Copper levels in wild boar differed across Slovak districts

September 25, 2026

Research: Ecology, Physiology

Wild boar can provide clues about the trace elements present in the environments where they live. A study in central and eastern Slovakia measured iron, copper and zinc in kidney, liver and muscle samples from 147 hunted wild boar (Sus scrofa). The researchers compared animals from four districts—Rimavská Sobota, Revúca, Rožňava and Košice—and also examined differences by age and sex.

Iron, copper and zinc are essential trace elements, although excessive levels can be harmful. Iron is important for oxygen transport in haemoglobin, copper is part of enzymes involved in iron metabolism and antioxidant defence, and zinc is needed for many enzymes and immune functions. That makes differences between organs and habitats biologically interesting as well as potentially informative about environmental exposure. The study did not measure health effects in the wild boar.

The four districts differ in their histories of agriculture, mining and industry. The researchers measured the elements in tissue samples but did not measure their concentrations in local soil or vegetation.

Iron and copper were concentrated in the liver and kidneys

Across the samples, iron and copper concentrations were generally highest in the liver and kidneys and lowest in muscle. Zinc was distributed more evenly among the three tissues. Its mean concentration did not differ significantly among the four districts overall.

The liver and kidneys help handle and regulate many trace elements, which makes their concentrations particularly informative. Zinc is subject to physiological regulation and was more evenly distributed among tissues. Regional iron differences were also notable: mean liver iron was 288.7 mg/kg in Rožňava and 275.8 mg/kg in Revúca, compared with 206.5 mg/kg in Košice.

Copper showed clearer differences between districts. Wild boar from Revúca had higher mean kidney copper concentrations than animals from Košice and Rimavská Sobota. In muscle, the mean was higher in animals from Revúca than in those from Rožňava and Rimavská Sobota. The regional results did not follow one uniform pattern across all three elements and tissues.

Age patterns were clearest for iron

Concentrations tended to rise with age, most clearly for iron; age-related patterns for copper and zinc were weaker. The detailed results showed differences between age groups for particular elements, tissues and districts, rather than a significant increase in every comparison. The study found no overall statistically significant differences between males and females.

The authors consider these regional patterns compatible with differences in environmental exposure, including in districts with mining and metalworking histories. Wild boar might therefore be useful bioindicators: animals whose tissue measurements offer clues about environmental conditions. But the results do not establish an industrial source for the metals, since local soil and vegetation concentrations were not measured.

Sources and image credit

Trace element concentrations (Fe, Cu, Zn) in the organs of wild boar (Sus scrofa) across regions of Central and Eastern SlovakiaPrimærartikkel i fulltekst. Oppgir første publiseringsdato, studieområder, utvalg, metoder, resultater, forfatternes tolkning og begrensninger.

Image: Wild boars (Sus scrofa) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Photo: Björn Sothmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Representative image. · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source

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