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Calosi M, Gabbrielli C, Lazzeri L, Fattorini N, Cesaretti G, Burrini L, Petrillo O, Ferretti F. Seasonal and Ecological Determinants of Wild Boar Rooting on Priority Protected Grasslands. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 74:268-281. [PMID: 38483578 PMCID: PMC11227453 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-01952-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Wild ungulates can influence various trophic levels, regulating carnivore abundance and affecting habitat structure. Conservation problems can arise when high ungulate densities threaten species or habitats with conservation concern. Assessing factors influencing the intensity of their impact is important to identify appropriate measures enhancing habitat conservation. We assessed factors influencing wild boar Sus scrofa pressure on EU protected grasslands in three protected areas of central Italy, by modelling the effects of environmental variables and wild boar density on rooting activity. We seasonally estimated rooting in 126 sampling plots from spring 2019 to spring 2021, and we used faeces counts to estimate summer wild boar densities. Estimates of density and rooting varied from 3.5 to 22.2 individuals/km2 and from 1.1 to 19.2%, respectively. We detected a clear seasonal trend in rooting activity, that peaked in autumn and winter. We also found a strongly positive correlation between spring-summer rooting and summer density, across sites. Rooting intensity was negatively related to the local extent of rock cover and increased with the 1 month-cumulative rainfall, the perimeter of the grassland patch, and the forest cover around plots. These results emphasise the tendency of wild boar to exploit feeding sites in ecotonal areas, i.e., at the interface between forest and meadows, which maximises security and ease of finding food resources. Actions aiming at the protection of focal plants in grassland habitats, as well as reducing wild boar presence, are supported (e.g. fencing and/or targeting population control at vulnerable patches).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Calosi
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Chiara Gabbrielli
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Lazzeri
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Niccolò Fattorini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, 90133, Italy
| | - Gloria Cesaretti
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Lucia Burrini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Ottavio Petrillo
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management-Department of Life Sciences-University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, 90133, Italy
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Razmaitė V, Šiukščius A, Marašinskienė Š. Cranial Morphology of Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle Pigs and Their Hybrids with Wild Boar. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091453. [PMID: 37174490 PMCID: PMC10177289 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The diversity of domestic pig breeds and their hybridization increases the variety of phenotypes expressed in hybrids. The aim of this study was to quantify the differences of cranial morphologies between local Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs and theirhybrids with wild boar. A total of sixteen craniometric measurements were performed on the lateral, ventral and dorsal sides of 71 skulls of Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs and their hybrids, including 1/4 wild boar (WB), 1/2 wild boar and 3/4 wild boar genotypes. The weight of the skull was affected by the genotype, live weight and sex of the animal. The size of the skull, particularly related to skull length parameters, increased consistently with the increase of the wild boar proportion in the hybrids. However, the Sus scrofa genotype did not affect the skull height. Clear discrimination was possible between the local Lithuanian breed pigs and their hybrids with different proportions of wild boar and between individual groups of hybrids. The most correct classification was determined on the basis of the overall and length parameters of the crania. This could contribute to better management and utilization of hybrids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Razmaitė
- Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Animal Science Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, R. Žebenkos 12, 82317 Baisogala, Lithuania
| | - Artūras Šiukščius
- Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Animal Science Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, R. Žebenkos 12, 82317 Baisogala, Lithuania
| | - Šarūnė Marašinskienė
- Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Animal Science Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, R. Žebenkos 12, 82317 Baisogala, Lithuania
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A test of motion‐sensitive cameras to index ungulate densities: group size matters. J Wildl Manage 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Guerrasio T, Brogi R, Marcon A, Apollonio M. Assessing the precision of wild boar density estimations. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tancredi Guerrasio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari via Vienna 2, I‐07100 Sassari Italy
| | - Rudy Brogi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari via Vienna 2, I‐07100 Sassari Italy
| | - Andrea Marcon
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari via Vienna 2, I‐07100 Sassari Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari via Vienna 2, I‐07100 Sassari Italy
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Dheer A, Samarasinghe D, Dloniak SM, Braczkowski A. Using camera traps to study hyenas: challenges, opportunities, and outlook. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00188-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe use of remote camera traps has accelerated rapidly in the field of large carnivore science since the 1990s. Members of the Hyaenidae are important components of functional ecosystems in Africa and parts of the Middle East and South Asia, and make good candidates for study using camera traps. However, camera trap studies of hyenas remain rare in the literature when compared to species like tigers Panthera tigris, leopards Panthera pardus, and snow leopards Panthera uncia. In this paper, we examine the published use of camera traps for hyenas (n = 34 studies implemented between 2007 and 2020) and examine the logistical challenges of using camera traps, such as individual identification, limited sexual dimorphism, and complex social structures, for studies of hyena population biology, behavioral ecology, and conservation. We highlight what these challenges may mean for data analyses and interpretation. We also suggest potential benefits of further camera trap studies of this taxonomic family, including new insights into social behavior, range extensions, and robust density estimates.
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Vecvanags A, Aktas K, Pavlovs I, Avots E, Filipovs J, Brauns A, Done G, Jakovels D, Anbarjafari G. Ungulate Detection and Species Classification from Camera Trap Images Using RetinaNet and Faster R-CNN. ENTROPY 2022; 24:e24030353. [PMID: 35327863 PMCID: PMC8947003 DOI: 10.3390/e24030353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the ungulate population density in the wild has impacts on both the wildlife and human society. In order to control the ungulate population movement, monitoring systems such as camera trap networks have been implemented in a non-invasive setup. However, such systems produce a large number of images as the output, hence making it very resource consuming to manually detect the animals. In this paper, we present a new dataset of wild ungulates which was collected in Latvia. Moreover, we demonstrate two methods, which use RetinaNet and Faster R-CNN as backbones, respectively, to detect the animals in the images. We discuss the optimization of training and impact of data augmentation on the performance. Finally, we show the result of aforementioned tune networks over the real world data collected in Latvia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alekss Vecvanags
- Institute for Environmental Solutions, LV-4126 Cēsis, Latvia; (A.V.); (J.F.); (A.B.); (D.J.); (G.A.)
| | - Kadir Aktas
- iCV Lab, Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 51009 Tartu, Estonia; (K.A.); (I.P.)
| | - Ilja Pavlovs
- iCV Lab, Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 51009 Tartu, Estonia; (K.A.); (I.P.)
| | - Egils Avots
- iCV Lab, Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 51009 Tartu, Estonia; (K.A.); (I.P.)
- Forest Owners Consulting Center LCC, LV-4101 Cēsis, Latvia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +372-737-4855
| | - Jevgenijs Filipovs
- Institute for Environmental Solutions, LV-4126 Cēsis, Latvia; (A.V.); (J.F.); (A.B.); (D.J.); (G.A.)
| | - Agris Brauns
- Institute for Environmental Solutions, LV-4126 Cēsis, Latvia; (A.V.); (J.F.); (A.B.); (D.J.); (G.A.)
| | - Gundega Done
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia;
| | - Dainis Jakovels
- Institute for Environmental Solutions, LV-4126 Cēsis, Latvia; (A.V.); (J.F.); (A.B.); (D.J.); (G.A.)
| | - Gholamreza Anbarjafari
- Institute for Environmental Solutions, LV-4126 Cēsis, Latvia; (A.V.); (J.F.); (A.B.); (D.J.); (G.A.)
- iCV Lab, Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 51009 Tartu, Estonia; (K.A.); (I.P.)
- PwC Advisory, 00180 Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Engineering, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep 27410, Turkey
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Bacigalupo SA, Dixon LK, Gubbins S, Kucharski AJ, Drewe JA. Wild boar visits to commercial pig farms in southwest England: implications for disease transmission. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022; 68:69. [PMID: 36213142 PMCID: PMC9532280 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01618-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Contact between wild animals and farmed livestock may result in disease transmission with huge financial, welfare and ethical consequences. Conflicts between people and wildlife can also arise when species such as wild boar (Sus scrofa) consume crops or dig up pasture. This is a relatively recent problem in England where wild boar populations have become re-established in the last 20 years following a 500-year absence. The aim of this pilot study was to determine if and how often free-living wild boar visited two commercial pig farms near the Forest of Dean in southwest England. We placed 20 motion-sensitive camera traps at potential entry points to, and trails surrounding, the perimeter of two farmyards housing domestic pigs between August 2019 and February 2021, covering a total of 6030 trap nights. Forty wild boar detections were recorded on one farm spread across 27 nights, with a median (range) of 1 (0 to 7) night of wild boar activity per calendar month. Most of these wild boar detections occurred between ten and twenty metres of housed domestic pigs. No wild boar was detected at the other farm. These results confirm wild boar do visit commercial pig farms, and therefore, there is potential for contact and pathogen exchange between wild boar and domestic pigs. The visitation rates derived from this study could be used to parameterise disease transmission models of pathogens common to domestic pigs and wild boars, such as the African swine fever virus, and subsequently to develop mitigation strategies to reduce unwanted contacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Adam J Kucharski
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK
| | - Julian A Drewe
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, AL9 7TA UK
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Ferretti F, Lazzeri L, Mori E, Cesaretti G, Calosi M, Burrini L, Fattorini N. Habitat correlates of wild boar density and rooting along an environmental gradient. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In wild ungulates, habitat choice usually is influenced by foraging constraints and predator avoidance, potentially leading to spatial variation of population density (e.g., greater densities in food rich or safer habitats). Assessing habitat-correlates of abundance and foraging activity in turn is important in understanding determinants of distribution. We assessed habitat correlates of presence, density, and rooting, for wild boar Sus scrofa, the most widespread ungulate in the world, in six protected areas of central Italy. We worked along an altitudinal gradient ranging from the coast to mountains, in late spring-summer 2019. We surveyed 617 sampling plots randomly placed onto study areas with tessellation stratified sampling, where we used fecal counts to estimate wild boar density and visually estimated the proportion of rooted area. Overall estimates of density and rooting (± standard error) varied from 3.5 ± 2.0 to 17.9 ± 5.4 individuals/km2 and from 1.4 ± 0.8% to 10.9 ± 1.1% of rooted ground. Density and rooting showed a moderate yet nonsignificant correlation across sites. Probability of presence, abundance, and rooting in sampling plots were higher in ecotone habitats (transition habitats between wooded and open areas). Topography did not influence boar presence or local abundance. Rooting increased with decreasing slope and rock cover, as well as increasing elevation, possibly due to soil supporting forage of higher nutritional quality. Our results support the importance of ecotone habitats for wild boar, emphasizing the role of these transitional areas in the period of nursing/weaning of offspring, as well as when crops are actively growing. Differences in overall estimates of rooting across study sites may depend on site-specific features (soil moisture and availability of alternative food resources). Future studies should test the correlation between inter-annual differences of rooting and changes in population density. Notwithstanding the latter, we identified significant ecological drivers of wild boar density and rooting activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Lazzeri
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Emiliano Mori
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri—Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Gloria Cesaretti
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Martina Calosi
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Lucia Burrini
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Niccolò Fattorini
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology, and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
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Higashide D, Kuriyama T, Takagi S, Nakashima Y, Fukasawa K, Yajima G, Kasada M, Yokoyama M. Effectiveness of signs of activity as relative abundance indices for wild boar. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daishi Higashide
- D. Higashide (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1186-1263) ✉ , T. Kuriyama, S. Takagi and M. Yokoyama, Inst. of Natural and Environmental Science, Univ. of Hyogo, Aogaki, Tamba, Hyogo, Japan. DH also at: Research Center for Wildlife Management, Gifu Univ
| | - Takeo Kuriyama
- D. Higashide (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1186-1263) ✉ , T. Kuriyama, S. Takagi and M. Yokoyama, Inst. of Natural and Environmental Science, Univ. of Hyogo, Aogaki, Tamba, Hyogo, Japan. DH also at: Research Center for Wildlife Management, Gifu Univ
| | - Shun Takagi
- D. Higashide (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1186-1263) ✉ , T. Kuriyama, S. Takagi and M. Yokoyama, Inst. of Natural and Environmental Science, Univ. of Hyogo, Aogaki, Tamba, Hyogo, Japan. DH also at: Research Center for Wildlife Management, Gifu Univ
| | - Yoshihiro Nakashima
- Y. Nakashima and G. Yajima, College of Bioresource Science, Nihon Univ., Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Keita Fukasawa
- K. Fukasawa, Biodiversity Division, National Inst. for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Gota Yajima
- Y. Nakashima and G. Yajima, College of Bioresource Science, Nihon Univ., Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Minoru Kasada
- M. Kasada, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Univ. of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan and Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku Univ., Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mayumi Yokoyama
- D. Higashide (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1186-1263) ✉ , T. Kuriyama, S. Takagi and M. Yokoyama, Inst. of Natural and Environmental Science, Univ. of Hyogo, Aogaki, Tamba, Hyogo, Japan. DH also at: Research Center for Wildlife Management, Gifu Univ
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Using data from collective hunts to estimate the wild boar (Sus scrofa) population density in north-eastern Poland. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00182-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe spread of the African swine fever through wild boar population has caused major losses in the pig industry. Therefore, to decrease the population density of wild boar in Poland, the culling of these animals has been dramatically increased. However, the effect of depopulation is unknown because there are no methods that could be used throughout the country to estimate the number of wild boar. Thus, during two hunting seasons an attempt was made to estimate the number of wild boar using data from collective hunts. The forested area of 21 hunting districts (351.5 km2) was divided into five sampling inventory blocks (SIBs), which were used for the statistical analysis of the population density, the harvest rate and results of collective hunts. The average population density obtained by a driving census amounted to 8.19 ± 1.12 and 10.09 ± 1.06 (x̅ ± SE), animals/km2, which indicates that 2879 and 3547 wild boar were living in the study area in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons respectively. The number of wild boars bagged per one hunting plot was adopted as the harvest success index (HBI). In SIBs the HBI value fluctuated in the range of 0.55 to 1.87 individuals/hunting plot and the population density ranged from 6.46 to 12.18 wild boars/km2. The non-linear regression showed a positive relationship between the HBI index and the population density. The discussion covers the possibility of using collective hunts to estimate the number of wild boar in Poland and in the European Union.
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Cukor J, Linda R, Andersen O, Eriksen LF, Vacek Z, Riegert J, Šálek M. Evaluation of Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Predation Risk to Forest Grouse Nests in the Central European Mountain Regions. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020316. [PMID: 33513947 PMCID: PMC7911617 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the spatiotemporal patterns of predation risk on black grouse nests using artificial nests that were monitored by camera traps in mountain areas with a small extant (Ore Mts.) and already extinct (Jeseníky Mts.) black grouse population. The overall predation rate of artificial nests was 56% and we found significant differences in survival rate courses over time between both study areas (68% Ore Mts. vs. 41%, Jeseníky Mts.). Within the time required for successful egg incubation (25 days), nest survival probability was 0.32 in the Ore Mts. and 0.59 in Jeseníky Mts. The stone marten (Martes foina) was the primary nest predator in both study areas (39% in total), followed by common raven (Corvus corax, 25%) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes, 22%). The proportion of depredated nests did not differ between habitat types (i.e., open forest interior, clearing, forest edge), but we recorded the effect of interaction of study area and habitat. In Ore Mts., the main nest predator was common raven with seven records (37%). The Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) was responsible for most predation attempts in Jeseníky Mts. (five records, i.e., 83%), while in the Ore Mts., most predation attempts were done by red fox (six records, i.e., 38%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Cukor
- Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, v.v.i., Strnady 136, 252 02 Jíloviště, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Rostislav Linda
- Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, v.v.i., Strnady 136, 252 02 Jíloviště, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Oddgeir Andersen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lasse Frost Eriksen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Zdeněk Vacek
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Riegert
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Šálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 1176, Suchdol, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
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Paton AJ, Buettel JC, Brook BW. Evaluating scat surveys as a tool for population and community assessments. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr21056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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Wen X, Cheng X, Dong Y, Wang Q, Lin X. Analysis of the activity rhythms of the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) and its predators and their correlations based on infrared camera technology. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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Focardi S, Morgia VL, Montanaro P, Riga F, Calabrese A, Ronchi F, Aragno P, Scacco M, Calmanti R, Franzetti B. Reliable estimates of wild boar populations by nocturnal distance sampling. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Focardi
- S. Focardi ✉ , Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi, CNR, via Madonna del Piano 10, IT-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Valentina La Morgia
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Paolo Montanaro
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Francesco Riga
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Alessandro Calabrese
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Francesca Ronchi
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Paola Aragno
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Marianne Scacco
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Roberta Calmanti
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Barbara Franzetti
- V. La Morgia, P. Montanaro, F. Riga, A. Calabrese, F. Ronchi, P. Aragno, M. Scacco, R. Calmanti and B. Franzetti, Inst. Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell' Emilia (BO), Italy
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16
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Strength of correlation between wildlife collision data and hunting bags varies among ungulate species and with management scale. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-01421-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMost European ungulate species are increasing in numbers and expanding their range. For the management and monitoring of these species, 64% of European countries rely on indirect proxies of abundance (e.g., hunting bag statistics). With increasing ungulate numbers, data on ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVC) may provide an important and inexpensive, complementary data source. Currently, it is unclear how bag statistics compare with UVC. A direct comparison of these two indices is important because both are used in ungulate management. We evaluated the relationship between UVC and ungulate hunting bags across bioclimatic, regional, and local scales, using five time lags (t−3 to t+1) for the five most common wild ungulate species in Sweden. For all species, hunting bags and UVC correlated positively, but correlation strength and time lags varied across scales and among species. The two indices correlated most strongly at the local management scale. Correlation between both indices was strong for the smaller deer species and wild boar, in particular, but much weaker for moose where we found the best fit using a 2-year time lag. For the other species, indices from the same year correlated best. We argue that the reason for moose data behaving differently is that, in Sweden, moose are formally managed using a 3-year time plan, while the other species are not. Accordingly, moose hunting bags are influenced more strongly by density-independent processes than bags of the other species. Consequently, the mismatch between the two indices may generate conflicting conclusions for management depending on the method applied.
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17
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Yokoyama Y, Nakashima Y, Yajima G, Miyashita T. Simultaneous estimation of seasonal population density, habitat preference and catchability of wild boars based on camera data and harvest records. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200579. [PMID: 32968520 PMCID: PMC7481676 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Analyses of life history and population dynamics are essential for effective population control of wild mammals. We developed a model for the simultaneous estimation of seasonal changes in three parameters-population density, habitat preference and trap catchability of target animals-based on camera-trapping data and harvest records. The random encounter and staying time model, with no need for individual recognition, is the core component of the model-by combining this model with the catch-effort model, we estimated density at broad spatial scales and catchability by traps. Here, the wild boar population in central Japan was evaluated as a target population. We found that the estimated population density increased after the birth period and then decreased until the next birth period, mainly due to harvesting. Habitat preference changed seasonally, but forests having abandoned fields nearby were generally preferred throughout the season. These patterns can be explained by patterns of food availability and resting or nesting sites. Catchability by traps also changed seasonally, with relatively high values in the winter, which probably reflected changes in the attractiveness of the trap bait due to activity changes in response to food scarcity. Based on these results, we proposed an effective trapping strategy for wild boars, and discussed the applicability of our model to more general conservation and management issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Yokoyama
- Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Nakashima
- College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0880, Japan
| | - Gota Yajima
- College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0880, Japan
| | - Tadashi Miyashita
- Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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18
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Morelle K, Bubnicki J, Churski M, Gryz J, Podgórski T, Kuijper DPJ. Disease-Induced Mortality Outweighs Hunting in Causing Wild Boar Population Crash After African Swine Fever Outbreak. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:378. [PMID: 32850993 PMCID: PMC7399055 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) has been spreading in the Eurasian continent for more than 10 years now. Although the course of ASF in domestic pigs and its negative economic impact on the pork industry are well-known, we still lack a quantitative assessment of the impact of ASF on wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations under natural conditions. Wild boar is not only a reservoir for ASF; it is also one of the key wildlife species affecting structure and functioning of ecosystems. Therefore, knowledge on how ASF affects wild boar populations is crucial to better predict ecosystem response and for the design of scientific-based wild boar management to control ASF. We used a long-term camera trap survey (2012-2017) from the Białowieza Primeval Forest (BPF, Poland), where an ASF outbreak occurred in 2015, to investigate the impact of the disease on wild boar population dynamics under two contrasting management regimes (hunted vs. non-hunted). In the hunted part of BPF ("managed area"), hunting was drastically increased prior and after the first ASF case occurred (March 2015), whereas inside the National Park, hunting was not permitted ("unmanaged area," first detected case in June 2015). Using a random encounter model (REM), we showed that the density and abundance of wild boar dropped by 84 and 95% within 1 year following ASF outbreak in the unmanaged and managed area, respectively. In the managed area, we showed that 11-22% additional mortality could be attributed to hunting. Our study suggests that ASF-induced mortality, by far, outweighs hunting-induced mortality in causing wild boar population decline and shows that intensified hunting in newly ASF-infected areas does not achieve much greater reduction of population size than what is already caused by the ASF virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Morelle
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieza, Poland.,Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jakub Bubnicki
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieza, Poland
| | - Marcin Churski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieza, Poland
| | - Jakub Gryz
- Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute (IBL), Raszyn, Poland
| | - Tomasz Podgórski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieza, Poland.,Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Dries P J Kuijper
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieza, Poland
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19
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Fattorini N, Ferretti F. Estimating wild boar density and rooting activity in a Mediterranean protected area. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00030-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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20
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Schlichting PE, Beasley JC, Boughton RK, Davis AJ, Pepin KM, Glow MP, Snow NP, Miller RS, VerCauteren KC, Lewis JS. A Rapid Population Assessment Method for Wild Pigs Using Baited Cameras at 3 Study Sites. WILDLIFE SOC B 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter E. Schlichting
- College of Integrative Sciences and Arts Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, 6073 S Backus Mall Mesa AZ 85212 USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
| | - Raoul K. Boughton
- University of Florida, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation 3401 Experiment Station Ona FL 33865 USA
| | - Amy J. Davis
- United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins CO 80521‐2154 USA
| | - Kim M. Pepin
- United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins CO 80521‐2154 USA
| | - Michael P. Glow
- United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins CO 80521‐2154 USA
| | - Nathan P. Snow
- United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins CO 80521‐2154 USA
| | - Ryan S. Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health 2150B Center Avenue Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
| | - Kurt C. VerCauteren
- United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins CO 80521‐2154 USA
| | - Jesse S. Lewis
- College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, 6073 S Backus Mall Mesa AZ 85212 USA
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21
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Synthesizing Remote Sensing and Biophysical Measures to Evaluate Human–wildlife Conflicts: The Case of Wild Boar Crop Raiding in Rural China. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12040618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Crop raiding by wild boars is a growing problem worldwide with potentially damaging consequences for rural dwellers’ cooperation with conservation policies. Still, limited resources inhibit continuous monitoring, and there is uncertainty about the relationship between the biophysical realities of crop raiding and humans’ perceptions and responses. By integrating data from camera traps, remote sensors, and household surveys, this study establishes an empirical model of wild boar population density that can be applied to multiple years to estimate changes in distribution over time. It also correlates historical estimates of boar population distribution with human-reported trends to support the model’s validity and assess local perceptions of crop raiding. Although the model proved useful in coniferous and bamboo forests, it is less useful in mixed broadleaf, evergreen broadleaf, and deciduous forests. Results also show alignment between perceptions of crop raiding and actual boar populations, corroborating farmers’ perceptions which are increasingly dismissed as a less reliable source of information in human–wildlife conflict research. The modeling techniques demonstrated here may provide conservation practitioners with a cost-effective way to maintain up-to-date estimates of the spatial distribution of wild boar and resultant crop raiding.
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22
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Cadenas-Fernández E, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Pintore A, Denurra D, Cherchi M, Jurado C, Vicente J, Barasona JA. Free-Ranging Pig and Wild Boar Interactions in an Endemic Area of African Swine Fever. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:376. [PMID: 31737649 PMCID: PMC6831522 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is spreading throughout Eurasia and there is no vaccine nor treatment available, so the control is based on the implementation of strict sanitary measures. These measures include depopulation of infected and in-contact animals and export restrictions, which can lead to important economic losses, making currently African swine fever (ASF) the greatest threat to the global swine industry. ASF has been endemic on the island of Sardinia since 1978, the longest persistence of anywhere in Eurasia. In Sardinia, eradication programs have failed, in large part due to the lack of farm professionalism, the high density of wild boar and the presence of non-registered domestic pigs (free-ranging pigs). In order to clarify how the virus is transmitted from domestic to wild swine, we examined the interaction between free-ranging pigs and wild boar in an ASF-endemic area of Sardinia. To this end, a field study was carried out on direct and indirect interactions, using monitoring by camera trapping in different areas and risk points. Critical time windows (CTWs) for the virus to survive in the environment (long window) and remain infectious (short window) were estimated, and based on these, the number of indirect interactions were determined. Free-ranging pigs indirectly interacted often with wild boar (long window = 6.47 interactions/day, short window = 1.31 interactions/day) and these interactions (long window) were mainly at water sources. They also directly interacted 0.37 times per day, especially between 14:00 and 21:00 h, which is much higher than for other interspecific interactions observed in Mediterranean scenarios. The highly frequent interactions at this interspecific interface may help explain the more than four-decade-long endemicity of ASF on the island. Supporting that free-ranging pigs can act as a bridge to transmit ASFV between wild boar and registered domestic pigs. This study contributes broadly to improving the knowledge on the estimation of frequencies of direct and indirect interactions between wild and free-ranging domestic swine. As well as supporting the importance of the analysis of interspecific interactions in shared infectious diseases, especially for guiding disease management. Finally, this work illustrates the power of the camera-trapping method for analyzing interspecific interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefanía Cadenas-Fernández
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Pintore
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Daniele Denurra
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Marcella Cherchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Cristina Jurado
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Spanish Wildlife Research Institute (IREC) (CSIC-UCLM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Jose A Barasona
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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23
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Peris A, Closa-Sebastià F, Marco I, Serrano E, Casas-Díaz E. Baiting improves wild boar population size estimates by camera trapping. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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24
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Croft S, Aegerter JN, Massei G, Smith GC. The risk of foot-and-mouth disease becoming endemic in a wildlife host is driven by spatial extent rather than density. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218898. [PMID: 31242228 PMCID: PMC6594678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past 20 years, free living populations of feral wild boar have re-established in several locations across the UK. One of the largest populations is in the Forest of Dean where numbers have been steadily increasing since monitoring began in 2008, with estimates from 2016 reporting a population of more than 1500. Feral wild boar have significant ecological and environmental impacts and may present a serious epidemiological risk to neighbouring livestock as they are a vector for a number of important livestock diseases. This includes foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) which is currently absent from the UK. We developed an individual-based spatially explicit modelling approach to simulate feral wild boar populations in the Forest of Dean (England, UK) and use it to explore whether current or future populations might be sufficient to produce long-lived outbreaks of FMD in this potential wildlife reservoir. Our findings suggest that if you exclude the spread from feral wild boar to other susceptible species, the current population of boar is insufficient to maintain FMD, with 95% of unmanaged simulations indicating disease burn-out within a year (not involving boar management specifically for disease). However, if boar are allowed to spread beyond their current range into the adjacent landscape, they might maintain a self-sustaining reservoir of infection for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Croft
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York, United Kingdom
| | - James N. Aegerter
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Massei
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York, United Kingdom
| | - Graham C. Smith
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York, United Kingdom
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25
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Poché RM, Poché D, Franckowiak G, Somers DJ, Briley LN, Tseveenjav B, Polyakova L. Field evaluation of low-dose warfarin baits to control wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in North Texas. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206070. [PMID: 30403690 PMCID: PMC6221311 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a highly detrimental invasive species that occupy a rapidly expanding range within the United States. In Australia, field trials evaluating baits containing 0.09% warfarin resulted in wild pig population reduction >95%. The objective of this study was to conduct an EPA-approved field trial to evaluate the use of bait containing low-dose warfarin (0.01% and 0.005%) in reducing wild pig numbers in Texas. An 8-week field test was conducted in the panhandle ~100 km southeast of Amarillo. Two ~8 km2 treatment plots were selected and each presented with either 0.01% or 0.005% warfarin baits. One control plot (~8 km2) was presented placebo. The baits were delivered using 30 species-specific feeders per plot (n = 90) that kept wildlife from accessing the toxicant. Pig movements and feed consumption were monitored during pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment periods. All pigs with VHF transmitters within the 0.005% warfarin-treated plot (n = 14) succumbed to the warfarin (100% mortality). Overall, 35 wild pigs were found dead from warfarin toxicosis, within both treatment plots. Total feed consumption by wild pigs was reduced by ~97.8% and ~96.2% for the 0.005% and 0.01% warfarin baited plots, respectively, indicating the absence of pigs was a result of toxic bait consumption. Results of 97 systematic searches of the treatment plots indicated no warfarin-induced non-target wildlife fatalities. Warfarin residues in wild pig livers averaged 3.69 mg/kg (n = 13) and 2.89 mg/kg (n = 9) for pigs recovered within the 0.005% plot and 0.01% warfarin plot, respectively. This study is the first efficacy field evaluation of a wild pig toxicant conducted in the US. The results suggest low-dose warfarin bait, presented in species-specific feeders, can effectively reduce wild pig numbers and pose minimal risk to non-target wildlife and domestic animals. A product containing warfarin may provide another management tool in reducing wild pig problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M. Poché
- Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, Colorado, United States of America
| | - David Poché
- Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Greg Franckowiak
- Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Somers
- Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Lindsay N. Briley
- Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Larisa Polyakova
- Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, Colorado, United States of America
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Keuling O, Sange M, Acevedo P, Podgorski T, Smith G, Scandura M, Apollonio M, Ferroglio E, Vicente J. Guidance on estimation of wild boar population abundance and density: methods, challenges, possibilities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.2903/sp.efsa.2018.en-1449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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