The wild boar is native to much of Eurasia, North Africa, and the Greater Sunda Islands. Through human intervention, it has spread to a much wider range, making the species one of the widest ranging mammals in the world. As of 2005, there are 16 subspecies. The grey wolf is the main predator of the wild boar, except in East Asia where the tiger takes the wolf’s place.

The wild boar is not to be confused with feral pigs. Feral pigs are from domesticated species that either escaped or were released into the wild.