The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa L., 1758): Recent advances in ecology, forest management, and human−wildlife interactions

The Eurasian wild boar is one of the most widely distributed and ecologically adaptable mammals, native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, with introduced populations in the Americas, Australia, and several islands. Its ecological plasticity enables it to occupy boreal forests, Mediterranean ecosystems, wetlands, agricultural landscapes, peri−urban and urban habitats. This review syn− thesises current knowledge on the species’ biology, ecology, and interactions with humans. Available evidence shows that wild boar can act as an ecosystem engineer by modifying soil structure, nutrient turnover, and vegetation dynamics, which may support regeneration processes and increase habitat heterogeneity. However, high population density may increase the spatial extent of rooting damage, reduce understorey cover, intensify crop damage, increase pressure on ground−nesting fauna, and aggravate conflicts in agricultural, peri−urban, and urban environments. Wild boar also plays an important role in the epidemiology of animal diseases, particularly African swine fever (ASF), and remains relevant to public health because of zoonotic pathogens such as Trichinella spp. Effective management requires locally adapted strategies combining population monitoring, hunting or capture where feasible, strict biosecurity, reduced anthropogenic food subsidies, habitat−based prevention of damage, and stakeholder communication. The most important research gaps concern density−dependent ecological impacts, the effects of agricultural intensification on reproduction and space use, and the long−term effectiveness and social acceptability of damage−prevention and conflict−mitigation measures, including temporary fencing, fertility control where feasible, and the reduction of anthropogenic food subsidies.