Barbary Wild Boar Hunting African Safaris

Barbary Wild Boar

(Sus scrofa barbarus)

Current all time records
SCI: Score 24 4/16 - Tunisia, Djebel Chambi - 3/87
Rowland Ward: Score 9 7/8 - Beja, Tunisia - 1992

Description: The brownish coat is coarse and bristly, usually turning grayish with age. The face, cheeks, and throat are slightly grizzled with whitish hairs. The back is rounded and the legs are relatively long, especially in northern subspecies. Young are born with a pattern of light stripes along their torso, known as livery. These fade between the second and sixth month, reaching adult coloration at one year of age. The wart-less head is long and pointed. The upper canines form tusks which curve out and upwards. The lower canines are like razors, self-sharpening by rubbing against the upper canines. The tail is long with a simple tuft.

Other Common Names: Eurasian Wild Boar

Size:

Range: Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia; year around.

Natural History: Activity is concentrated from dusk to dawn, with a primary resting period at night and a "siesta" during the early afternoon. Wild boars rest in tight groups with bodily contact. The resting place, used several times before being abandoned, is made of numerous troughs lined with leaves and branches. Wild boar are excellent swimmers, and have been documented swimming between offshore islands up to 7 km / 4 miles apart. Wallowing is a favorite activity, taking place several times during each summer afternoons in muddy waterholes. In winter, this frequency drops to about once per week. After wallowing, the wild boar rubs against trees and bushes, an activity that acts as a territorial marker. Ten different vocalizations have been distinguished, and each mother can recognize her own offspring be voice.

Hunting Characteristics: