Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758

Aidek, Ahmad E., Ibrahim, Amir, Amr, Zuhair, Hutterer, Rainer, Kryštufek, Boris, Serra, Gianluca, Benda, Petr, Shkaky, Yesra, Barbanera, Filippo & Al-Sheikhly, Omar F., 2025, Checklist of Mammals of Syria, Zootaxa 5580 (1), pp. 1-130 : 100-103

101. Eurasian Wild Pig, Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758

(IUCN Red List: LC)

Subspecies: S. s. attila Thomas, 1912 and S. s. libycus Gray, 1868 .

Distribution: Abundant; commonly found in forested areas, riparian habitats, densely-vegetated wetland edges, and steppe habitats from northwest Aleppo to the coastal region, Sahl Al-Ghab, Yarmuk Valley; in low numbers in the northeast of Syria, where the species range may extend from Turkey and Iraq ( Fig. 110 ). Historically found around Palmyra and Damascus and in the lower Syrian Euphrates but extinct since the 1950s, due to extensive persecution by locals.

Previous records: Lake Hijanah southeast of Damascus ( Mac Gregor 1869), around Palmyra and Jabal er-Ruwak ( Carruthers 1909), in the forests north of Latakia ( Talbot 1960), Slenfe mountains ( Serra 2004), east of Al-Qamishli, Sabkhat al-Jabbul, Jarablus, Orontes Basin, Qattinah ( Kumerloeve 1975), Nabi-Houri to the north of Azaz ( Zahoueh & Cheiko 1993), Kasab, Sahl Al-Ghab, and Yarmuk Valley ( Masseti 2004), Abu Qubays and Al-Furunlok ( Daoud & Khalil 2009a, b).

Recent records: Deir Sawwan (2008–2009), as-Samra, Koayah (2010), Al-Khatuniyah (southwest of Al Hasaka), Khaled Qello, Aabdeen, Al Tiah, Heit, Al-Bahlouliyah, Qismeen, Al-Qerdaha, Qarajaleh, Kafr Zeita, Um et-Tiur, Sreijes, Al Kadmous, Bmlakah, Al Qanjara, Mashqita, Sharifah, Al-Kneisat, Balluran, Ras Al-Baseet, Kafaria, Wadi Qandil, Al-Ajami, Jilleen, Sahm aj-Jolan, Al-Isawiyah, Kurfus, Efreen, Darkoush, Harf Al- Mseitrah, and vicinity of Kasab (2020–2021).

Remarks: S. s. attila Thomas, 1912 is found along the Euphrates Valley, whereas S. s. libycus Gray, 1868 occurs in northwest Syria and across the western and southern regions.

Figures

FIGURE 110. Records of the Eurasian Wild Pig Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 in Syria.