The Wild boar senses

Sus scrofa

Artiodactyla - Suidae

There is so much to say about this exceptional animal, we are very lucky to have it in the wild. It is very intelligent and good natured in spite of the bad reputation humans gave it since time immemorial. It has been hunted for its meat as far as humans have started to roam the planet but also for the pleasure of confrontation with the "monster". The Gauls made it a highly military symbol and it still appears on many shields today.


The head is particularly strong and lengthy since it detains almost all the essentials senses it needs for survival and digging, besides the faculty to run very fast.

It has large and hairy ears and its keen hearing, although less developed than its sense of smell, is extremely fine and it recognizes the surrounding sounds and spots perfectly the origin of a cracking branch whether it broke naturally or was smashed by an animal or a human! 

The sense of smell is by far its most developed organ and allows it to find its food even when buried deep. It can also "smell" from far a potential enemy - especially man - from the molecules emitted in the air. This sense is so finely tuned that it can locate several hours later, the passage of other animals in particular mammals.

 

As with elephants its language, varied squeaks and growls, is essential to communicate with the members of its herd. So the leading female can impose her decisions when necessary for the search of food or water.

Other Wild boars were previously present and this individual is studying their smells:

 


On the cartilaginous snout ultra sensitive hairs are very useful to touch objects intriguing it, a bit like the prehensile "fingers" of elephant the trunks:



 
Its beady eyes classify the Wild boar as a diurnal animal, contrary to nocturnal animals provided with large eyes!
Its eye sight is mediocre but good enough to perceive perfectly the slightest movements or the presence of an unusual mass; colors are badly discerned.





Quite like elephants, it has a remarkable memory and remembers everything especially bad experiences, so hunters.... beware!