Cinghiale

Given that Italians love pork of any description, either cooked or preserved, it is not surprising that the wild version, wild boar, excites them so much. Sometimes considered a pest, boar live in the hilly woods of Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, and any other area where there is thick, inaccessible undergrowth in which it can hide and feed on juicy, tender shoots and berries.

Hunting wild boar can be dangerous because this animal, when under pressure, will attack humans. Boar-hunting is, however, a major sport in the regions of Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria, and a successful hunt is accompanied by enthusiastic celebrations.