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Description: Wide range in size, from 90 to 700 lb., and 3 to 6.5 ft. in length. In Russia’s Far East, they tend to be big, mainly due to the availability of pine nuts. They have coarse, bristly hair, ranging in color from brown to dark gray to black. Other characteristics are short legs, good sense of smell which allows them to find underground food, poor eyesight, excellent hearing. Their hooves allow them to dig for their food and the cartilaginous snout is connected to muscle that gives it flexibility for smelling and digging.
They are the only hoofed animal known to dig borrows, perhaps because they are the only mammals lacking brown adipose tissue and need to find other ways to protect themselves from the cold. Piglets shiver to produce heat.
Both males and females have tusks, although they are smaller in females. The upper canines form the tusk, which curve out and upwards. The lower canines are like razors, self-sharpening by rubbing against the upper canines. The tusks grow continually and would reach great lengths if they were not continually worn down by use. They can serve as weapons against predators.
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