There are currently 17 different species of wild boar (Sus scrofa) that live at different ages due to various influences. Here you can find all information about it.
In a nutshell
- no significant age differences between wild boar species
- average life expectancy is increasingly falling due to people
- Climate impact also on age of wild boar
Table of contents
- age of wild boar
- Influences on life expectancy
- Diseases
- hunted areas
- environmental influences
- predators
- climate change
- attitude in captivity
- frequently asked Questions
age of wild boar
The age of wild boar varies depending on the living environment, food availability and other circumstances. However, there are no known major age differences between almost all species. Most wild boar, no matter what species, have a life expectancy of between two and eight years in the wild, in exceptional cases up to twelve years. An exception is the dwarf wild boar, which is kept at an average age of between ten and twelve years.
For wild boar living in captivity, the average age increases up to 21 years and depending on care and husbandry conditions, they can live up to 30 years.
Influences on life expectancy
Most of the influences for the recent deaths concern animals that live freely in the wild - with wild boar in In captivity, only positive influences are shown, which is the significant increase in life expectancy explained.
The following influences are mainly responsible for the age to be reached by the wild boar.
Diseases
Wild boar, especially as carnivores in the wild, can suffer from diseases that often lead to death without medical treatment. These include above all:
- Aujeszky's disease/pseud anger (Morbus Aujeszky): Viral infection with skin rash and pharyngeal paralysis
- African swine fever: highly infectious viral disease with death within a few days; not transferrable to humans
hunted areas
Here, the life expectancy of wild boars depends on the areas in which they stay and which ones they cross. Hunted regions play an important role in life expectancy:
- heavily hunted areas: Life expectancy between two and five years
- lightly hunted areas: Life expectancy between five and eight years
- away from hunting areas: Life expectancy between ten and twelve years
environmental influences
The colonization of more and more natural landscapes is also noticeable in the age of wild boars. Their living space is decreasing. As the winters become milder, their population increases significantly, but this creates new problems due to a decreasing habitat.
predators
In Germany, the natural predators are primarily foxes and wolves, which are also increasing in population. The smaller living space increases the chances that they will meet. Escape routes are limited. Above all, the young animals of the wild boars fall victim to them, which significantly reduces the average life expectancy.
climate change
Another factor is the climate impact. Wild boars are though omnivore, but plants constitute a significant part of their food sources. Due to the constantly rising summer temperatures, numerous plants dry up in the wild, so that they find less to eat and are drawn to populated areas, including gardens. Numerous traffic accidents with a fatal outcome are based on their "wandering".
Notice: In addition, some wild boars die every year in populated areas at the hands of private individuals who want to get rid of them from their gardens. The killing of wild boar without a valid hunting license is subject to the Animal Welfare Act and is regulated according to Paragraph 17 with a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to 5,000 euros punished.
attitude in captivity
If wild boar are kept in captivity, they usually live under optimal living conditions. Medical care is secured by the people, as is protection from hunters and predators. In addition, the risk of fatal traffic accidents is reduced to almost zero and the provision of food also eliminates the risk of lack of food or risky searches for food. That is why they get much older in captivity. Many animals here reach a very old age and die as part of an age-related death.
Notice: Did you know that wild boars are called "wild boar", "black coat" and "sows"? The female is referred to as "Bache", the males up to the age of five as "Boar" and then as "Basse" or "Main Pig".
frequently asked Questions
For most species, size and weight give an approximate indication of age. The younger they are, the smaller and lighter they are. Young animals increase their weight to around 75 kilograms by the time they are two years old. Adult wild boars are around five years old, stand between 55 and 110 centimeters at the shoulder and weigh around 160 kilograms. From the age of seven/eight they reach a weight of 180 to 200 kilograms. Females are slightly smaller and lighter.
Age can be recognized particularly well by looking at the back molars (morals). If these show clear peaks, the animal is not older than 30 months. If they are already severely abraded, an age of between three and four years can be assumed. From the age of five, the gums recede. The tooth necks become more and more visible. Nine to ten-year-old wild boars already have deep jaw indentations in the rear molar area.
Normally the birth (fresh time) of the wild boar young (freshlings) is between February/March and May/June. But more and more often the offspring are also born outside the "regular" fresh period, which is why Jäger have brought a mnemonic to life: "Whether February, March or April, the sow breeds/gives birth when she want". The decreasing living space and environmental factors are also blamed for this.
