Prickle Boars

Description: The Prickle Boar is a wild pig-like animal found in the Great Desert. The adult male Prickle Boar is 46 to 60 inches in length and is usually 20 to 24 inches in height. The adult male weighs between 40 and 60 pounds. Their coarse prickly hide is reddish to yellow-brown in color. In adults there is a mane that extends down the crown of the head to the rump, which is most obvious when the Prickle Boar is excited. Prickle Boars have 3 toes on each foot and the upper tusks (1.5 inches long) are curled up.

Prickle Boars also have a powerful musk gland on the top of the rump. Their odor is always apparent, especially when they are excited. You may smell a Prickle Boar before you see it.

Habits: Breeding occurs throughout the year. Females usually give birth to two young after a gestation period of 145 days. They den in hollow logs or hollows in the ground.

Prickle Boars usually travel in a band from 6 to 12 although as many as 50 have been seen together. They are most active during early morning and evening when it is cooler.

Prickle Boars tend to remain near permanent sources of water. Unlike most desert animals, Prickle Boars are unable to evaporate moisture through panting to prevent overheating. During the fierce heat of midday, Prickle Boars bed down in the shade and forage when it's cooler.

Uses: The elves find great sport in hunting the Prickle Boar. Even though the meat of these animals is good, the hide is a different matter. It is useless for the making of clothes. It is too tough and it is hard to remove all the prickly hairs. They do use the hide for the making of tents, it's tough and can stand against a lot of things.