BOAR

[Heb., chazirʹ].

This animal is mentioned in the Scriptures at Psalm 80:13, where there is allusion to its depredations on unguarded vineyards. It is believed that the wild boar (not to be confused with the male of the domesticated hog, to which it is related) is meant. This animal (Sus scrofa) is still to be found in the swamps of Palestine.

A large wild boar may weigh some 160 kg (350 lb), measure nearly 1.5 m (5 ft) in length, and may stand 1 m (3 ft) high at the shoulder. The snout of the wild boar is specially suited to rooting for food amid forest undergrowth. The tusks, especially those of the male, constitute a formidable weapon, with which it can easily rip up a horse. This animal is not only dangerous but also destructive, it being said that a group of them can ruin an entire vineyard in one night. Its diet, although basically vegetarian, includes a great variety of foods such as roots, grain, earthworms, snails, small animals, birds’ eggs, and the like.