By: Mark Tyson, M.S.
Feral hogs are unable to sweat so they must regulate their
body temperature in other ways such as occupying shaded areas, moving during
the cooler hours of the day or wallowing. Wallowing is a common behavior of
feral hogs and it can be likened to a mud bath. Wallowing is also useful for
removing external parasites through the process of rubbing dried mud off on
trees or telephone poles.
(Feral hog wallowing along a stream bank)
(Feral hog rub on a pine tree)
Wallowing typically occurs during the summer and early fall
in Texas and feral hogs are more likely to use wallows in the mid-day period.
They travel and feed during the morning, early evening and nighttime hours to
avoid the mid-day heat. During the spring, late fall and winter wallowing may
become more of an opportunistic behavior, potentially for factors other than
temperature regulation.
(Fresh feral hog wallow)
Fernàndez-Llario (2005) studied wallowing behaviors of wild
boars in Spain and found that wild boar males mainly wallowed during the autumn
when temperature and parasitic loads were mild. Interestingly an analysis of
the females reproductive systems indicated the breeding season took place
during the last part of October and the first part of November. This study
found that the maximum of wallowing by adult wild boar coincided with the
breeding season. This suggests that there may also be a sexual function related
to wallowing in male wild boars.
While wallowing is beneficial to feral hogs it has several
negative impacts to our environment. Since wallowing is often associated with
water, both habitat and water quality issues can arise. Wallowing can lead to
increased sediment in the water, bank erosion, algae blooms and reduced amounts
of aquatic vegetation (Stevens 2010). The hogs’ association with water can also
lead to increased levels of bacteria (fecal coliforms) entering into the water
body.
(Feral hog wallow along the side of a creek)
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Protection Agency
Literature Cited
Fernandez-Llario, P. 2005.
The sexual functioning of wallowing in
male wild boar Sus scrofa. Journal of
Ethology 23:9-14.
Stevens, R.
2010. The feral hog in Oklahoma.
The Samuels Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA.