Young adults at Taman Negara, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia.

Order : ARTIODACTYLA
Family : Suidae
Species : Sus scrofa

Head-Body Length : Males up to 1.5 metres
Height : Males up to 0.8 metres
Tail Length : Males up to 300 cm
Weight : Males up to 180 kg
Females are smaller.

References : M1, M2, M3

The Wild Pig inhabits primary and secondary forest and will also forage in adjacent cleared or agricultural areas. In parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore the species occurs in mangroves. The Wild Pig is a chief food source for Tigers and Leopards.

In parts of Southeast Asia Sus scrofa has been domesticated, giving rise to pigs of different form. The truly Wild Pig, however, is identified by its greater size, and by the mane of bristly hairs extending along the back. The mane becomes erect when the animal is feeling threatened.

Wild Pigs are generally to be found in groups of up to 20, though adult males are often solitary. Adults are dark grey to black, and juveniles brownish with distinctive horizontal stripes. They forage mainly on roots, tubers, young shoots and plantation crops. In mangroves they feed on carrion, arthropods and molluscs.

The species ranges throughout the Southeast Asia mainland, Sumatra and Java. In Borneo and other easterly islands the species has been introduced.

Left : Juveniles have horizontal stripes. Right : Adults have a bristly mane along the back.