Wild Boars of the Iberian Forest

At last the sow decided that Oliver was no danger at all. She gave a soft snort, then gently nudged an acorn toward the nearest piglet, who crunched it with great importance. Oliver smiled and closed his notebook, for his pages were now filled with sketches of hooves and snouts, and neat little notes about this Spanish woodland family.

As the light turned honey-gold, he read what he had learned: wild boars are shy, clever forest pigs. They use their strong noses to dig for acorns and roots, turning the soil so new plants can grow. They spread seeds, clean fallen fruit, and mothers guard their piglets most bravely. “The forest needs its wild boars,” Oliver said quietly. “And wild boars need a safe forest.” With a polite bow to the family, he started home through the whispering cork oaks, feeling very content indeed.

The End