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This comprehensive species-specific chapter covers all aspects of the mammalian biology, including paleontology, physiology, genetics, reproduction and development, ecology, habitat, diet, mortality, and behavior. The economic significance and management of mammals and future challenges for research and conservation are addressed as well. The chapter includes a distribution map, a photograph of the animal, and a list of key literature.

Wild boar is an important species throughout the Iberian Peninsula, and populations exist from sea level to elevations of >2000 m in high mountain environments, which reflects its incredible ability to adapt to a wide range of natural and cultural environments. To summarize the scientific and management knowledge on this species in Portugal and Spain, we reviewed 174 published and unpublished texts written since 1914. Research has progressed from descriptive studies toward applied ecology, which has focused on the problem that species poses to its environment. We identified six main fields of study interest and potential wild boar conflict: (i) the role of the species in natural and semi-natural ecosystems, (ii) agricultural damages, (iii) car accidents, (iv) disease transmission and reservoir, (v) hunt and control, and (vi) urban wild boars. The ability of wild boar to adapt to and transform a wide variety of ecosystems has to be monitored carefully, particularly within the context of adaptive management in natural areas. The lack of a rapid response causes high social and economic costs, and the problem has worsened. The increase in the frequency of interactions between humans and wild boars underscores the importance of management actions that address not only the wild boar populations but also human behaviour and the avoidance of risk situations, e.g. urban wild boars and traffic collisions, which includes environmental education.

From 1990 to 2006, we studied the demographic, reproductive, and biometric characteristics of two Iberian wild boarSus scrofa (Linnaeus, 1758) populations in contrasting environments. In the Pyrenees (studied in 1990–1993), forest cover is high, hunting pressure is low, and the density of wild boar is high. In the Ebro Valley (studied in 1994–2006), there are few shelter areas for boars, hunting pressure is high, and density is very low. In the second semester of life and after two years of age, the sows in Ebro Valley were heavier than were those in the Pyrenees. Pregnancy during the first year of life was frequent in the Ebro Valley and rare in the Pyrenees. Litter sizes, ovulation rates, and intrauterine mortalities did not differ significantly between the two populations, but the foetal sex ratio in the Ebro Valley was skewed significantly towards males. Life expectancy was lower in the Ebro Valley (6 yr) than it was in the Pyrenees (10 yr). In the Ebro Valley 75% of the wild boar were >24 months old, whereas in the Pyrenees, the proportion was 59%. We suggest that shelter availability influenced the growth, productivity, hunting pressure, and life expectancy in the two Iberian populations of wild boar.

The Middle Ebro Valley (MEV) is a semiarid area in northeast Iberia where the original riparian ecosystems are almost extinct and were replaced by intensive irrigated agricultural lands. To minimize crop damages and to understand the impact of wild boar on relict riparian ecosystems, a culling program was undertaken from 1994 until 2004. To assess the impact of wild boars, we analyzed stomach contents and surveyed crop damage. In the MEV, wild boars feed mainly on crops, particularly, maize. Other elements of the diet that are of agricultural origin include wheat, barley, and alfalfa, which are the alternatives to maize in the period between harvest and seeding, which is the basis of seasonal changes in diet. Results indicate that wild boar actively selected maize crops and consumed wheat in proportion to its abundance; barley and alfalfa fields were damaged less than expected based on their abundance. In the MEV, the wild boar population is limited by the availability of shelter areas found in the scarce riparian ecosystems, which do not provide important food items for this population. We conclude that in the region of this study, wild boars are not a significant threat to the flora and fauna of riparian ecosystems, although as these habitats are restored and areas are protected, the carrying capacity for wild boars might increase.