The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a relative of the pig. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa but has become an invasive species across the world. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Wild boars not only threaten crops, but also disrupt natural ecosystems and are very hard to eradicate once a population has been established. Wild boars generally range from 150-600 pounds, but they can grow even larger depending on the subspecies. There have been some massive wild boars recorded in recent years, but just how large did they get? Keep reading to learn more about wild boars and discover the largest wild boar ever recorded.
Largest Wild Boar Subspecies
Although they are native to Europe and Asia, wild boars now inhabit every continent but Antarctica.
©Martin Mecnarowski/Shutterstock.com
There are currently 18 subspecies of wild boars. Even among boars of the same subspecies, their weight can vary widely depending on environmental factors like food and water availability. However, the following subspecies are some of the largest wild boars on average.
Ussuri Boar
The Ussuri boar (Sus scrofa ussuricus), also known as the Manchurian boar and the Russian forest boar, is the largest subspecies of wild boar. These boars are found in Eastern China and parts of Russia, including the Ussuri Bay and Amur Bay regions. Adult males often reach upwards of 500 pounds, with some sources suggesting individuals can weigh over 700 pounds.
Carpathian Boar
The Carpathian boar (Sus scrofa attila) is found in Eastern Europe, including Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, and the surrounding Carpathian mountain regions. The average Carpathian boar weighs up to 300 pounds. However, some individuals can reach up to 441 pounds when food is abundant.
Middle Asian Boar
While the Ussuri boar and the Carpathian boar are often cited as the largest described subspecies, some Middle Asian boars (Sus scrofa nigripes) can also grow very large in optimal conditions. This subspecies can be found in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and other nearby countries. Individuals have been documented to weigh up to 485 pounds.
The Largest Swine Species
Domesticated pigs are frequently larger than wild boars.
©Penny Hicks/Shutterstock.com
On average, the wild forest hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni) is considered the largest species of wild pig. However, some wild boars have been documented to reach even larger sizes. Wild forest hogs can reach weights of over 600 pounds and are found in the dense forests and grasslands of Africa.
While wild boars can grow to epic proportions, they are no match for their domesticated pig cousins. One reason is that domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) typically have access to abundant food. They also have protection from predators and harsh weather. These conditions make it easier for domestic pigs to reach the gigantic proportions that swine are capable of. Domestic pigs can easily reach weights up to 770 pounds.
Big Bill was the largest domestic hog on record. He resided on a farm in Jackson, Tennessee in the 1930s. He was documented to be 9 feet in length and weigh 2,552 pounds. That’s more than three times the weight of the heaviest wild boars. Big Bill was so impressive, he was set be featured at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Unfortunately, this record-breaking pig broke a leg and had to be euthanized.
Was Hogzilla the Largest Wild Boar Ever?
Crossbreeds of wild Eurasian boars and domestic pigs are often referred to as “super pigs.”
In 2004, claims of a 12-foot long, 1,000 pound beast surfaced on the Internet. Hunter Chris Griffin of Alapaha, Georgia had only one blurry photo of Hogzilla as proof, so the claims were often dismissed as a hoax. However, Hogzilla caused such a sensation that six months later, experts from National Geographic went to Georgia to exhume the body and investigate the claims.
Although Hogzilla was not as large as previously thought, experts were able to judge that it was still an incredible beast. Allowing for changes in the body due to decomposition, the experts determined Hogzilla was at least 800 pounds and about 8 feet long. Hogzilla was also notable for having tusks that had grown to 16 and 18 inches in length, setting a Safari Club International record. However, was Hogzilla truly a wild boar? DNA testing revealed that Hogzilla was actually a hybrid of a wild boar and a domestic pig. These crossbreeds are called “super pigs,” which are known to be larger and better adapted for cold climates.
So, the largest reliably documented non-hybrid wild boar ever may be the Oklahoma Bruiser boar. This 760-pound beast was killed by Oklahoma deer hunter Winston Brown in 2011. Brown was in his tree stand when a massive hog appeared and scared the does he had been watching. It took three arrows from his crossbow to fell the beast, which may be the largest feral boar ever killed in Oklahoma, if not in the entire U.S.
