Wild boar

A large mammal in the Suidae family, an omnivore, it has been actively hunted by people for thousands of years and has always been exterminated and reintroduced in vast areas throughout Europe. Because it is a very adaptable and resistant species, it is increasingly widespread in all Italian environments, due as well to the abandonment of agriculture in hilly and low/mid-range mountain areas.    A smaller and less prolific native species of wild boar was once present throughout Italy, but it now survives only in some areas of Tuscany. The wild boars that are currently widespread, which were released for hunting purposes, are the result of interbreeding with subspecies from Eastern Europe or with farm breeds, leading to a very prolific and invasive hybrid which is also creating problems in the Reserve.