Abstract:

Wild boars (Sus scrofa) are considered serious agricultural pests in Pakistan. Their stomach contents were examined (n = 63) in central Punjab, Pakistan, and it was found that 32 types of food items were consumed. Triticum aestivum, Saccharum officinarum, Zea mays, Oryza sativa, Prosopis juliflora, and earthworms were the main staples. The major components of the diet of wild boar in central Punjab originated from 58% cultivated crops, 30% uncultivated crops, 9% animal matter, and 3% unidentified matter. Wheat made up 23% of the total dry weight. O. sativa was the most intensively consumed item during autumn (37.87%), followed by Z. mays (17.02%) and S. officinarum (7.66%). T. aestivum (29.45%), S. officinarum (22.26%), and earth worms (7.8%) were the most important food items in the winter, while wheat (55.90%) and P. juliflora (28.09%) were the most intensively consumed items during the spring and summer, respectively.

Keywords: