Burrowing Boar

"You shoulda’ seen the look on ol’ Darren’s face when he tried yankin’ that dig pig outta the ground! Had me and the lads laughin’ fer a week."
—Rolf Ferguson, farmer

The Burrowing Boar, also referred to as the Dig Pig and the Squealing Bush, is a nocturnal species of boar that dwells in forests all over Haven. Known for their habit of digging into the ground and disguising themselves as a plant, the Burrowing Boar is a very stealthy creature. They have also become the center of many events in the more rural areas of Haven.

Characteristics

Appearance

The Burrowing Boar is a fairly large mammal standing around half the height of a person. On their faces are a set of flattened, spade-like tusks which the boar uses to dig into the ground. A layer of thick fur around their eyes protects them from becoming covered in dirt as the boar digs, though it does limit their eyesight somewhat. To compensate, their snouts have become larger than most boars’, giving them an excellent sense of smell.

The Burrowing Boar’s tail is covered by a thick tuft of green fur, giving it the appearance of a small shrub or tree sapling. When the Burrowing Boar digs a hole to sleep in during the day, they leave their tails sticking out to disguise themselves as a plant. While this does provide excellent camouflage from most predators, it does bring with it the unintended side effect of attracting many herbivores looking for a quick bite. Any creature that bites the boar’s tail often ends up getting smacked by it.

Biology

When the Burrowing Boar sleeps, they don’t just fall unconscious. They enter a sort of “short-term hibernation” which allows them to fall asleep with very little need for air. This is fortunate as the boar does not dig any air holes for itself when it goes underground during the day. The Burrowing Boar’s tail acts as the indicator for when the boar should wake up, remaining asleep as long as it feels sunlight shining down on it. If the boar doesn’t feel any sunlight on its tail, it will wake up.

Burrowing Boars are omnivorous, feeding on just about anything that’s edible. They are often seen digging for roots and tubers and preying on smaller animals in their burrows such as snakes and rodents. While they prefer fresh food, they are not above scavenging a carcass if the opportunity presents itself. For the boars living near towns and villages, they are often caught digging their way into storehouses and fields to feed on crops.

When Burrowing Boars mate, the females are pregnant for around a few months before giving birth, having around three to five babies at a time. The young boars typically stay with their mother for around eight to twelve months before setting off on their own. During their time with their mother, the young Burrowing Boars learn how to dig and disguise themselves as a plant, though their green fur typically won’t start coming in until around six months of age. The sight of a young boar trying its best to hide itself is considered a very amusing sight.

Behavior

Burrowing Boars are reclusive, solitary creatures, preferring to live alone unless coming together to mate. They will typically try to avoid conflict whenever possible, but they can prove to be a formidable threat if roused enough, biting and stabbing at foes with their tusks. It takes a great deal of effort to wake up a sleeping Burrowing Boar, but if it is dragged out of its hole by the tail, it wakes in an instant, thrashing around and squealing.

During mating season, the females will search for a male with a particularly large and bushy tail. If she likes what she sees, she will invite the male to breed with her. If two males happen to be present, then a fight often breaks out to determine which one has the right to mate, the loser sent squealing off into the trees. Once mating is complete, the male and female typically stay together until the female’s young are able to walk on their own, the male leaving to his own affairs.

Burrowing Boars & People

People living in the rural areas of Haven tend to have a love-hate relationship with the Burrowing Boar. On one hand, many people love to come around and see who can drag a Burrowing Boar from the ground and hold it down the longest, with many bets being placed during these events. Additionally, the boar’s meat, while somewhat on the tough side, is very nutritious, and a single boar can provide enough meat for a family to eat for days.

On the other hand, farmers despise the Burrowing Boar as the latter is notorious for ruining harvests and tearing up fields due to their digging behavior. This issue is only further exacerbated by the fact that Burrowing Boars are stubborn animals and will viciously fight to keep their food. As such, farmers living in areas where Burrowing Boars also live will typically hire night time patrols if they are able.

Notable Individuals

TBA