald. They are capable of causing serious injury and are best avoided. == Wild or feral == The term ''boar'' can refer to an adult male pig. The difference between the wild and domestic animals is largely a matter of perception; both are usually described as ''Sus scrofa'', and domestic pigs quite readily become feral. The characterisation of populations as wild, feral or domestic and pig or boar is usually decided by where the animals are encountered and what is known of their history. One characteristic by which domestic breed and wild animals are differentiated is coats. Wild animals almost always have thick, short bristly coats ranging in colour from brown through grey to black. A prominent ridge of hair matching the spine is also common, giving rise to the name ''razorback'' in the southern United States. The tail is usually short and straight. Wild animals tend also to have longer legs than domestic breeds and a longer and narrower head and snout. European adult males can be up to 200kg and have both upper and lower tusks; females do not have tusks and are around a third smaller on average. (Compare "Hogzilla", a very large boar shot in Georgia (U.S. state) in 2004.) == Habits == [[Image:EberreliefmitHund-3Jhrnchr-FOKoeln2.jpg|thumb|right|Ancient Rome relief, c. 3rd century of hunting wild boar.]] Wild boars live in groups called ''sounders''. Sounders typically contain around twenty animals, but groups of over fifty have been seen. In a typical sounder there are two or three sows and their offspring; adult males are not part of the sounder outside of the autumnal breeding season and are usually found alone. Birth, called farrowing, usually occurs in the spring; a litter will typically contain five piglets, but up to thirteen has been known. The animals are usually nocturnal, foraging from dusk until dawn but with resting periods during both night and day. This is because hunters are most active during the day. == Hunting == Wild boars are hunted rather because they are damaging crops and forests than for food. Such hunting was traditionally done by groups of spearmen using a specialised boar spear. The boar spear is fitted with a cross guard to stop the enraged animal driving its pierced body further down the shaft in order to attack its killer before dying. Specialised boar swords were also used in boar hunting, and also large hunting dogs, which would usually be equipped with heavy leather armour. See also Medieval hunting#Other quarry. Such dog armour is also used by modern boar hunters, who however are usually armed with rifles or powerful compound bows. == Mythology and symbolism == One of the Twelve Labours of Hercules was hunting a wild boar, the "Erymanthian Boar". Boar hunting figures in several stories of Celtic mythology and Irish mythology. The wild boar was a symbol of Richard III of England. The boar and boar's head are common heraldry#Charges in heraldry. A complete beast may represent what are seen as the positive qualities of the boar, namely courage and fierceness in battle; a boar's head may represent hospitality (from the common provision of roast boar at banquets), or it may symbolise that the bearer of the coat of arms is a noted hunter. However boar charges also lend themselves very well to canting arms (heraldic punning). Even-toed ungulates

Boar

There are a few inconsistencies in this article: * First it says ''It lives in woodland in northern Europe'' and then it talks about ''..in the southern United States''. I also believe they can be found in Asia. So, what's the real distribution of the wild boar? See also Pig and Suidae. * The article starts with ''They are capable of causing serious injury and are best avoided'' and ends with ''Wild boars are large but rarely dangerous''. One of these statements needs to be clarified. User:Nyh 12:07, 20 Sep 2004 (UTC) [http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=73&fr=1&sts= this entry] at issg.org has some good information about wild pigs/ boars. It also notes that adult boars tend to be solitary. User:Suppafly 22:35, 6 Oct 2004 (UTC) The Asterix comics give the Latin name of the boar as ''Singularis porcus'', this article gives it as ''Sus scrofa''. Where did the Asterix version come from? User:JIP — JIP | User talk:JIP 09:12, 6 May 2005 (UTC)

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Words begining with Boar:

Boar
Boar
Board
Board
Board-feet
Board-foot
Board-game-stub
Board-sailing
Boarder
Boarder8925
Boarder8925
Boarder_Cross
Boardgame
BoardGameGeek
Boardgame_puzzle
Boarding
Boarding-House
Boardinghouse
Boarding_(hockey)
Boarding_(ice_hockey)
Boarding_(ice_hockey)
Boarding_house
Boarding_pass
Boarding_school
Boarding_school
Boarding_schools
Boardista
Boardista
Boardman
Boardman,_NC
Boardman,_North_Carolina
Boardman,_OH
Boardman,_Ohio
Boardman,_Ohio
Boardman,_OR
Boardman,_Oregon
Boardman_Lake
Boardman_River
Boardman_Tasker_Prize_for_Mountain_Literature
Boardman_Township,_Mahoning_County,_OH
Boardman_Township,_Mahoning_County,_Ohio
Boardman_Township,_Mahoning_County,_Ohio
Boardman_Township,_MI
Boardman_Township,_Michigan
Boardmod
Boardroom_&_A_Parked_Place
Boards.ie
Boardshorts
Boardslide
Boardsport
Boardsports
Boardsports
Boards_of_Appeal_of_the_EPO
Boards_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office
Boards_Of_Canada
Boards_of_Canada
Boards_of_Canada
Boards_of_Canada
Boards_of_Canada_albums
Boards_of_directors
Boardvote_entry
Boardvote_entry
Boardvote_intro
Boardvote_intro
Boardwalk
Boardwalk_(hotel_and_casino)
Boardwalk_(music_club)
Boardwalk_Bowl
Boardwalk_Hall
Boardwalk_Hotel_and_Casino
Boardwalk_Hotel_and_Casino
Boardwalk_Records
Board_(bridge)
Board_(unit)
Board_chairman
Board_construction
Board_feet
Board_foot
Board_game
Board_game
Board_Games
Board_games
Board_games
Board_game_complexity
Board_game_designers
Board_Game_Geek
Board_game_geek
Board_game_publishers
Board_game_puzzle
Board_game_stubs
Board_of_Admiralty
Board_of_Appeal_of_the_EPO
Board_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office
Board_of_Broadcast_Governors
Board_of_Catalan_Parliament
Board_of_Catalan_Parliament_-_VII_Term_of_office
Board_of_Control
Board_of_Control_for_Cricket_in_India
Board_of_Control_for_Cricket_in_India
Board_of_Cooperative_Educational_Services
Board_of_Deputies_of_British_Jews
Board_of_Directors
Board_of_directors
Board_of_directors
Board_of_Economic_Warfare
Board_of_Education
Board_of_education
Board_of_Estimate
Board_of_European_Students_of_Technology
Board_of_European_Students_of_Technology
Board_of_Finance
Board_of_Governors
Board_of_Governors
Board_of_Governors_of_the_BBC
Board_of_Governors_of_the_Federal_Reserve
Board_of_Governors_of_the_Federal_Reserve_System
Board_of_Longitude
Board_of_Navy_Commissioners
Board_of_Ordnance
Board_of_Review_(Scouting)
Board_of_Review_(Scouting)
Board_of_Selectmen
Board_of_selectmen
Board_of_Studies
Board_of_Studies,_New_South_Wales
Board_of_Studies_(NSW,_Australia)
Board_of_the_Admiralty
Board_of_Trade
Board_of_Trade_and_Plantations
Board_of_Trade_Unit
Board_of_Trustees_of_the_Kennedy_Center
Board_of_Trustees_of_the_University_of_Alabama_v._Garrett
Board_on_Geographic_Names
Board_slide
Board_wargames
Board_zithers
Boarium_Forum
Boarmon
Boarnsterhim
Boars
Boarshevik
Boarshevik
Boarstall
Boarstall_Tower
Boart