The Forest's "Bandits" Attract New Plants

Wild boars not only cause problems. When the animals let their snouts work in planted forests, more plants emerge, according to a new dissertation. The diversity becomes greater in areas where they have rooted compared to other areas where they have not rooted, says Evelina Augustsson at SLU.

» Published: January 25 2025

The Forest's "Bandits" Attract New Plants
Photo: Michael Probst/AP/TT

Researcher Evelina Augustsson has since 2018 followed the wild boar's progress at Grimsö research station in Bergslagen, where they have tested feeding the animals.

Around a hundred wild boars have been anaesthetized with sedation darts, and then equipped with GPS collars and ear tags.

"Hot topic"

The research has dealt with several parts, including testing whether feeding can make the wild boars avoid going out onto agricultural land, where they can cause significant damage.

It's a bit of a hot topic today. Many farmers feed with the intention of diverting from agricultural areas. But we couldn't see any effect on how much time the wild boars spent in agricultural land around this area, says Augustsson.

In other studies, a certain effect has been seen.

But the general conclusion is still that it is very limited.

Red-listed species can thrive

Evelina Augustsson has also studied what happens in the forest where the wild boars graze. When the pigs root around in heavily used forest with low natural values, the soil is exposed, giving other types of plants a chance to grow. It mainly concerns vascular plants, of which there are hundreds of red-listed species in Sweden.

We saw an increase in diversity and that certain species are favored more than others. There are also potential effects for other organisms that live off these plants, such as insects and so on.

Maybe the study can improve the wild boar's reputation, which perhaps got an extra dent when the swine fever spread in Västmanland in 2023.

The wild boar is portrayed as a problem and a bandit in many ways. Then I think it's fun to show that it doesn't have to be that way in all aspects.

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the ancestor of the domestic pig. The boar is equipped with tusks, which it can use to defend itself with. A wild boar can weigh up to 200 kilos and go on the attack, killing large predators if it is attacked.

Wild boars can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. They have poor eyesight, but good hearing and sense of smell.

In the 1700s, the wild boar was eradicated from Sweden. But some escapees in the 1970s became the starting point for today's Swedish stock, which was estimated to comprise 300,000 individuals in 2021. The wild boar lives from Gävleborg and Dalarna and southwards.

Sources: NE, Örebro County Administrative Board

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Sweden Braces for Year's Warmest
1 MIN READ

Sweden Braces for Year's Warmest Day Before Cold Snap Hits

Online Sect's Influence on Teen
4 MIN READ

Online Sect's Influence on Teen Knife Attacks Faces Court Scrutiny

Swedish Man Sentenced to 10
1 MIN READ

Swedish Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Long-Term Abuse of Relative

Man Critically Injured in Sollefteå
1 MIN READ

Man Critically Injured in Sollefteå Workplace Accident

Child Seriously Injured After Fall
1 MIN READ

Child Seriously Injured After Fall from Window in Stockholm

Sweden's Spring Covid Vaccine Campaign
2 MIN READ

Sweden's Spring Covid Vaccine Campaign Focuses on High-Risk Groups

Stockholm Police Launch Pilot to
2 MIN READ

Stockholm Police Launch Pilot to Curb Violence Against Women

Anna-Karin Hatt Declines Centre Party
1 MIN READ

Anna-Karin Hatt Declines Centre Party Leadership Role

Expert Group to Guide Västra
1 MIN READ

Expert Group to Guide Västra Götaland After Millennium System Setback

Kristersson Calls for Doubling Sweden's
3 MIN READ

Kristersson Calls for Doubling Sweden's Conscription Numbers

Woman in Her 60s Killed
1 MIN READ

Woman in Her 60s Killed in Collision with Truck Near Kristianstad

Three Men Charged in Assault
1 MIN READ

Three Men Charged in Assault and Rape Case in Kristianstad

Sweden Proposes Stricter Housing Rules
3 MIN READ

Sweden Proposes Stricter Housing Rules for New Immigrants

Woman Prosecuted for Forcing Women
1 MIN READ

Woman Prosecuted for Forcing Women into Sex Work at Malmö Massage Parlor

Swedish Authorities to Probe Lexbase
1 MIN READ

Swedish Authorities to Probe Lexbase and Krimfup for GDPR Compliance

Swedish Police Arrest 15 in
2 MIN READ

Swedish Police Arrest 15 in Global Crackdown on Child Abuse Site

Father and Brother Sentenced in
3 MIN READ

Father and Brother Sentenced in Sweden for Honor Killing of 22-Year-Old

Current Laws Sufficient to Tackle
1 MIN READ

Current Laws Sufficient to Tackle Hunting Sabotage, Says Investigator

Social Democrats Push to End
2 MIN READ

Social Democrats Push to End Sick Pay Deduction in Sweden

Kristersson: Sweden Intensifies Efforts for
2 MIN READ

Kristersson: Sweden Intensifies Efforts for Journalist Detained in Turkey

Kristersson: EU Ready to Tackle
2 MIN READ

Kristersson: EU Ready to Tackle US Tariffs Together

Google to Slow Pixel Phone
2 MIN READ

Google to Slow Pixel Phone Charging for Better Battery Health

Teen Sentenced to Nearly 9
1 MIN READ

Teen Sentenced to Nearly 9 Years for Murder of 16-Year-Old in Stockholm

Suspected Sinkhole Disrupts Gothenburg Tram
1 MIN READ

Suspected Sinkhole Disrupts Gothenburg Tram Lines 4, 7, 9, and 11

Sweden Allocates 500 Million Kronor
2 MIN READ

Sweden Allocates 500 Million Kronor to Enhance Psychiatric Care

Postcode Lottery Halts Phone Sales
2 MIN READ

Postcode Lottery Halts Phone Sales After Aggressive Tactics Exposed

Sweden Faces Pension Debate as
2 MIN READ

Sweden Faces Pension Debate as Calls for Fee Hike Intensify

Boy Under 15 Arrested in
1 MIN READ

Boy Under 15 Arrested in Attempted Murder Case in Sweden

Report Highlights Workplace Vulnerability of
2 MIN READ

Report Highlights Workplace Vulnerability of Young Women in Sweden

Fasting Three Days a Week
3 MIN READ

Fasting Three Days a Week Yields Greater Weight Loss Than Calorie Cutting

Medicine Turns Human Blood Toxic
2 MIN READ

Medicine Turns Human Blood Toxic to Mosquitoes, Offering Malaria Hope

Explosion at Malmö Apartment Building
1 MIN READ

Explosion at Malmö Apartment Building Under Investigation

Two Seriously Injured in Ydre
1 MIN READ

Two Seriously Injured in Ydre Car Crash; Police Investigate Negligence

Suspicious Object in Malmö Deemed
1 MIN READ

Suspicious Object in Malmö Deemed Harmless by Police

Lena Nyberg Takes Helm of
1 MIN READ

Lena Nyberg Takes Helm of Sami Truth Commission

Tony's Chocolonely Recalls Chocolate Over
1 MIN READ

Tony's Chocolonely Recalls Chocolate Over Stone Contamination Risk

Sweden Expands Conscription Eligibility with
1 MIN READ

Sweden Expands Conscription Eligibility with Streamlined Process

Suspect Detained in Uddevalla Mosque
1 MIN READ

Suspect Detained in Uddevalla Mosque Fire Investigation

Critics Urge Sweden to Scrap
2 MIN READ

Critics Urge Sweden to Scrap Proposal on Lifestyle-Based Permit Revocation

Swedes Enjoy Longer Lives but
2 MIN READ

Swedes Enjoy Longer Lives but Face Growing Health Inequality