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Wild boar

( Sus scrofa )

The wild boar does not resemble any other wild Scandinavian animal. But they do have many similarities to domestic pigs. This is not surprising, since the wild boar is their ancestors. Wild boars use their snouts to dig around in the substrate for food, which includes plants, fungi and insects. The wild boar is a highly versatile omnivore and will even eat birds and carcasses from time to time.

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Hear the Wild boar

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Weight

50-100 kg

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Habitat

Forest

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Diet

Omnivore

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Offspring

2-8 piglets

Get to know Wild boar

Classification: Mammals

Order: Even-toed ungulates

Family: Pigs (Suidae)

Distribution: Central-eastern Europe, southeastern Sweden and Finland

Habitat: Forest

Lifespan: Up to 10 years

Body length: 150 cm + 20 cm tail

Height at the shoulder: 100 cm

Weight: Male (Boar): 50-100 kg; Female (Sow): 50-75 kg

Maturity: 1.5 years

Oestrus: August to January

Pregnancy: 4 months

Number of offspring: 2-8 piglets, usually 4-6 each year, sometimes twice each year

Diet: Omnivorous; grass, shrubs, roots and field crops such as potatoes and cereals; also snails, eggs and insects

Habitat

The wild boar is a highly adaptable animal that can thrive in a wide variety of natural environments. It shows a clear preference for moist deciduous forests with dense undergrowth, particularly woodlands dominated by oak and beech, which produce acorns and beechnuts—important food sources for the species. Areas with reed beds, ferns or dense thickets are also ideal, as they provide cover and protection from predators and human disturbance.

Wild boars are omnivores and forage by rooting in the soil with their strong snouts. Their diet includes roots, earthworms, insects, mice, snails, fungi, and a wide range of plant matter such as leaves, shoots and fruit. They also eat carrion and human food waste, which allows them to survive in both natural and human-influenced landscapes.

Although mainly nocturnal, wild boars may also be active during the day in undisturbed areas. They typically live in groups called sounders, made up of females and their young, while adult males usually live alone outside the mating season.
Through their foraging and rooting behavior, wild boars contribute to biodiversity by disturbing the forest floor, creating variation in vegetation, and allowing new plant species to grow.

Distribution

The wild boar is naturally distributed across much of Europe and Asia and is also found in parts of North Africa. It is a highly adaptable species that thrives in forests, wetlands, and agricultural landscapes. In recent decades, wild boar populations have expanded in many parts of Europe due to milder winters, abundant food sources, and reduced hunting pressure.

In Denmark, wild boar were once widespread but were eradicated in the early 1800s. Today, the species is not allowed to live freely in the Danish countryside, due to a 2018 regulation aimed at preventing the spread of African swine fever, which poses a serious threat to Danish pig farming.
However, a free-ranging population exists within the fenced Sdr. Vedby Deer Park on the island of Lolland. Additionally, wild boar are occasionally observed near the German border, where large and growing populations exist.

Djursland

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) has a long history in Denmark and on Djursland. The species migrated into the country around 11,000 years ago and was once widespread across Denmark, including Djursland, where archaeological findings confirm its presence during the Neolithic period. One example is a wild boar tooth found near Holme, close to Ebeltoft.

In historical times, the wild boar was a highly valued game animal, but a combination of intensive hunting and harsh winters led to its extinction as a free-ranging species in Denmark by the early 1800s. The last wild boar was shot near Silkeborg in 1801.
Today, wild boar no longer roam freely in Denmark, but fenced populations do exist—among them, one near Ryomgård on Djursland, where Rosenborg Forest Management keeps wild boar in enclosures.

Distribution

The wild boar is naturally distributed across much of Europe and Asia and is also found in parts of North Africa. It is a highly adaptable species that thrives in forests, wetlands, and agricultural landscapes. In recent decades, wild boar populations have expanded in many parts of Europe due to milder winters, abundant food sources, and reduced hunting pressure.

In Denmark, wild boar were once widespread but were eradicated in the early 1800s. Today, the species is not allowed to live freely in the Danish countryside, due to a 2018 regulation aimed at preventing the spread of African swine fever, which poses a serious threat to Danish pig farming.
However, a free-ranging population exists within the fenced Sdr. Vedby Deer Park on the island of Lolland. Additionally, wild boar are occasionally observed near the German border, where large and growing populations exist.

Djursland

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) has a long history in Denmark and on Djursland. The species migrated into the country around 11,000 years ago and was once widespread across Denmark, including Djursland, where archaeological findings confirm its presence during the Neolithic period. One example is a wild boar tooth found near Holme, close to Ebeltoft.

In historical times, the wild boar was a highly valued game animal, but a combination of intensive hunting and harsh winters led to its extinction as a free-ranging species in Denmark by the early 1800s. The last wild boar was shot near Silkeborg in 1801.
Today, wild boar no longer roam freely in Denmark, but fenced populations do exist—among them, one near Ryomgård on Djursland, where Rosenborg Forest Management keeps wild boar in enclosures.

The residents

Information will soon be available.

Verdenskort