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Olejarz A, Augustsson E, Kjellander P, Ježek M, Podgórski T. Experience shapes wild boar spatial response to drive hunts. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19930. [PMID: 39198665 PMCID: PMC11358132 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71098-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Human-induced disturbances of the environment are rapid and often unpredictable in space and time, exposing wildlife to strong selection pressure favouring plasticity in specific traits. Measuring wildlife behavioural plasticity in response to human-induced disturbances such as hunting pressures is crucial in understanding population expansion in the highly plastic wild boar species. We collected GPS-based movement data from 55 wild boars during drive hunts over three hunting seasons (2019-2022) in the Czech Republic and Sweden to identify behavioural plasticity in space use and movement strategies over a range of experienced hunting disturbances. Daily distance, daily range, and daily range overlap with hunting area were not affected by hunting intensity but were clearly related to wild boar hunting experience. On average, the post-hunt flight distance was 1.80 km, and the flight duration lasted 25.8 h until they returned to their previous ranging area. We detected no relationship in flight behaviour to hunting intensity or wild boar experience. Wild boar monitored in our study showed two behavioural responses to drive hunts, "remain" or "leave". Wild boars tended to "leave" more often with increasing hunting experience. Overall, this study highlights the behavioural plasticity of wild boar in response to drive hunts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Olejarz
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Evelina Augustsson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73993, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73993, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Miloš Ježek
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz Podgórski
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
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2
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Bollen M, Casaer J, Neyens T, Beenaerts N. When and where? Day-night alterations in wild boar space use captured by a generalized additive mixed model. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17390. [PMID: 38881858 PMCID: PMC11179635 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Wild boar (Sus scrofa), an abundant species across Europe, is often subjected to management in agro-ecosystems in order to control population size, or to scare them away from agricultural fields to safeguard crop yields. Wild boar management can benefit from a better understanding on changes in its space use across the diel cycle (i.e., diel space use) in relation to variable hunting pressures or other factors. Here, we estimate wild boar diel space use in an agro-ecosystem in central Belgium during four consecutive "growing seasons" (i.e., April-September). To achieve this, we fit generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to camera trap data of wild boar aggregated over 1-h periods. Our results reveal that wild boar are predominantly nocturnal in all of the hunting management zones in Meerdaal, with activity peaks around sunrise and sunset. Hunting events in our study area tend to take place around sunrise and sunset, while non-lethal human activities occur during sunlight hours. Our GAMM reveals that wild boar use different areas throughout the diel cycle. During the day, wild boar utilized areas in the centre of the forest, possibly to avoid human activities during daytime. During the night, they foraged near (or in) agricultural fields. A post hoc comparison of space use maps of wild boar in Meerdaal revealed that their diurnal and nocturnal space use were uncorrelated. We did not find sufficient evidence to prove that wild boar spatiotemporally avoid hunters. Finally, our work reveals the potential of GAMMs to model variation in space across 24-h periods from camera trap data, an application that will be useful to address a range of ecological questions. However, to test the robustness of this approach we advise that it should be compared against telemetry-based methods to derive diel space use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn Bollen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Jim Casaer
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Neyens
- Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
- Leuven Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics Centre, University of Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Natalie Beenaerts
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
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Shalom I, Calfayan LM, Rospide M, Thornton L, Burgos EF, Gómez Villafañe IE. Do exotic invasive mammals disturb the native fauna? Spatiotemporal distribution and overlap between species in a national park of Argentina. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38864281 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Monitoring the invasive exotic species and their effect on native fauna is fundamental for their effective control. The objective of this research is to evaluate the spatiotemporal distribution and overlap of medium-large-sized fauna in El Palmar National Park, Argentina, to consider potential negative interactions between native and exotic species. Camera traps were distributed in 27 sites between 2017 and 2019. Spatial and temporal overlap was estimated for every pair of exotic-native taxa. With 2673 camera days, two exotic and seven native taxa were recorded. All species were distributed along the extension of the National Park but in different numbers of sites. Exotic axis deer (Axis axis) was recorded in all sites but one, and exotic wild boar (Sus scrofa) occurred at only one-third of the sites surveyed. The occurrence of native mammals ranged between 26% (Geoffroy's cat, Leopardus geoffroyi) and 67% (capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Spatial overlap between native and exotic species was high overall and was higher in winter when species moved over larger areas to look for limited resources. Except for greater rhea (Rhea americana), which was diurnal, all species had crepuscular or nocturnal patterns. Both exotic species had an intermediate/high overlap in their activity pattern with almost all native species, including some species with similar diets, but the hours of their maximum activities did not strictly coincide. However, the existence of differences in the exotic species' activity patterns compared to their patterns in other areas where they inhabit could indicate segregation in daily activity to relax competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilán Shalom
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Mariel Calfayan
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Malena Rospide
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lara Thornton
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eliana Florencia Burgos
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical-ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán", Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
| | - Isabel Elisa Gómez Villafañe
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Liu J, Zhao S, Tan L, Wang J, Song X, Zhang S, Chen F, Xu A. Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Based on Damage, Distribution, and Activity: A Case Study of Wild Boar in Zhejiang, Eastern China. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1639. [PMID: 38891686 PMCID: PMC11171170 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Human-wildlife conflicts are becoming increasingly common worldwide and are a challenge to biodiversity management. Compared with compensatory management, which often focuses on solving emergency conflicts, mitigation management allows decision-makers to better understand where the damage is distributed, how the species are distributed and when the species conduct their activity. Here, we integrated data collected from 90 districts/counties' damage surveys and 1271 camera traps to understand the damage status, abundance, density and activity rhythms of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Zhejiang, Eastern China, from January 2019 to August 2023. We found that (1) wild boar-human conflicts were mainly distributed in the northwest and southwest mountainous regions of Zhejiang Province; (2) the total abundance of wild boar was 115,156 ± 24,072 individuals, indicating a growing trend over the past decade and a higher density in the western and southern regions; (3) wild boar exhibited different activity patterns across different damage regions, and the periods around 7:00, 11:00 and 16:00 represented activity peaks for wild boar in seriously damaged regions. The damage distribution, density, distribution and activity rhythms provide specific priority regions and activity intensity peaks for conflict mitigation. We believe that these findings based on the damage, distribution and activity could provide a scientific basis for mitigation management at the county level and enrich the framework of human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchen Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Yangtze River Delta Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Shanshan Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Yangtze River Delta Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Liping Tan
- College of Life Sciences, Yangtze River Delta Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jianwu Wang
- Zhejiang Forest Resources Monitoring Center, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Xiao Song
- College of Life Sciences, Yangtze River Delta Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Shusheng Zhang
- The Management Center of Wuyanling National Natural Reserve in Zhejiang, Wenzhou 325500, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Zhejiang Forest Resources Monitoring Center, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Aichun Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Yangtze River Delta Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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Mortlock E, Silovský V, Güldenpfennig J, Faltusová M, Olejarz A, Börger L, Ježek M, Jennings DJ, Capellini I. Sleep in the wild: the importance of individual effects and environmental conditions on sleep behaviour in wild boar. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232115. [PMID: 38808449 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep serves vital physiological functions, yet how sleep in wild animals is influenced by environmental conditions is poorly understood. Here we use high-resolution biologgers to investigate sleep in wild animals over ecologically relevant time scales and quantify variability between individuals under changing conditions. We developed a robust classification for accelerometer data and measured multiple dimensions of sleep in the wild boar (Sus scrofa) over an annual cycle. In support of the hypothesis that environmental conditions determine thermoregulatory challenges, which regulate sleep, we show that sleep quantity, efficiency and quality are reduced on warmer days, sleep is less fragmented in longer and more humid days, while greater snow cover and rainfall promote sleep quality. Importantly, this longest and most detailed analysis of sleep in wild animals to date reveals large inter- and intra-individual variation. Specifically, short-sleepers sleep up to 46% less than long-sleepers but do not compensate for their short sleep through greater plasticity or quality, suggesting they may pay higher costs of sleep deprivation. Given the major role of sleep in health, our results suggest that global warming and the associated increase in extreme climatic events are likely to negatively impact sleep, and consequently health, in wildlife, particularly in nocturnal animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Euan Mortlock
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Václav Silovský
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Justine Güldenpfennig
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Faltusová
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Astrid Olejarz
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Miloš Ježek
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Dómhnall J Jennings
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Isabella Capellini
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
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Evans TS, Ellison N, Boudreau MR, Strickland BK, Street GM, Iglay RB. What drives wild pig (Sus scrofa) movement in bottomland and upland forests? MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:32. [PMID: 38664784 PMCID: PMC11044336 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00472-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The wild pig (Sus scrofa) is an exotic species that has been present in the southeastern United States for centuries yet continues to expand into new areas dominated by bottomland and upland forests, the latter of which are less commonly associated with wild pigs. Here, we aimed to investigate wild pig movement and space use attributes typically used to guide wild pig management among multiple spatiotemporal scales. Our investigation focused on a newly invaded landscape dominated by bottomland and upland forests. METHODS We examined (1) core and total space use using an autocorrelated kernel density estimator; (2) resource selection patterns and hot spots of space use in relation to various landscape features using step-selection analysis; and (3) daily and hourly differences in movement patterns between non-hunting and hunting seasons using generalized additive mixed models. RESULTS Estimates of total space use among wild pigs (n = 9) were smaller at calculated core (1.2 ± 0.3 km2) and 90% (5.2 ± 1.5 km2) isopleths than estimates reported in other landscapes in the southeastern United States, suggesting that wild pigs were able to meet foraging, cover, and thermoregulatory needs within smaller areas. Generally, wild pigs selected areas closer to herbaceous, woody wetlands, fields, and perennial streams, creating corridors of use along these features. However, selection strength varied among individuals, reinforcing the generalist, adaptive nature of wild pigs. Wild pigs also showed a tendency to increase movement from fall to winter, possibly paralleling increases in hard mast availability. During this time, there were also increases in anthropogenic pressures (e.g. hunting), causing movements to become less diurnal as pressure increased. CONCLUSIONS Our work demonstrates that movement patterns by exotic generalists must be understood across individuals, the breadth of landscapes they can invade, and multiple spatiotemporal scales. This improved understanding will better inform management strategies focused on curbing emerging invasions in novel landscapes, while also protecting native natural resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler S Evans
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA.
| | - Natasha Ellison
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA
| | - Melanie R Boudreau
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA
| | - Bronson K Strickland
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA
| | - Garrett M Street
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA
| | - Raymond B Iglay
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA
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Martijn B, Thomas N, Natalie B, Jim C. Impacts of zoning and landscape structure on the relative abundance of wild boar assessed through a Bayesian N-mixture model. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 911:168546. [PMID: 37979862 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Increasing human-wild boar interactions have led to damage to agricultural crops, traffic collisions and disease transmissions. Dividing natural areas in zones with differential hunting pressure is one of the currently adopted management strategies. However, the effectiveness of this approach is under debate. Hence, there is a need to better understand how to mitigate negative human-wild boar interactions effectively. Camera traps are cost-efficient, and non-invasive tools to monitor animal populations. N-mixture models can reliably estimate spatial variation in relative abundances when animals are imperfectly detected and/or cannot be individually identified. Thus, they are useful tools to infer the impacts of several factors on the land-use intensity of wild boar, based on camera trap data. In a nature area in central Belgium, we compare "summer" (April-September) land-use intensity of wild boar from 2018 until 2021 between three zones: a hunting free core zone, a winter hunting zone where hunting only takes place between November and March, and a year-round hunting zone. The latter is also close to the forest edge, agricultural crops and settlements. We compare spatial abundance models that capture these zone effects, or attractive effects of croplands, repulsive effects of hunting and repulsive effects of non-lethal human disturbances. We reveal between zone differences in wild boar land-use intensities across all summers. Additionally, we find that non-lethal human disturbance and croplands also explain variation in wild boar land-use intensity, but do not find negative associations with hunting locations. Our results suggest that the effects of zoning on wild boar land-use patterns are relevant in medium-sized natural areas. Moreover, we identify the need to install additional cameras outside of the managed area in order to assess the impacts of hunting in combination with non-lethal human activities on wild boar to mitigate negative human-wild boar interactions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bollen Martijn
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, UHasselt - Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Data Science Institute, UHasselt -Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Neyens Thomas
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt -Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Leuven Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Beenaerts Natalie
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, UHasselt - Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Casaer Jim
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels, Belgium
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Vajas P, Von Essen E, Tickle L, Gamelon M. Meeting the challenges of wild boar hunting in a modern society: The case of France. AMBIO 2023; 52:1359-1372. [PMID: 36943619 PMCID: PMC10271942 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01852-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Modern hunting is an ambivalent practice, torn between leisure and labor. Nowhere are these conflicting dimensions better manifested than for wild boar-a simultaneous game and pest species in many countries. Here, we consider the sociological, political and cultural phenomenon of wild boar hunting from a change perspective, starting at its historical roots to future implications concerning the changing demographics, drivers, needs and practices of a modernizing hunting community. Using the case context of France, we present an approach to deconstructing each component of wild boar hunting firstly, and subsequently the external forces that change the nature of hunting. The objective of this manuscript is to discuss of the wild boar optimal harvesting to be applied in changing social and ecological environment. Findings show that the challenges facing wild boar management will likely intensify in the future, especially under the spotlight of a controversial public debate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Vajas
- DECOD (Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability), IFREMER, INRAe, Institut-Agro-Agrocampus Ouest, rue de L’île d’Yeu, 44311 Nantes Cedex 3, France
| | - Erica Von Essen
- Department of Social Anthropology, Stockholm University, Universitetsvägen 10 B, Socialantropologiska Institutionen, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Innlandet, Norway
| | - Lara Tickle
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Innlandet, Norway
| | - Marlène Gamelon
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR 5558, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Campus de la Doua, Bâtiment Gregor Mendel, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Lestingi A. Use of Wild Boar ( Sus scrofa) as a Sustainable Alternative in Pork Production. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2258. [PMID: 37508036 PMCID: PMC10376712 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Pork production involves several sustainability issues. The recent increase in the natural wild boar population and the possibilities of its breeding to produce meat and for sport hunting have revived attention on this wild species. The most important factors that could account for its expansion and niche invasion are briefly summarized with the scientific opinion on management strategies. The information available to date on the quantitative, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of wild boar meat is reviewed to highlight its potential, if properly managed, as a sustainable option in meat production. This review reports on the opportunity of using wild boar meat in processed products and the need for research on processing qualities and acceptability for different final products. Above all, this review suggests that wild boar can be considered a sustainable alternative to meet the animal protein demand, as it can be established in marginal areas where it is already adapted to the environment, representing an interesting addition to traditional zootechnics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Lestingi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
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10
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Olejarz A, Faltusová M, Börger L, Güldenpfennig J, Jarský V, Ježek M, Mortlock E, Silovský V, Podgórski T. Worse sleep and increased energy expenditure yet no movement changes in sub-urban wild boar experiencing an influx of human visitors (anthropulse) during the COVID-19 pandemic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 879:163106. [PMID: 36966827 PMCID: PMC10038670 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Expansion of urban areas, landscape transformation and increasing human outdoor activities strongly affect wildlife behaviour. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular led to drastic changes in human behaviour, exposing wildlife around the world to either reduced or increased human presence, potentially altering animal behaviour. Here, we investigate behavioural responses of wild boar (Sus scrofa) to changing numbers of human visitors to a suburban forest near Prague, Czech Republic, during the first 2.5 years of the COVID-19 epidemic (April 2019-November 2021). We used bio-logging and movement data of 63 GPS-collared wild boar and human visitation data based on an automatic counter installed in the field. We hypothesised that higher levels of human leisure activity will have a disturbing effect on wild boar behaviour manifested in increased movements and ranging, energy spent, and disrupted sleep patterns. Interestingly, whilst the number of people visiting the forest varied by two orders of magnitude (from 36 to 3431 people weekly), even high levels of human presence (>2000 visitors per week) did not affect weekly distance travelled, home range size, and maximum displacement of wild boar. Instead, individuals spent 41 % more energy at high levels of human presence (>2000 visitors per week), with more erratic sleep patterns, characterised by shorter and more frequent sleeping bouts. Our results highlight multifaceted effects of increased human activities ('anthropulses'), such as those related to COVID-19 countermeasures, on animal behaviour. High human pressure may not affect animal movements or habitat use, especially in highly adaptable species such as wild boar, but may disrupt animal activity rhythms, with potentially detrimental fitness consequences. Such subtle behavioural responses can be overlooked if using only standard tracking technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Olejarz
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences,Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Monika Faltusová
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences,Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK
| | - Justine Güldenpfennig
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences,Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Vilém Jarský
- Department of Forestry and Wood Economics, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Miloš Ježek
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences,Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Euan Mortlock
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT95DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Václav Silovský
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences,Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz Podgórski
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences,Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic; Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland
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11
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Ciach M, Tetkowski P, Fedyń I. Local-scale habitat configuration makes a niche for wildlife encroaching into an urban landscape: grubbing sites of wild boar Sus scrofa in a city matrix. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01310-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
AbstractUrban environments may offer certain species diverse and abundant food resources of natural and anthropogenic origin. However, the local-scale configuration of habitats and urban infrastructure may influence foraging decisions regardless of the availability of food. In recent years, the expansion of wild boar Sus scrofa into areas significantly transformed by humans has been observed in many parts of its range. Grubbing (rooting) is a major foraging mode of the species, during which disturbance of the upper soil layers enables these animals to find and consume food items. However, the factors that determine the selection of grubbing sites in the urban landscape, where the balance between food availability and the avoidance of humans may influence foraging decisions, are not known. Our aim was to identify local-scale factors that influence grubbing site selection and the size of grubbed patches in an urban landscape. The characteristics of 108 wild boar grubbing sites in the city of Kraków (Poland) were compared to randomly selected control sites. The probable presence of a grubbing site was positively correlated with the proportion of meadows and fallow land in the vicinity and with increases in both canopy cover and distance to pavements. The size of a grubbed patch was positively correlated with the percentage of meadows in the vicinity, increasing distance to buildings and decreasing distance to pavements. We found a non-random pattern of grubbing sites in the urban landscape and indicated that the local-scale configuration of vegetation and urban infrastructure contribute to foraging site selection by wild boar. Our study highlights that the encroachment of wildlife into the urban landscape is a complex process, driven by both resource availability and the avoidance of human-related disturbances.
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Snow NP, Glow MP, Lavelle MJ, Fischer JW, Cook SM, Lutman M, Foster JA, VerCauteren KC. Dry and Unwary are Best Conditions for Baiting Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Identification and analysis of areas prone to conflict with wild boar (Sus scrofa) in the vineyards of Malayer County, western Iran. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Abstract
The recent and ever-growing problem of boar (Sus scrofa forms including wild boar, hybrid and feral pig) expansion is a very complex issue in wildlife management. The damages caused to biodiversity and the economies are addressed in different ways by the various countries, but research is needed to shed light on the causal factors of this emergency before defining a useful collaborative management policy. In this review, we screened more than 280 references published between 1975–2022, identifying and dealing with five hot factors (climate change, human induced habitat modifications, predator regulation on the prey, hybridization with domestic forms, and transfaunation) that could account for the boar expansion and its niche invasion. We also discuss some issues arising from this boar emergency, such as epizootic and zoonotic diseases or the depression of biodiversity. Finally, we provide new insights for the research and the development of management policies.
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Keiter DA, Stoddart TR, Jackson DH. Use of cellular‐linked cameras to monitor live‐trapping of wildlife. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Keiter
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 1495 E. Gregory Road, Central Point OR 97502 USA
| | - Tiffany R. Stoddart
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 1495 E. Gregory Road, Central Point OR 97502 USA
| | - DeWaine H. Jackson
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 4192 N. Umpqua Highway Roseburg OR 97470 USA
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Behera AK, Kumar PR, Priya MM, Ramesh T, Kalle R. The impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on wildlife in Deccan Plateau, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153268. [PMID: 35074387 PMCID: PMC8782731 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes in human activity via extensive lockdowns worldwide. Large-scale shifts in human activities bestowed both positive and negative impacts on wildlife. Unforeseen reduction in the activities of people allowed wildlife to venture outside of forested areas to exploit newfound habitats and increase their diurnal activities. While on a negative note, a reduction in forest-related law enforcement led to substantial increase in illegal activities such as poaching. We conducted mammal surveys in forested and nearby farmland of a fragmented landscape under two distinct scenarios: pre-lockdown and lockdown. An increase in poaching activities observed during the lockdown period in our study area provided us an opportunity to investigate the impact of the lockdown on wildlife. Camera trapping data of four highly poached mammalian species, namely black-naped hare Lepus nigricollis, wild pig Sus scrofa, four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis and leopard Panthera pardus were considered to investigate activity patterns and habitat use, to understand the effect of lockdown. The pre-lockdown period was used as a baseline to compare any changes in trends of activity patterns, habitat use and detection probabilities of targeted species. Species-specific changes in activity patterns of study species were observed, with an increment in daytime activity during lockdown. The results showed species-specific increase in the habitat use of study species during lockdown. Reduction in the detection probability of all study species was witnessed. This is the first study to highlight the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the responses of wildlife by considering the changes in their temporal and spatial use before and during lockdown. The knowledge gained on wildlife during reduced human mobility because of the pandemic aid in understanding the effect of human disturbances and developing future conservation strategies in the shared space, to manage both wildlife and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asit K Behera
- Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - P Ramesh Kumar
- Deputy Conservator of Forest, Bannerghatta National Park, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - M Malathi Priya
- Deputy Conservator of Forest, Bengaluru Rural Forest Division, Karnataka, India
| | - T Ramesh
- Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre for Functional Biodiversity, University of KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa.
| | - Riddhika Kalle
- Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre for Functional Biodiversity, University of KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa
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17
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Gray SM, Humphreys JM, Montgomery RA, Etter DR, VerCauteren KC, Kramer DB, Roloff GJ. Behavioral states in space and time: understanding landscape use by an invasive mammal. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Gray
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - John M. Humphreys
- Pest Management Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Sidney MT 59270 USA
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL United Kingdom
| | - Dwayne R. Etter
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources–Wildlife Division Lansing MI 48911 USA
| | - Kurt C. VerCauteren
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Daniel B. Kramer
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building East Lansing MI 48824 USA
- James Madison College Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Gary J. Roloff
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building East Lansing MI 48824 USA
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Rosalino LM, Teixeira D, Camarinha C, Pereira G, Magalhães A, Castro G, Lima C, Fonseca C. Even generalist and resilient species are affected by anthropic disturbance: evidence from wild boar activity patterns in a Mediterranean landscape. MAMMAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00632-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Kramer C, Boudreau MR, Miller RS, Powers R, VerCauteren K, Brook RK. Summer habitat use and movements of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in Canadian agro-ecosystems. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Resource selection informs understanding of a species’ ecology and is especially pertinent for invasive species. Since introduced to Canada, wild pigs (Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1978) remain understudied despite recognized negative impacts to native and agricultural systems globally. Elsewhere in North America, pigs typically use forests and forage in agricultural crops. We hypothesized Canadian wild pigs would behave similarly and using GPS locations from 15 individuals we examined diel and seasonal resource selection and movement in the Canadian prairie region. Forests were predominately selected during the day, while corn (Zea mays L.), oilseeds, and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were predominately selected at night. Forests and corn were consistently selected throughout the growing season. Wetlands and forests showed greater use rates than other habitats, with evident trade-offs as crop use increased with the timing of maturation. Activity was consistent with foraging in growing crops. Results indicate diel patterns were likely a function of short-term needs to avoid daytime anthropogenic risk, while seasonal patterns demonstrate how habitats that fill multiple functional roles – food, cover, and thermoregulation – can be optimized. Understanding selection by invasive species is an important step in understanding their potential environmental impacts in novel environments and informs their management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Kramer
- University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture and Bioresources, 98627, Animal and Poultry Science, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Melanie R. Boudreau
- Mississippi State University College of Forest Resources, 237137, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States
| | | | - Ryan Powers
- USDA, 1097, Bismarck, North Dakota, United States
| | - Kurt VerCauteren
- USDA-APHIS National Wildlife Research Center, 93514, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Ryan K. Brook
- University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture and Bioresources, 98627, Department of Animal and Poultry Science & Indigenous Land Management Institute, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada,
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Cuesta Hermira AA, Michalski F. Crop damage by vertebrates in Latin America: current knowledge and potential future management directions. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13185. [PMID: 35356474 PMCID: PMC8958972 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13185] [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: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Crop farming contributes to one of the most extensive land use activities in the world, and cropland areas continue to rise. Many vertebrate species feed on crops, which has caused an increase in human-wildlife conflicts in croplands. Crop-feeding damages the economy of local communities and causes retaliation against the responsible vertebrates in several forms, including lethal practices such as hunting and poisoning. Lethal control may cause the local extirpation of some species, affecting ecological processes and patterns. Therefore, it is necessary to find non-lethal alternatives that can protect both local economies and wildlife. Research has been conducted in Africa and Asia, focusing on elephants and primates, and the effectiveness of some non-lethal alternatives, such as chili-based repellents and beehives, is being investigated. However, there has been very little research on this topic in Central and South America. The goal of this review is to assess the current knowledge on crop damage by vertebrates in Central and South America and indicate future research directions. Survey methodology We reviewed the available scientific literature reporting crop damage by vertebrates in Central and South America, and the Caribbean, published between 1980 and 2020, through systematic searches on Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. We analyzed the temporal and geographical distributions of the studies, the crops and vertebrate species these studies considered, the crop protection techniques used, and their effectiveness. Results We retrieved only 113 studies on crop damage by vertebrates in Latin America, but there was an increasing trend in the number of studies published over time. Most of the studies were conducted in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Four orders of mammals (Rodentia, Carnivora, Artiodactyla, and Primates) and four orders of birds (Passeriformes, Columbiformes, Psittaciformes, and Anseriformes) were the most common groups of crop-feeding vertebrates. The most prominent crop was corn, which was featured in 49% of the studies. Other notable crops include rice, sorghum, and sugarcane. The most reported method for protecting crops was lethal control through hunting or poisoning. Non-lethal techniques were found to be less prevalent. Less than half of the studies that mentioned the use of protection techniques indicated their effectiveness, and only 10 studies evaluated it by performing scientific experiments and reporting their results. Conclusions Central and South America is still underrepresented in research on vertebrate crop-feeding. There is a need for experimentation-based robust research to find crop protection techniques that minimize harm to vertebrates while effectively reducing damage to crops. While this is being studied, habitat loss and fragmentation need to be halted to prevent the native vertebrates from turning to crops for food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Alejandro Cuesta Hermira
- Ecology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
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Hornok S, Szekeres S, Horváth G, Takács N, Bekő K, Kontschán J, Gyuranecz M, Tóth B, Sándor AD, Juhász A, Beck R, Farkas R. Diversity of tick species and associated pathogens on peri-urban wild boars – first report of the zoonotic Babesia cf. crassa from Hungary. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101936. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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22
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Ukhovskyi VV, Korniienko LY, Pyskun AV, Chechet OM, Drozhzhe ZM, Polupan IM, Aliekseieva GB, Moroz OA, Romanov OM. Spread of Aujeszky’s disease among wild boars and domestic pigs in Ukraine. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.15421/022206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Aujeszky’s disease, also known as pseudorabies is an acute infectious viral disease in a variety of mammals caused by Suid herpesvirus 1, a member of the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae and the family Herpesviridae. This virus causes significant economic losses in agriculture of numerous countries. In particular, in pig farming, the main losses are currently associated with restrictions of international trade, as well as the cost of vaccination or slaughter of infected animals. The main reservoirs species of this disease are considered to be wild boars and domestic pigs. So, in this article the authors performed a comparative retrospective analysis of the prevalence of Aujeszky’s disease among these species in Ukraine over 2009–2020 by systematizing and analyzing the epizootic data and results of serological studies. As a result of the conducted research, there is a clear trend that shows the reduction in the number of locations in Ukraine (farms, households, etc.) with domestic pigs affected by Aujeszky’s disease. Thus, in 2009 four such farms were found, and in 2018 – only one. During 2014–2016 and 2019–2020, affected farms and locations were not registered for this disease. In total, 21 such points with infected pigs were registered during the analyzed period. As for wild boars, during the analyzed 12 years, locations with animals affected by Aujeszky’s disease were registered only in 2013 and 2014 (two and one, respectively). It should be noted that all of those with infected wild boars were found in the AR Crimea. For the twelve years, the number of tested sera samples from domestic pigs amounted to 378,678 (7.4% were positive) and from wild boars – 9,052 (19.8% were positive). As a result of comparative geographical analysis of the obtained data on the detection of specific humoral antibodies to the Aujeszky’s disease virus among both species for 12 years in the regions of Ukraine, there is no established clear correlation between the spread of the disease among wild boars and domestic pigs. Thus, the highest seroprevalence rates among wild boars were observed in the northern and northeastern parts of Ukraine, and in domestic pigs, on the contrary, in the southern and central parts of this country. It should be noted, that since 2014 the number of serological tests among both species for carriers of Aujeszky’s disease has significantly decreased.
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The effect of hunter-wild boar interactions and landscape heterogeneity on wild boar population size: A simulation study. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Spatio-temporal behaviour of female wild boar in an agro-forestry–pastoral landscape of Southern Italy. MAMMAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00617-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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25
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OUP accepted manuscript. J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Dudzińska M, Dawidowicz A. Detecting the Severity of Socio-Spatial Conflicts Involving Wild Boars in the City Using Social Media Data. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21248215. [PMID: 34960305 PMCID: PMC8703761 DOI: 10.3390/s21248215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The encroachment of wild boars into urban areas is a growing problem. The occurrence of wild boars in cities leads to conflict situations. Socio-spatial conflicts can escalate to a varied degree. Assessments of these conflicts can be performed by analyzing spatial data concerning the affected locations and wild boar behaviors. The collection of spatial data is a laborious and costly process that requires access to urban surveillance systems, in addition to regular analyses of intervention reports. A supporting method for assessing the risk of wild boar encroachment and socio-spatial conflict in cities was proposed in the present study. The developed approach relies on big data, namely, multimedia and descriptive data that are on social media. The proposed method was tested in the city of Olsztyn in Poland. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of data crowdsourced from a popular social networking site for determining the location and severity of conflicts. A photointerpretation method and the kernel density estimation (KDE) tool implemented in ArcGIS Desktop 10.7.1 software were applied in the study. The proposed approach fills a gap in the application of crowdsourcing data to identify types of socio-spatial conflicts involving wild boars in urban areas. Validation of the results with reports of calls to intervention services showed the high coverage of this approach and thus the usefulness of crowdsourcing data.
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Carried away by a moonlight shadow: activity of wild boar in relation to nocturnal light intensity. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00610-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
An increase of nocturnal activity of ungulate species may represent a compensatory opportunity for energy intake, when activity in daylight is hindered by some disturbance events (e.g. hunting or predation). Therefore, mostly-diurnal and crepuscular species may be active in bright moonlight nights whereas others may shift their diurnal activity towards darkest nights to limit their exposure to predators. In natural and undisturbed conditions, the wild boar may be active both during the day and the night, with alternating periods of activity and resting. In this work, we tested whether activity patterns of wild boar, a species with poor visive abilities, were dependent on moon phases and environmental lightening. We aimed to assess if nocturnal activity could be better explained by variations of the lunar cycle or by the variations of environmental lightening conditions, evaluated by means of different measures of night brightness. Data were collected through camera-trapping in Central Italy in 2019–2020. Despite the poor visive abilities of the wild boar, we observed that this ungulate significantly reduced their activity by avoiding the brightest nights. In our study area, the wild boar has to cope with both human pressure (i.e. mostly hunters and poachers) and predation by the grey wolf. Furthermore, the nocturnal activity of wild boar peaked in mid-Autumn, i.e. when hunting pressure is the highest and when leaf fall may bring wild boar to range for long distances to find suitable resting sites for diurnal hours.
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Laguna E, Barasona JA, Vicente J, Keuling O, Acevedo P. Differences in wild boar spatial behaviour among land uses and management scenarios in Mediterranean ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 796:148966. [PMID: 34273834 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous wild boar is causing diverse and growing conflicts of socio-ecological and economic relevance worldwide. For that reason, knowledge of its spatial ecology is crucial to designing effective management programmes. But this knowledge is scarce in Mediterranean areas with mixed land uses. We describe the spatial ecology and habitat selection of 41 adult wild boar monitored using GPS collars and analyse the effects of sex and the period (food shortage period, hunting season and food abundance period) under different land uses (protected areas, mixed farms and fenced hunting estates). The spatial ecology of wild boar was characterised by marked temporality, mediated by sex and the land uses in the area. The activity (ACT), daily range (DR) and home range (HR) were higher for males than females, and in mixed farms versus fenced hunting estates, while the lowest values were obtained in protected areas. These effects were more marked for ACT and DR (movement) than HR. The selection of scrublands and avoidance of woodlands was observed where drive hunt events occur (mixed farms and fenced estates), but not in the protected areas. The differences in the requirements, reproductive behaviour and, interestingly, response to disturbance according to sex may explain this dissimilar behaviour. Disturbance originated higher movement rates and the selection of sheltering land cover as a refuge during the hunting season. This information is useful for designing species monitoring and management programmes; including both preventive and reactive actions in response to events such as outbreaks of African swine fever and agricultural damage produced by wild boar in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Laguna
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José A Barasona
- VISAVET, Health Surveillance Centre, Department of Animal Health, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Oliver Keuling
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
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Colomer J, Rosell C, Rodriguez-Teijeiro JD, Massei G. 'Reserve effect': An opportunity to mitigate human-wild boar conflicts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148721. [PMID: 34237539 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wild boar growth in numbers and range is associated with increasing economic and environmental impact. Hunting has been traditionally used to reduce wild boar numbers. Areas where hunting is not allowed may attract wild boar from neighbouring hunting grounds. This phenomenon is called 'reserve effect' and could cause temporarily localised, high densities of wild boar in areas where hunting is banned. To investigate the occurrence of 'reserve effect', this study was conducted in two natural reserves of 400 and 250 ha inside the Montseny Natural Park, Catalonia, Spain where regular hunting of wild boar is not permitted, and only sporadic driven hunts/year are authorised for population control. The aims of the study were to evaluate if wild boar use these reserves as a refuge when hunting is carried out in the surrounding areas and to assess the effects that occasional drive hunts inside these reserves may have on wild boar numbers and social organization. From 2012 to 2015 camera traps were placed in the two reserves without using any bait. Cameras operated for 1.759 days, including hunting and non-hunting seasons, and 37.574 wild boar images were obtained. A 'reserve effect' was detected, as following hunting in the surroundings grounds, the number of wild boar increases inside reserves. Occasional driven hunts conducted in the reserves are effective in reducing the number of individuals and the effects persist for at least 45 days. Hunting disrupts wild boar social organization, as group size was significantly reduced. These results suggested that targeting refuge areas, once hunting in the surroundings causes wild boar to concentrate in these areas, is effective for population control. These findings could also be used to design trategies to optimise population control and offer opportunities for disease management such as vaccination, or to facilitate eradication in areas affected by disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Colomer
- Minuartia, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain; IRBio, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Carme Rosell
- Minuartia, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Domingo Rodriguez-Teijeiro
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain; IRBio, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giovanna Massei
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, York, United Kingdom
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Keuling O, Strauß E, Siebert U. How Do Hunters Hunt Wild Boar? Survey on Wild Boar Hunting Methods in the Federal State of Lower Saxony. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092658. [PMID: 34573623 PMCID: PMC8468578 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092658] [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: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary High wild boar population densities lead to human–wildlife conflicts. For proper wildlife management, knowledge of wildlife biology as well as human attitudes is needed. We conducted inquiries on hunting methods and on hunters’ attitudes in the German Federal State of Lower Saxony to better understand hunting strategies. Single hunt, especially at bait, is still the most widely used method for hunting wild boar. The proportion of drive hunts within the hunting bag is increasing. The proportions of hunting methods vary regionally due to wild boar densities, geographical conditions and hunters’ practices. Private hunting is important for wild boar management, although it is just insufficient. Besides promoting more efficient hunting methods and motivating hunters, in the future, additionally, administrative wildlife managers could be established as coordinators of wild boar management, and as such, could manage hunting, the incorporation of regional conditions and investigating hunters’ attitudes and abilities. Abstract High wild boar population densities lead to demands for a population reduction to avoid crop damages or epidemic diseases. Along with biological studies, a better understanding of the human influence on wildlife and on wildlife management is important. We conducted inquiries on hunting methods and on hunters’ attitudes in the Federal State of Lower Saxony, Germany, to better understand hunting strategies and the influence on increasing wild boar population, as well as to underpin game management concepts. Single hunt, especially at bait, is still the most widely used method for hunting wild boar. The proportion of drive hunts within the hunting bag is increasing. The proportions of hunting methods vary regionally due to wild boar densities, geographical features (vegetation, terrain, etc.) and hunters’ practices. Hunters increased the proportion of conjoint hunts on wild boar. Baiting remains an important hunting method in wild boar management and the proportion of drive hunts should be fostered. Private hunting is important for wild boar management, although it is just insufficient. Additionally, administrative wildlife managers are recommended for the near future as coordinators of wild boar management, and as such, could manage hunting, the incorporation of regional conditions and investigating hunters’ attitudes and abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Keuling
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany; (E.S.); (U.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-856-7396
| | - Egbert Strauß
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany; (E.S.); (U.S.)
- Hunting Association of Lower Saxony, Landesjägerschaft Niedersachsen e.V., 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany; (E.S.); (U.S.)
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Zakir T, Debbarma H, Mahjabin R, Debbarma R, Khan Z, Rahman Minu MM, Zahura FT, Akash M. Are Northeastern Forests of Bangladesh Empty? Insights from Camera-Trapping into Spatiotemporal Activity Pattern of Mammals in a Semi-Evergreen National Park. MAMMAL STUDY 2021. [DOI: 10.3106/ms2020-0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tania Zakir
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Harish Debbarma
- Satchari village, Satchari National Park, Habiganj, Sylhet 3320, Bangladesh
| | - Rafia Mahjabin
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Rasel Debbarma
- Satchari village, Satchari National Park, Habiganj, Sylhet 3320, Bangladesh
| | - Zaber Khan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Fatima Tuz Zahura
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Muntasir Akash
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
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Davidson A, Malkinson D, Schonblum A, Koren L, Shanas U. Do boars compensate for hunting with higher reproductive hormones? CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab068. [PMID: 34512990 PMCID: PMC8415534 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The predation-stress hypothesis has been proposed as a general mechanism to explain the negative effect of predation risk on reproduction, through a chronic activation of the stress response. However, in some cases, stress appears to augment the reproductive potential of mammals. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations are on a rise worldwide, despite the high hunting pressure that they are exposed to. This hunting pressure instigates, among other effects, earlier sexual maturity in juvenile females, leading to the shortening of wild boars' generation time. The mechanism that underlies this earlier sexual maturity under high hunting pressure has not been examined to date. To explore the physiological effects that hunting has on the reproductive system and whether the stress response is involved, we examined steroid hormone levels in the hair of female wild boars in northern Israel, comparing populations exposed to high and low hunting pressure. Furthermore, we compared steroid levels in the hair of female wild boars that were roaming alone or as a part of a group. We found no hormonal signs of stress in the hunted boars. Cortisol levels were low in both the high and low hunting-pressure groups. Yet, progesterone levels were higher in females that were exposed to high hunting pressure. Females roaming in a group also had higher progesterone levels compared to females that were alone, with no distinguishable differences in cortisol levels. These elevations in reproductive hormones that were associated with hunting may lead to a higher reproductive potential in female wild boars. They further show that high hunting pressure does not necessarily lead to chronic stress that impairs the reproductive potential of female wild boars. This data suggests that a reproductive hormonal response may be one of the factors leading to the rapid wild boars population growth worldwide, despite the high hunting pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achiad Davidson
- Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Dan Malkinson
- Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave.,Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
- Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, Qatzrin, 1290000, Israel
| | - Anat Schonblum
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Lee Koren
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Uri Shanas
- Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
- Biology and Environment, University of Haifa–Oranim,
Tivon, 3600600, Israel
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Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin‐Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Schmidt C, Herskin M, Michel V, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Stahl K, Velarde A, Winckler C, Blome S, Boklund A, Bøtner A, Dhollander S, Rapagnà C, Van der Stede Y, Miranda Chueca MA. Research priorities to fill knowledge gaps in wild boar management measures that could improve the control of African swine fever in wild boar populations. EFSA J 2021; 19:e06716. [PMID: 34354769 PMCID: PMC8319816 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA to provide study designs for the investigation of four research domains (RDs) according to major gaps in knowledge identified by EFSA in a report published in 2019: (RD 1) African swine fever (ASF) epidemiology in wild boar; (RD 2) ASF transmission by vectors; (RD 3) African swine fever virus (ASFV) survival in the environment, and (RD 4) the patterns of seasonality of ASF in wild boar and domestic pigs in the EU. In this Scientific Opinion, the second RD on ASF epidemiology in wild boar is addressed. Twenty-nine research objectives were proposed by the working group and broader ASF expert networks and 23 of these research objectives met a prespecified inclusion criterion. Fourteen of these 23 research objectives met the predefined threshold for selection and so were prioritised based on the following set of criteria: (1) the impact on ASF management; (2) the feasibility or practicality to carry out the study; (3) the potential implementation of study results in practice; (4) a possible short time-frame study (< 1 year); (5) the novelty of the study; and (6) if it was a priority for risk managers. Finally, after further elimination of three of the proposed research objectives due to overlapping scope of studies published during the development of this opinion, 11 research priorities were elaborated into short research proposals, considering the potential impact on ASF management and the period of one year for the research activities.
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Viola P, Adriani S, Rossi CM, Franceschini C, Primi R, Apollonio M, Amici A. Anthropogenic and Environmental Factors Determining Local Favourable Conditions for Wolves during the Cold Season. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11071895. [PMID: 34202132 PMCID: PMC8300267 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Wolves normally howl in response to unfamiliar vocalisations, to defend their territory and the important resources within it (e.g., pups and prey). During the non-rendezvous period (late autumn and winter), the protectiveness of adults towards pups decreases, as well as reactions to unfamiliar vocal stimuli. In the late fall of 2010, we performed a saturation wolf howling design in the Cicolano area (Central Apennines, Italy), aiming to identify environmental and human-related characteristics of locations where wolves are prone to respond to unfamiliar howling and to assess their eventual ability to provide insights into the distribution of valuable resources (aside from pups) during the cold season. We found that winter response sites (WRS) were characterized by diverging conditions, with respect to all available sites, suggesting that they are non-randomly located but, instead, had been selected by wolves for some reason. We recorded a positive role of thermal refuges and the occurrence of wild boar drive hunts, as well as the negative roles of other forms of human presence and activities, including the occurrence of free-ranging dogs. These results could be of interest both for conservation purposes and for assessing interactions with human activities. Abstract Winter resources are crucial for wildlife, and, at a local scale, some anthropogenic and environmental factors could affect their availability. In the case of wolves, it is known that vocalisations in response to unfamiliar howls are issued to defend their territory and the important resources within it. Then, we studied the characteristics of winter response sites (WRS) during the cold season, aiming to assess their eventual ability to provide insights into the distribution of valuable resources within their territories. Within this scope, we planned a wolf-howling survey following a standardised approach. The study covered an Apennine (Central Italy) area of 500 km2. A hexagonal mesh was imposed on the area, in order to determine the values of different variables at the local scale. A logistic LASSO regression was performed. WRS were positively related to the presence of thermal refuges (odds = 114.485), to patch richness (odds = 1.153), wild boar drive hunting areas (odds = 1.015), and time elapsed since the last hunt (odds = 1.019). Among negative factors, stray dogs reply considerably affects wolves’ responsiveness (odds = 0.207), where odds are the exponentiated coefficients estimated by the logistic lasso regression. These results suggest that WRS are related to anthropogenic and environmental factors favouring the predation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Viola
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via S. C. de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy; (P.V.); (S.A.); (C.M.R.); (C.F.); (R.P.)
| | - Settimio Adriani
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via S. C. de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy; (P.V.); (S.A.); (C.M.R.); (C.F.); (R.P.)
| | - Carlo Maria Rossi
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via S. C. de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy; (P.V.); (S.A.); (C.M.R.); (C.F.); (R.P.)
| | - Cinzia Franceschini
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via S. C. de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy; (P.V.); (S.A.); (C.M.R.); (C.F.); (R.P.)
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 1, 40127 Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Riccardo Primi
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via S. C. de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy; (P.V.); (S.A.); (C.M.R.); (C.F.); (R.P.)
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, SS, Italy;
| | - Andrea Amici
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via S. C. de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy; (P.V.); (S.A.); (C.M.R.); (C.F.); (R.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(0)761-357443
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Capital-income breeding in wild boar: a comparison between two sexes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4579. [PMID: 33633177 PMCID: PMC7907357 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84035-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms differ in the strategy adopted to fuel reproduction by using resources either previously acquired and stored in body reserves (capital breeding) or, conversely, acquired during their reproductive activity (income breeding). The choice of one or the other strategy is related to several internal and external factors which are counteractive in wild boar. Based on a large dataset of culled wild boar, we investigated individual body weight variability throughout the period of 1st September-31st January, which included the main part of the mating season, among different sex and age classes to determine their position along the capital-income breeding continuum. Though food resources were abundant during the rut, adult males lost body weight suggesting they adopted a predominantly capital breeding strategy, likely owing to the high intra-sexual competition entailed by the peculiar mating system of the species. On the contrary, subadult males seemed to behave as income breeders, likely enhancing the reproductive flexibility of wild boar populations. During the rut, females stored reserves, thus suggesting that they substantially relied on them to cover future reproductive costs.
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Yang A, Schlichting P, Wight B, Anderson WM, Chinn SM, Wilber MQ, Miller RS, Beasley JC, Boughton RK, VerCauteren KC, Wittemyer G, Pepin KM. Effects of social structure and management on risk of disease establishment in wild pigs. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:820-833. [PMID: 33340089 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Contact heterogeneity among hosts determines invasion and spreading dynamics of infectious disease, thus its characterization is essential for identifying effective disease control strategies. Yet, little is known about the factors shaping contact networks in many wildlife species and how wildlife management actions might affect contact networks. Wild pigs in North America are an invasive, socially structured species that pose a health concern for domestic swine given their ability to transmit numerous devastating diseases such as African swine fever (ASF). Using proximity loggers and GPS data from 48 wild pigs in Florida and South Carolina, USA, we employed a probabilistic framework to estimate weighted contact networks. We determined the effects of sex, social group and spatial distribution (monthly home-range overlap and distance) on wild pig contact. We also estimated the impacts of management-induced perturbations on contact and inferred their effects on ASF establishment in wild pigs with simulation. Social group membership was the primary factor influencing contacts. Between-group contacts depended primarily on space use characteristics, with fewer contacts among groups separated by >2 km and no contacts among groups >4 km apart within a month. Modelling ASF dynamics on the contact network demonstrated that indirect contacts resulting from baiting (a typical method of attracting wild pigs or game species to a site to enhance recreational hunting) increased the risk of disease establishment by ~33% relative to direct contact. Low-intensity population reduction (<5.9% of the population) had no detectable impact on contact structure but reduced predicted ASF establishment risk relative to no population reduction. We demonstrate an approach for understanding the relative role of spatial, social and individual-level characteristics in shaping contact networks and predicting their effects on disease establishment risk, thus providing insight for optimizing disease control in spatially and socially structured wildlife species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Yang
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Peter Schlichting
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Bethany Wight
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Ona, FL, USA
| | - Wesley M Anderson
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Ona, FL, USA
| | - Sarah M Chinn
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Mark Q Wilber
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Raoul K Boughton
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Ona, FL, USA
| | - Kurt C VerCauteren
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Bastille-Rousseau G, Schlichting PE, Keiter DA, Smith JB, Kilgo JC, Wittemyer G, Vercauteren KC, Beasley JC, Pepin KM. Multi-level movement response of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) to removal. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:85-95. [PMID: 32738020 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lethal removal of invasive species, such as wild pigs (Sus scrofa), is often the most efficient approach for reducing their negative impacts. Wild pigs are one of the most widespread and destructive invasive mammals in the USA. Lethal management techniques are a key approach for wild pigs and can alter wild pig spatial behavior, but it is unclear how wild pigs respond to the most common removal technique, trapping. We investigated the spatial behavior of wild pigs following intensive removal of conspecifics via trapping at three sites within the Savannah River Site, SC, USA. We evaluated changes in wild pig densities, estimated temporal shifts in home-range properties, and evaluated fine-scale movement responses of wild pigs to removal. RESULTS We observed a significant reduction in the density of wild pigs in one site following removal via trapping while a qualitative reduction was observed in another site. We found little evidence of shifts in pig home-ranging behavior following removal. However, we did observe a nuanced response in movement behavior of wild pigs to the removal at the scale of the GPS locations (4 h), including increased movement speed and reduced selection for vegetation rich areas. CONCLUSION Our work provides a better understanding of the impact of removal via trapping on wild pig movement and its implications for management. The lack of shift in home-range characteristics observed illustrates how targeted trapping could be used to provide temporary relief for species sensitive to wild pig consumption such as ground nesting birds or agricultural crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Peter E Schlichting
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - David A Keiter
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Joshua B Smith
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - John C Kilgo
- United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, New Ellenton, SC, USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kurt C Vercauteren
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Davidson A, Shanas U, Malkinson D. Age- and sex-dependent vigilance behaviour modifies social structure of hunted wild boar populations. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr21017] [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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Estimation of spatial and temporal overlap in three ungulate species in a Mediterranean environment. MAMMAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-020-00548-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractInterspecific interactions are key drivers in structuring animal communities. Sympatric animals may show such behavioural patterns as the differential use of space and/or time to avoid competitive encounters. We took advantage of the ecological conditions of our study area, inhabited by different ungulate species, to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of Capreolus capreolus, Dama dama and Sus scrofa. We estimated intraspecific interaction arising from the concomitant use of resources by using camera trapping. We collected 2741 videos with the three ungulates, which showed peculiar activity patterns. The three species were observed in all the habitat types of the study area over the four seasons, thus highlighting an evident spatial overlap. Moreover, our analysis demonstrated that the three species did not avoid each other through temporal segregation of their activities, rather showing a high overlap of daily activity rhythms, though with differences among the species and the seasons. Despite the high spatial and temporal overlap, the three species seemed to adopt segregation through fine-scale spatial avoidance: at an hourly level, the proportion of sites where the species were observed together was relatively low. This spatio-temporal segregation revealed complex and alternative behavioural strategies, which likely facilitated intra-guild sympatry among the studied species. Both temporal and spatio-temporal overlap reached the highest values in summer, when environmental conditions were more demanding. Given these results, we may presume that different drivers (e.g. temperature, human disturbance), which are likely stronger than interspecific interactions, affected activity rhythms and fine-scale spatial use of the studied species.
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Hernández FA, Carr AN, Milleson MP, Merrill HR, Avery ML, Parker BM, Pylant CL, Austin JD, Wisely SM. Dispersal and Land Cover Contribute to Pseudorabies Virus Exposure in Invasive Wild Pigs. ECOHEALTH 2020; 17:498-511. [PMID: 33447876 PMCID: PMC8192353 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-020-01508-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the landscape epidemiology of a globally distributed mammal, the wild pig (Sus scrofa), in Florida (U.S.), where it is considered an invasive species and reservoir to pathogens that impact the health of people, domestic animals, and wildlife. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that two commonly cited factors in disease transmission, connectivity among populations and abundant resources, would increase the likelihood of exposure to both pseudorabies virus (PrV) and Brucella spp. (bacterial agent of brucellosis) in wild pigs across the Kissimmee Valley of Florida. Using DNA from 348 wild pigs and sera from 320 individuals at 24 sites, we employed population genetic techniques to infer individual dispersal, and an Akaike information criterion framework to compare candidate logistic regression models that incorporated both dispersal and land cover composition. Our findings suggested that recent dispersal conferred higher odds of exposure to PrV, but not Brucella spp., among wild pigs throughout the Kissimmee Valley region. Odds of exposure also increased in association with agriculture and open canopy pine, prairie, and scrub habitats, likely because of highly localized resources within those land cover types. Because the effect of open canopy on PrV exposure reversed when agricultural cover was available, we suggest that small-scale resource distribution may be more important than overall resource abundance. Our results underscore the importance of studying and managing disease dynamics through multiple processes and spatial scales, particularly for non-native pathogens that threaten wildlife conservation, economy, and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe A Hernández
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Universidad Austral de Chile, Edificio Federico Saelzer, 5º Piso, Campus Isla Teja S/N, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Amanda N Carr
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Michael P Milleson
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, Gainesville, FL, 32641, USA
| | - Hunter R Merrill
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Michael L Avery
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Gainesville, FL, 32641, USA
| | - Brandon M Parker
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Cortney L Pylant
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - James D Austin
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Samantha M Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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Greco I, Fedele E, Salvatori M, Giampaoli Rustichelli M, Mercuri F, Santini G, Rovero F, Lazzaro L, Foggi B, Massolo A, De Pietro F, Zaccaroni M. Guest or pest? Spatio-temporal occurrence and effects on soil and vegetation of the wild boar on Elba island. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00083-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWhere allochthonous large mammals, such as the wild boars, occur in high density, human-wildlife conflicts may arise. Thus, assessing their spatio-temporal patterns is paramount to their management. We studied the wild boars on Elba island, Italy, where they have been introduced and are perceived as pests to address their occurrence and impact of foraging on natural habitat. We surveyed the western island with three camera trapping surveys within one year. We found that the species' estimated occupancy probability was higher in summer-autumn (0.75 ± 0.14) and winter-early spring (0.70 ± 0.10) than in spring–summer (0.53 ± 0.15), whereas detection probability did not vary. Occupancy was significantly associated with lower elevation and woodland cover. Lower site use of wild boars during spring–summer might reflect lower food availability in this season and/or boars’ movements towards landfarms outside the sampled area. Detectability increased with proximity to roads during spring–summer and decreased with humans’ relative abundance in other periods. Boars were mainly nocturnal, with decreasing overlap with human activity when human presence was higher in the park. Soil degradation caused by wild boars was higher in pine plantations, which is the cover with a lower conservation interest. The spatio-temporal activity of wild boars on the island appears driven by seasonal preferences for food-rich cover and avoidance of human disturbance. The lowered site use in months with lower resources could partially reflect increased proximity to settled and farmed areas, which may trigger crop-raiding and the negative perception by residents.
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Wevers J, Fattebert J, Casaer J, Artois T, Beenaerts N. Trading fear for food in the Anthropocene: How ungulates cope with human disturbance in a multi-use, suburban ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:140369. [PMID: 32610236 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Resource distribution, predation risk and disturbance in space and time can affect how animals use their environment. To date few studies have assessed the spatiotemporal trade-off between resource acquisition and avoidance of risks and human disturbance in small protected areas embedded in an urban matrix. A better understanding of the forage-safety trade-off in urban protected areas (UPA) is key to the design of evidence-based approaches to deal with the ever-increasing human-wildlife impacts typical of UPA. Herein, we analyzed camera trap data to evaluate how two ungulate species trade fear for food in a 60 km2 human-dominated UPA without natural predators. We found that wild boar (Sus scrofa) were predominantly active at night, while roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) showed a typical bimodal crepuscular activity pattern. Occupancy analysis indicated that deciduous forest and the presence of high seats for hunting played an important role in determining the space use of wild boar. For roe deer, we found indications that the presence of forest influenced space use, although the null model was retained among the top ranked models. Our results confirm that wild boar and roe deer are able to thrive in heavily human dominated landscapes characterized by intensive recreational use and hunting, such as protected areas embedded in an urban matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Wevers
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium; Research Institute Nature and Forest, Brussels 1000, Belgium.
| | - Julien Fattebert
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa.
| | - Jim Casaer
- Research Institute Nature and Forest, Brussels 1000, Belgium.
| | - Tom Artois
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium.
| | - Natalie Beenaerts
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium.
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Triguero-Ocaña R, Laguna E, Jiménez-Ruiz S, Fernández-López J, García-Bocanegra I, Barasona JÁ, Risalde MÁ, Montoro V, Vicente J, Acevedo P. The wildlife-livestock interface on extensive free-ranging pig farms in central Spain during the "montanera" period. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2066-2078. [PMID: 32979253 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The effective management of shared pathogens between wild ungulates and livestock requires the understanding of the processes of interaction between them. In this work, we studied the interspecific frequency of interaction (ifreq) and its spatiotemporal pattern between wild and domestic ungulates that coexist in free-ranging farms. For this purpose, 6 red deer, 6 wild boar, 8 Iberian pigs and 3 cattle were monitored using GPS devices during the "montanera" period (the period in which Iberian pigs are maintained in extensive conditions to feed on acorn). The ifreq was quantified for two spatiotemporal windows: 30 m - 10 min, for inferring potential direct interactions (short window), and 30 m - 12 days for indirect interactions (large window). Secondly, the variation in the ifreq was modelled with regard to 2 temporal (time of the day and week of the year) and 4 environmental factors (distance to water, distance to vegetation cover, Quercus density and distance to feeding points). The interactions at the short window were scarce (N = 13); however, they were very frequent at the large one (N = 37,429), with the red deer as the species with the greatest involvement in the interactions. Models showed that the time of the day and distance to water were the variables that best predicted the ifreq and they were conditioned by differences in the activity pattern of the targeted species. Food resource availability also predicted the ifreq, especially at the short window and between wild species. The results presented here highlight the role that wild ungulates may play in the transmission of pathogens to extensive livestock in general and pigs in particular and show the epidemiological risk of certain areas, periods of time and management practices (for wildlife and livestock) as well as providing useful information in the prevention of the transmission of shared pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Triguero-Ocaña
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Laguna
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Saúl Jiménez-Ruiz
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Javier Fernández-López
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Jose Ángel Barasona
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Ángeles Risalde
- Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Vidal Montoro
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, Ciudad Real, Spain
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Fischer JW, Snow NP, Wilson BE, Beckerman SF, Jacques CN, VanNatta EH, Kay SL, VerCauteren KC. Factors and costs associated with removal of a newly established population of invasive wild pigs in Northern U.S. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11528. [PMID: 32661318 PMCID: PMC7359029 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68264-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The human-mediated spread of exotic and invasive species often leads to unintentional and harmful consequences. Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one such species that have been repeatedly translocated throughout the United States and cause extensive damage to natural ecosystems, threatened and endangered species, agricultural resources, and private lands. In 2005, a newly established population of wild pigs was confirmed in Fulton County, Illinois, U.S. In 2011, a state-wide wild pig damage management program involving federal, state, and local government authorities directed a concerted effort to remove wild pigs from the county until the last wild pig (of 376 total) was successfully removed in 2016. We examined surveillance data from camera traps at bait sites and records of wild pig removals during this elimination program to identify environmental and anthropogenic factors that optimized removal of this population. Our results revealed that wild pigs used bait sites most during evening and nocturnal periods and on days with lower daily maximum temperatures. Increased removals of wild pigs coincided with periods of cold weather. We also identified that fidelity and time spent at bait sites by wild pigs was not influenced by increasing removals of wild pigs. Finally, the costs to remove wild pigs averaged $50 per wild pig (6.8 effort hours per wild pig) for removing the first 99% of the animals. Cost for removing the last 1% increased 84-fold, and averaged 122.8 effort hours per wild pig removed. Our results demonstrated that increased effort in removing wild pigs using bait sites should be focused during periods of environmental stress to maximize removal efficiency. These results inform elimination programs attempting to remove newly established populations of wild pigs, and ultimately prevent population and geographic expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W Fischer
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, 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, USA
| | - Bradley E Wilson
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 3430 Constitution Drive, Suite 121, Springfield, IL, 62711, USA
| | - Scott F Beckerman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 3430 Constitution Drive, Suite 121, Springfield, IL, 62711, USA
| | - Christopher N Jacques
- Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, 338 Waggoner Hall, Macomb, IL, 61455, USA
| | - Eric H VanNatta
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
- University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Shannon L Kay
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, 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, USA
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Csókás A, Schally G, Szabó L, Csányi S, Kovács F, Heltai M. Space use of wild boar (Sus Scrofa) in Budapest: are they resident or transient city dwellers? Biol Futur 2020; 71:39-51. [PMID: 34554523 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-020-00010-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In our study, we examined the movement of two wild boars marked with GPS/GSM transmitters in city of Budapest. We hypothesised that: the wild boars do not leave the urban area (H1); the wild boars prefer places that are less disturbed by people, and which are rich in potential hiding places (H2); and their home ranges would be smaller than that of wild boars living in non-urban environment (H3). Based on our results, we accepted our first hypothesis, as the wild boars had not left the area of Budapest. However, we partly rejected our second hypothesis: the wild boars preferred urban areas that were forested and richly covered with vegetation; however, human presence therefore disturbance was also high in those areas. The home range sizes of both marked wild boar sows were remarkably smaller than those of the wild boars living in natural environment (H3). City habitat modification, e.g. clearing undergrowth vegetation, could result that wild boars cannot find any hiding places. The significant part of food sources will disappear with the elimination of these places. By eliminating the two main factors together could prevent wild boars finding their living conditions within the city.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Csókás
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly utca 1., 2100, Hungary.
| | - G Schally
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly utca 1., 2100, Hungary
| | - L Szabó
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly utca 1., 2100, Hungary
| | - S Csányi
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly utca 1., 2100, Hungary
| | - F Kovács
- Department of Wildlife Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 11, 1055, Hungary
| | - M Heltai
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly utca 1., 2100, Hungary
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Kämmerle JL, Rondeaux S, Storch I. Circadian activity patterns of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in montane forests under different culling regimes. MAMMAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-020-00496-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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48
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van Beeck Calkoen STS, Mühlbauer L, Andrén H, Apollonio M, Balčiauskas L, Belotti E, Carranza J, Cottam J, Filli F, Gatiso TT, Hetherington D, Karamanlidis AA, Krofel M, Kuehl HS, Linnell JDC, Müller J, Ozolins J, Premier J, Ranc N, Schmidt K, Zlatanova D, Bachmann M, Fonseca C, Lonescu O, Nyman M, Šprem N, Sunde P, Tannik M, Heurich M. Ungulate management in European national parks: Why a more integrated European policy is needed. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 260:110068. [PMID: 32090812 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
1. Primary objectives of national parks usually include both, the protection of natural processes and species conservation. When these objectives conflict, as occurs because of the cascading effects of large mammals (i.e., ungulates and large carnivores) on lower trophic levels, park managers have to decide upon the appropriate management while considering various local circumstances. 2. To analyse if ungulate management strategies are in accordance with the objectives defined for protected areas, we assessed the current status of ungulate management across European national parks using the naturalness concept and identified the variables that influence the management. 3. We collected data on ungulate management from 209 European national parks in 29 countries by means of a large-scale questionnaire survey. Ungulate management in the parks was compared by creating two naturalness scores. The first score reflects ungulate and large carnivore species compositions, and the second evaluates human intervention on ungulate populations. We then tested whether the two naturalness score categories are influenced by the management objectives, park size, years since establishment, percentage of government-owned land, and human impact on the environment (human influence index) using two generalized additive mixed models. 4. In 67.9% of the national parks, wildlife is regulated by culling (40.2%) or hunting (10.5%) or both (17.2%). Artificial feeding occurred in 81.3% of the national parks and only 28.5% of the national parks had a non-intervention zone covering at least 75% of the area. Furthermore, ungulate management differed greatly among the different countries, likely because of differences in hunting traditions and cultural and political backgrounds. Ungulate management was also influenced by park size, human impact on the landscape, and national park objectives, but after removing these variables from the full model the reduced models only showed a small change in the deviance explained. In areas with higher anthropogenic pressure, wildlife diversity tended to be lower and a higher number of domesticated species tended to be present. Human intervention (culling and artificial feeding) was lower in smaller national parks and when park objectives followed those set by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 5. Our study shows that many European national parks do not fulfil the aims of protected area management as set by IUCN guidelines. In contrast to the USA and Canada, Europe currently has no common ungulate management policy within national parks. This lack of a common policy together with differences in species composition, hunting traditions, and cultural or political context has led to differences in ungulate management among European countries. To fulfil the aims and objectives of national parks and to develop ungulate management strategies further, we highlight the importance of creating a more integrated European ungulate management policy to meet the aims of national parks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne T S van Beeck Calkoen
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Lisa Mühlbauer
- Department of Forestry, Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 3, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Henrik Andrén
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Belotti
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 1176, 16521, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Research and Nature Protection, Šumava National Park and PLA Administration, Sušická 399, 34192, Kašperské Hory, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Carranza
- Ungulate Research Unit, Cátedra de Recursos Cinegéticos y Piscícolas (CRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Jamie Cottam
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Flurin Filli
- Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
| | - Tsegaye T Gatiso
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - David Hetherington
- Cairngorms National Park Authority, 14 The Square, Grantown on Spey, PH26 3HG, UK
| | - Alexandros A Karamanlidis
- ARCTUROS, Civil Society for the Protection and Management of Wildlife and the Natural Environment, Aetos, 53075, Florina, Greece; Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universiteitstunet 3, 1433, Ås, Norway
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Hjalmar S Kuehl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - John D C Linnell
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, PO Box 5685 Torgard, 7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jörg Müller
- Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Zoology III, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute SILAVA, Rīgas iela 111, 2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Joseph Premier
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nathan Ranc
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38010, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Krzysztof Schmidt
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Diana Zlatanova
- Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 15, 1164, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Mona Bachmann
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Geography, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Humboldt University, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlos Fonseca
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ovidiu Lonescu
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University, 1 Beethoven Lane, 500123, Brașov, Romania; Forest Research Institute (ICAS), Bulevardul Eroilor Number 128, Voluntari, Ilfov, 077190, Romania
| | - Madeleine Nyman
- Metsähallitus, Parks and Wildlife Finland, Lars Sonckin kaari 14, 02600, Espoo, Finland
| | - Nikica Šprem
- Department of Fisheries, Beekeeping, Game Management and Special Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Peter Sunde
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410, Rønde, Denmark
| | - Margo Tannik
- The Environmental Board, Narva maantee 7a, 15172, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Marco Heurich
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
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Johann F, Handschuh M, Linderoth P, Heurich M, Dormann CF, Arnold J. Variability of daily space use in wild boar Sus scrofa. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Franz Johann
- F. Johann (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3056-0298) ✉ and C. F. Dormann, Dept of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert-Ludwigs-Univ. Freiburg i. Br., Tennenb
| | - Markus Handschuh
- M. Handschuh and M. Heurich, Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert-Ludwigs-Univ., Freiburg i. Br., Germany. M. Heurich also at: Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Peter Linderoth
- FJ, P. Linderoth and J. Arnold, Agricultural Centre Baden-Württemberg, Wildlife Research Unit, Aulendorf, Germany
| | - Marco Heurich
- M. Handschuh and M. Heurich, Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert-Ludwigs-Univ., Freiburg i. Br., Germany. M. Heurich also at: Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Carsten F. Dormann
- F. Johann (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3056-0298) ✉ and C. F. Dormann, Dept of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert-Ludwigs-Univ. Freiburg i. Br., Tennenb
| | - Janosch Arnold
- FJ, P. Linderoth and J. Arnold, Agricultural Centre Baden-Württemberg, Wildlife Research Unit, Aulendorf, Germany
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Peris A, Closa F, Marco I, Acevedo P, Barasona JA, Casas-Díaz E. Towards the comparison of home range estimators obtained from contrasting tracking regimes: the wild boar as a case study. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-1370-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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