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Snow NP, Glow MP, Foster JA, VerCauteren KC. Seasonal efficacy and risks from a sodium nitrite toxic bait for wild pigs. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:3227-3237. [PMID: 38357838 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive and destructive species throughout many regions of the world. A sodium nitrite (SN) toxic bait is currently used in Australia and being developed for use in the US and other countries to combat the increasing populations of wild pigs. In the US, efforts to modify the Australian SN-toxic bait and baiting strategy have focused on reducing issues with non-target animals accessing the SN-toxic bait spilled outside of bait stations by wild pigs. We tested and compared modifications for efficacy (with wild pigs) and hazards (with non-targets) in north-central Texas, US during summer (July 2021) and winter (March 2023) seasons. RESULTS During both seasons we found that visitation to the bait sites declined 94-99% after deploying the SN-toxic bait, and we found a total of 106 dead wild pigs, indicating considerable lethality for the local population. Prior to deploying the SN-toxic bait, Global Positioning System (GPS)-collared wild pigs were more likely to cease visiting bait sites during summer when foraging resources were abundant. Farrowing decreased visitation to bait sites during the winter. We observed no dead non-targets during summer; winter results showed an average of 5.2 dead migrating birds per bait site (primarily Dark-eye juncos [Junco hyemalis]) from consuming SN-toxic bait spilled by wild pigs. The presence and winter-foraging behaviors of migrating birds appeared to increase hazards for those species. CONCLUSION The current formulation of SN-toxic bait was effective at removing wild pigs during both seasons, however it is clear that different baiting strategies may be required in winter when migrating birds are present. Baiting wild pigs prior to farrowing during the winter, and during drier summers, may further improve efficacy of the bait. Reducing hazards to non-targets could be achieved by refining the SN-toxic bait or modifying bait stations to decrease the potential for spillage, decreasing environmental persistence if spilled, or decreasing attractiveness to migrating birds. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan P Snow
- USDA/APHIS/ Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Michael P Glow
- USDA/APHIS/ Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Justin A Foster
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Hunt, Texas, USA
| | - Kurt C VerCauteren
- USDA/APHIS/ Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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TuckerWilliams E, Lepczyk CA, Morse W, Smith M. Perceptions of Wild Pig Impact, Management, and Policy in Alabama. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:1032-1048. [PMID: 38466407 PMCID: PMC11023992 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-01956-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Successful management of invasive species often requires working across public and private landownerships. A prime example of an invasive species that commonly occurs on privately and publicly owned and managed lands is the wild pig (Sus scrofa). Because of the multitude of negative impacts associated with wild pigs, management must occur across both private and public lands to achieve widespread control and sustained success. However, managing wild pigs across property boundaries is challenging as we know very little about differing management practices and landowner perspectives. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to understand wild pig management efforts on privately owned lands, the perceived economic, ecological, and human health impact of wild pigs, and beliefs related to policy. Generally, stakeholders believe wild pigs have negative impacts on wildlife, the economy, and ecological and public health, however less than half of landowners participate in wild pig control. Furthermore, stakeholders believe that the responsibility of managing and paying for damages associated with wild pigs lies with individual landowners. Our findings suggest that increased efficacy of wild pig control and collaboration between private and public landowners is not only possible but also necessary if wild pig population control is to be regionally successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellary TuckerWilliams
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Christopher A Lepczyk
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA.
| | - Wayde Morse
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Mark Smith
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
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Monath TP. Japanese Encephalitis: Risk of Emergence in the United States and the Resulting Impact. Viruses 2023; 16:54. [PMID: 38257754 PMCID: PMC10820346 DOI: 10.3390/v16010054] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Japanese encephalitis virus is a mosquito-borne member of the Flaviviridae family. JEV is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia and is characterized by encephalitis, high lethality, and neurological sequelae in survivors. The virus also causes severe disease in swine, which are an amplifying host in the transmission cycle, and in horses. US agricultural authorities have recently recognized the threat to the swine industry and initiated preparedness activities. Other mosquito-borne viruses exotic to the Western Hemisphere have been introduced and established in recent years, including West Nile, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, and JEV has recently invaded continental Australia for the first time. These events amply illustrate the potential threat of JEV to US health security. Susceptible indigenous mosquito vectors, birds, feral and domestic pigs, and possibly bats, constitute the receptive ecological ingredients for the spread of JEV in the US. Fortunately, unlike the other virus invaders mentioned above, an inactivated whole virus JE vaccine (IXIARO®) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for human use in advance of a public health emergency, but there is no veterinary vaccine. This paper describes the risks and potential consequences of the introduction of JEV into the US, the need to integrate planning for such an event in public health policy, and the requirement for additional countermeasures, including antiviral drugs and an improved single dose vaccine that elicits durable immunity in both humans and livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Monath
- Quigley BioPharma LLC, 114 Water Tower Plaza No. 1042, Leominster, MA 01453, USA
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Treichler JW, VerCauteren KC, Taylor CR, Beasley JC. Changes in wild pig (Sus scrofa) relative abundance, crop damage, and environmental impacts in response to control efforts. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:4765-4773. [PMID: 37462084 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the population and range of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) continue to grow across North America, there has been an increase in environmental and economic damages caused by this invasive species, and control efforts to reduce damages have increased concomitantly. Despite the expanding impacts and costs associated with population control of wild pigs, the extent to which wild pig control reduces populations and diminishes environmental and agricultural damages are rarely quantified. The goal of this study is to quantify changes in wild pig relative abundance and subsequent changes in damages caused by invasive wild pigs in response to control. RESULTS Using a combination of wild pig population surveys, agricultural damage assessments, and environmental rooting surveys across 19 mixed forest-agricultural properties in South Carolina, USA, we quantified changes in wild pig relative abundance and associated damages over a 3-year period following implementation of a professional control program. Following implementation of control efforts, both the number of wild pig detections and estimated abundance decreased markedly. Within 24 months relative abundance was reduced by an average of ~70%, which resulted in a corresponding decline in environmental rooting damage by ~99%. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that sustained wild pig control efforts can substantially reduce wild pig relative abundance, which in turn resulted in a reduction in environmental rooting damage by wild pigs. Ultimately this study will help fill critical knowledge gaps regarding the efficacy of wild pig control programs and the effort needed to reduce impacts to native ecosystems, livestock, and crops. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W Treichler
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 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
| | - Charles R Taylor
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Kmetiuk LB, Biondo LM, Pedrosa F, Favero GM, Biondo AW. One Health at gunpoint: Impact of wild boars as exotic species in Brazil - A review. One Health 2023; 17:100577. [PMID: 37332883 PMCID: PMC10276213 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Wild boars have been listed among the 100 most invasive species worldwide, spreading impacts to all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. In Brazil, a major source of introduction was a commercial livestock importation for exotic meat market, followed by successive escapes and releases to natural ecosystems. Currently found in all six Brazilian biomes, with reports in 11 Brazilian states, wild boars have invaded natural and agricultural areas. Wild boars have been reportedly indicated as hosts and reservoirs of several zoonotic diseases in Brazil, including toxoplasmosis, salmonelosis, leptospirosis, brucellosis, tuberculosis, trichinellosis, and hepatitis E. Wild boars have been also associated with Brazilian spotted fever and rabies, infected while providing plentiful exotic blood supply for native ticks and hematophagous bats. Due to their phylogenetic proximity, wild boars may present ecological niche overlapping and direct disease risk to native white-lipped and collared peccaries. Moreover, wild boars may post an economical threat to Brazilian livestock industry due to restrictive diseases such as Aujeszky, enzootic pneumonia, neosporosis, hemoplasmosis, and classic swine fever. Finally, wild boars have directly impacted in environmentally protected areas, silting up water springs, rooting and wallowing native plants, decreasing native vegetal coverage, disbalancing of soil components, altering soil structure and composition. Wild boar hunting has failed as a control measure to date, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, due to private hunting groups mostly targeting males, intentionally leaving females and piglets alive, disseminating wild boar populations nationwide. Meanwhile, non-government animal welfare organizations have pointed to animal cruelty of hunting dogs and wild boars (and native species) during hunting. Despite unanimous necessity of wild boar control, eradication and prevention, methods have been controversial and should focus on effective governmental measures instead occasional game hunting, which has negatively impacted native wildlife species while wild boars have continuously spread throughout Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Bach Kmetiuk
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Leandro Menegueli Biondo
- National Institute of the Atlantic Forest (INMA), Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Santa Teresa, Espirito Santo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Pedrosa
- Mão na Mata – Environmental Management and Solutions, São Paulo, SP 05350-000, Brazil
| | - Giovani Marino Favero
- Department of General Biology, State University of Ponta Grossa, General Carlos Cavalcanti, 4748, Ponta Grossa, PR 84030-900, Brazil
| | - Alexander Welker Biondo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
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Clontz LM, Yang A, Chinn SM, Pepin KM, VerCauteren KC, Wittemyer G, Miller RS, Beasley JC. Role of social structure in establishment of an invasive large mammal after translocation. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:3819-3829. [PMID: 37218996 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data on the movement behavior of translocated wild pigs is needed to develop appropriate response strategies for containing and eliminating new source populations following translocation events. We conducted experimental trials to compare the home range establishment and space-use metrics, including the number of days and distance traveled before becoming range residents, for wild pigs translocated with their social group and individually. RESULTS We found wild pigs translocated with their social group made less extensive movements away from the release location and established a stable home range ~5 days faster than those translocated individually. We also examined how habitat quality impacted the home range sizes of translocated wild pigs and found wild pigs maintained larger ranges in areas with higher proportion of low-quality habitat. CONCLUSION Collectively, our findings suggest translocations of invasive wild pigs have a greater probability of establishing a viable population near the release site when habitat quality is high and when released with members of their social unit compared to individuals moved independent of their social group or to low-quality habitat. However, all wild pigs translocated in our study made extensive movements from their release location, highlighting the potential for single translocation events of either individuals or groups to have far-reaching consequences within a much broader landscape beyond the location where they are released. These results highlight the challenges associated with containing populations in areas where illegal introduction of wild pigs occurs, and the need for rapid response once releases are identified. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M Clontz
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
| | - Anni Yang
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Sarah M Chinn
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Kurt C VerCauteren
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
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7
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Smith JB, Keiter DA, Sweeney SJ, Miller RS, Schlichting PE, Beasley JC. Habitat quality influences trade-offs in animal movement along the exploration-exploitation continuum. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4814. [PMID: 36964167 PMCID: PMC10039022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31457-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
To successfully establish itself in a novel environment, an animal must make an inherent trade-off between knowledge accumulation and exploitation of knowledge gained (i.e., the exploration-exploitation dilemma). To evaluate how habitat quality affects the spatio-temporal scale of switching between exploration and exploitation during home range establishment, we conducted experimental trials comparing resource selection and space-use of translocated animals to those of reference individuals using reciprocal translocations between habitat types of differing quality. We selected wild pigs (Sus scrofa) as a model species to investigate hypotheses related to the movement behavior of translocated individuals because they are globally distributed large mammals that are often translocated within their introduced range to facilitate recreational hunting. Individuals translocated to higher quality habitat (i.e. higher proportions of bottomland hardwood habitats) exhibited smaller exploratory movements and began exploiting resources more quickly than those introduced to lower quality areas, although those in lower-quality areas demonstrated an increased rate of selection for preferred habitat as they gained knowledge of the landscape. Our data demonstrate that habitat quality mediates the spatial and temporal scale at which animals respond behaviorally to novel environments, and how these processes may determine the success of population establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B Smith
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1401 Gekeler Ln, La Grande, OR, 97850, USA
| | - David A Keiter
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
- D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Steven J Sweeney
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, 2150 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, 2150 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Peter E Schlichting
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA.
- D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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8
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La Sala LF, Burgos JM, Caruso N, Bagnato CE, Ballari SA, Guadagnin DL, Kindel A, Etges M, Merino M, Marcos A, Skewes O, Schettino D, Pérez A, Condori E, Tammone A, Carpinetti B, Zalba SM. Wild pigs and their widespread threat to biodiversity conservation in South America. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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9
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Factors driving human–wild pig interactions: implications for wildlife conflict management in southern parts of India. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02911-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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10
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Snow NP, Kupferman CA, Lavelle MJ, Pepin KM, Melton MH, Gann WJ, VerCauteren KC, Beasley JC. No panacea attractant for wild pigs (Sus scrofa), but season and location matter. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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11
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Miller RS, Bevins SN, Cook G, Free R, Pepin KM, Gidlewski T, Brown VR. Adaptive risk-based targeted surveillance for foreign animal diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e2329-e2340. [PMID: 35490290 PMCID: PMC9790623 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Animal disease surveillance is an important component of the national veterinary infrastructure to protect animal agriculture and facilitates identification of foreign animal disease (FAD) introduction. Once introduced, pathogens shared among domestic and wild animals are especially challenging to manage due to the complex ecology of spillover and spillback. Thus, early identification of FAD in wildlife is critical to minimize outbreak severity and potential impacts on animal agriculture as well as potential impacts on wildlife and biodiversity. As a result, national surveillance and monitoring programs that include wildlife are becoming increasingly common. Designing surveillance systems in wildlife or, more importantly, at the interface of wildlife and domestic animals, is especially challenging because of the frequent lack of ecological and epidemiological data for wildlife species and technical challenges associated with a lack of non-invasive methodologies. To meet the increasing need for targeted FAD surveillance and to address gaps in existing wildlife surveillance systems, we developed an adaptive risk-based targeted surveillance approach that accounts for risks in source and recipient host populations. The approach is flexible, accounts for changing disease risks through time, can be scaled from local to national extents and permits the inclusion of quantitative data or when information is limited to expert opinion. We apply this adaptive risk-based surveillance framework to prioritize areas for surveillance in wild pigs in the United States with the objective of early detection of three diseases: classical swine fever, African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease. We discuss our surveillance framework, its application to wild pigs and discuss the utility of this framework for surveillance of other host species and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S. Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary ServicesCenter for Epidemiology and Animal HealthFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Sarah N. Bevins
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife ServicesNational Wildlife Research CenterFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Gericke Cook
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary ServicesCenter for Epidemiology and Animal HealthFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Ross Free
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary ServicesSwine Commodity HealthRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Kim M. Pepin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife ServicesNational Wildlife Research CenterFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Thomas Gidlewski
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife ServicesNational Wildlife Disease ProgramFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Vienna R. Brown
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife ServicesNational Feral Swine Damage Management ProgramFort CollinsColoradoUSA
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12
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Pepin KM, Brown VR, Yang A, Beasley JC, Boughton R, VerCauteren KC, Miller RS, Bevins SN. Optimizing response to an introduction of African swine fever in wild pigs. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e3111-e3127. [PMID: 35881004 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
African swine fever virus (ASFv) is a virulent pathogen that threatens domestic swine industries globally and persists in wild boar populations in some countries. Persistence in wild boar can challenge elimination and prevent disease-free status, making it necessary to address wild swine in proactive response plans. In the U.S., invasive wild pigs are abundant and found across a wide range of ecological conditions that could drive different epidemiological dynamics among populations. Information on size of control areas required to rapidly eliminate ASFv in wild pigs and how this area should change with management constraints and local ecology are needed to optimize response planning. We developed a spatially-explicit disease transmission model contrasting wild pig movement and contact ecology in two ecosystems in southeastern U.S. We simulated ASFv spread and determined optimal response area (reported as radius of a circle) for eliminating ASFv rapidly over a range of detection times (when ASFv is detected relative to true date of introduction), culling capacities (proportion of wild pigs in the culling zone removed weekly), and wild pig densities. Large radii for response areas (14 km) were needed under most conditions but could be shortened with early detection (≤ 8 weeks) and high culling capacities (≥ 15% weekly). Under most conditions ASFv was eliminated in less than 22 weeks using optimal control radii, although ecological conditions with high rates of wild pig movement required higher culling capacities (≥ 10% weekly) for elimination within one year. Results highlight the importance of adjusting response plans based on local ecology and show wild pig movement is a better predictor of optimal response area than numbers of ASFv cases early in the outbreak trajectory. Our framework provides a tool for determining optimal control plans in different areas, guiding expectations of response impacts, and planning resources needed for rapid elimination. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim M Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 4101 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80526
| | - Vienna R Brown
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife Services, National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Anni Yang
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 4101 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80526.,Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, US
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, PO Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina, 29802, US
| | - Raoul Boughton
- Archbold Biological Station's Buck Island Ranch, 300 Buck Island Ranch Road, Lake Placid, FL, 33852, US
| | - Kurt C VerCauteren
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 4101 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80526
| | - Ryan S Miller
- Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2150 Center Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80526
| | - Sarah N Bevins
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 4101 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80526
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13
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Patterson L, Belkhiria J, Martínez-López B, Pires AFA. Identification of high-risk contact areas between feral pigs and outdoor-raised pig operations in California: Implications for disease transmission in the wildlife-livestock interface. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270500. [PMID: 35763526 PMCID: PMC9239460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The US is currently experiencing a return to raising domestic pigs outdoors, due to consumer demand for sustainably-raised animal products. A challenge in raising pigs outdoors is the possibility of these animals interacting with feral pigs and an associated risk of pathogen transmission. California has one of the largest and widest geographic distributions of feral pigs. Locations at greatest risk for increased contact between both swine populations are those regions that contain feral pig suitable habitat located near outdoor-raised domestic pigs. The main aim of this study entailed identifying potential high-risk areas of disease transmission between these two swine populations. Aims were achieved by predicting suitable feral pig habitat using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt); mapping the spatial distribution of outdoor-raised pig operations (OPO); and identifying high-risk regions where there is overlap between feral pig suitable habitat and OPO. A MaxEnt prediction map with estimates of the relative probability of suitable feral pig habitat was built, using hunting tags as presence-only points. Predictor layers were included in variable selection steps for model building. Five variables were identified as important in predicting suitable feral pig habitat in the final model, including the annual maximum green vegetation fraction, elevation, the minimum temperature of the coldest month, precipitation of the wettest month and the coefficient of variation for seasonal precipitation. For the risk map, the final MaxEnt model was overlapped with the location of OPOs to categorize areas at greatest risk for contact between feral swine and domestic pigs raised outdoors and subsequent potential disease transmission. Since raising pigs outdoors is a remerging trend, feral pig numbers are increasing nationwide, and both groups are reservoirs for various pathogens, the contact between these two swine populations has important implications for disease transmission in the wildlife-livestock interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Patterson
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Jaber Belkhiria
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Alda F. A. Pires
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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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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15
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Potts JR, Börger L, Strickland BK, Street GM. Assessing the predictive power of step selection functions: how social and environmental interactions affect animal space use. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R. Potts
- School of Mathematics and Statistics University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road Sheffield UK
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University, Singleton Park Swansea Wales UK
- Centre for Biomathematics College of Science Swansea University, Singleton Park Swansea Wales UK
| | - Bronson K. Strickland
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Mississippi State MS USA
| | - Garrett M. Street
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Mississippi State MS USA
- Quantitative Ecology and Spatial Technologies Laboratory Mississippi State University Mississippi State MS USA
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16
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Clontz LM, Pepin KM, VerCauteren KC, Beasley JC. Influence of biotic and abiotic factors on home range size and shape of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa). PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:914-928. [PMID: 34719092 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Determining factors influencing animal movements at a temporal scale that is similar to that at which management actions are conducted (e.g. weekly) is crucial for identifying efficient methods of wildlife conservation and management. Using global positioning system (GPS) data from 49 wild pigs in the southeast United States, we constructed weekly 50% and 95% utilization distributions to quantify the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on weekly core area and home range size, as well as home range shape. RESULTS We found vegetative composition (i.e. proportion of bottomland hardwoods), season (based on forage availability), meteorological conditions (i.e. temperature and pressure), and sex influenced wild pig weekly home range and core area size, while vegetative composition (i.e. proportion of upland pines) and landscape features (i.e. distance to streams) also were important factors influencing home range shape. At close distances to streams, wild pigs had more elongate home ranges when their home ranges comprised less upland pine habitat; however, farther from streams, there was no change in home range shape across fluctuating proportions of upland pines. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that fine-scale wild pig home ranges and movements are pliable from week to week and influenced by several habitat, landscape, and meteorological attributes that can easily be quantified from available land use and meteorological databases. These findings are important for designing monitoring studies, identifying high risk zones for disease transmission, planning response to disease emergence events, and allowing more effective and efficient short-term management planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M Clontz
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kurt C VerCauteren
- US 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 Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
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17
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Koen EL, Newton EJ, Ellington EH. Evaluating potential sources of invasive wild pigs in Ontario. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14744-14757. [PMID: 34765138 PMCID: PMC8571589 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are considered one of the most damaging species globally, and once they become established in an area, they are notoriously difficult to eliminate. As such, identifying the potential pathways of invasion, especially in places with emerging populations, is critical for preventing new or continued invasion. Wild pigs have been reported in Ontario, Canada, in recent years. We tested four nonexclusive hypotheses about the source of wild pigs in Ontario: (a) escapees from captive sources within Ontario; (b) invasion from neighboring jurisdictions; (c) existing wild populations within Ontario; and (d) translocation and illegal release. We found that sightings of Eurasian wild boar were closer to premises with wild boar than were random locations; wild boar sightings were an average of 16.3 km (SD = 25.4 km, min = 0.2 km, n = 20) from premises with wild boar. We also found that sightings of domestic pigs were closer to domestic pig farms than expected. Sightings of wild pigs in groups of more than four animals were rare. Our results suggest that wild pigs observed in Ontario are recent escapes from captivity, recognizing that there may be established groups of wild pigs that we have not yet detected. While not common, we also received reports indicating that in the past, wild pigs have been translocated and illegally released. Other North American jurisdictions that have been successful at eliminating wild pigs have removed existing populations and changed regulations to limit future invasion, such as prohibiting possession and transport of wild boar and prohibiting hunting of wild pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L. Koen
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring SectionOntario Ministry of Northern DevelopmentMines, Natural Resources, and ForestryPeterboroughONCanada
| | - Erica J. Newton
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring SectionOntario Ministry of Northern DevelopmentMines, Natural Resources, and ForestryPeterboroughONCanada
| | - E. Hance Ellington
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationRange Cattle Research and Education CenterUniversity of FloridaOnaFloridaUSA
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18
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Hensel MJS, Silliman BR, van de Koppel J, Hensel E, Sharp SJ, Crotty SM, Byrnes JEK. A large invasive consumer reduces coastal ecosystem resilience by disabling positive species interactions. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6290. [PMID: 34725328 PMCID: PMC8560935 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26504-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive consumers can cause extensive ecological damage to native communities but effects on ecosystem resilience are less understood. Here, we use drone surveys, manipulative experiments, and mathematical models to show how feral hogs reduce resilience in southeastern US salt marshes by dismantling an essential marsh cordgrass-ribbed mussel mutualism. Mussels usually double plant growth and enhance marsh resilience to extreme drought but, when hogs invade, switch from being essential for plant survival to a liability; hogs selectively forage in mussel-rich areas leading to a 50% reduction in plant biomass and slower post-drought recovery rate. Hogs increase habitat fragmentation across landscapes by maintaining large, disturbed areas through trampling of cordgrass during targeted mussel consumption. Experiments and climate-disturbance recovery models show trampling alone slows marsh recovery by 3x while focused mussel predation creates marshes that may never recover from large-scale disturbances without hog eradication. Our work highlights that an invasive consumer can reshape ecosystems not just via competition and predation, but by disrupting key, positive species interactions that underlie resilience to climatic disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc J. S. Hensel
- grid.266685.90000 0004 0386 3207Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA USA ,grid.26009.3d0000 0004 1936 7961Nicholas School for the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Brian R. Silliman
- grid.26009.3d0000 0004 1936 7961Nicholas School for the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Johan van de Koppel
- grid.5477.10000000120346234NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands ,grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Enie Hensel
- grid.40803.3f0000 0001 2173 6074Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA
| | - Sean J. Sharp
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Sinead M. Crotty
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Jarrett E. K. Byrnes
- grid.266685.90000 0004 0386 3207Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA USA
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19
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Newell C, Walker H, Caro T. Pig pigmentation: testing Gloger’s rule. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Comparative studies indicate that several mammalian clades obey Gloger’s rule in that they exhibit darker coloration in humid warm climates, although the mechanisms responsible for this association still are poorly understood. We surveyed external appearances of a single species, the feral pig (Sus scrofa), shot at 48 hunting lodges across North America and matched these to potential abiotic drivers, namely: relative humidity, temperature, precipitation, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and to biotic factors of habitat shade and predation pressure. We found that darker animals occupy locations of greater precipitation and warmer temperatures, as expected from Gloger’s rule. The recent range expansion of S. scrofa implies selection for pelage coloration has occurred very rapidly. Separating pelage coloration into eumelanin- and phaeomelanin-based pigmentation, we found more pronounced eumelanin-based pelage in areas of higher rainfall and temperatures and UV radiation, whereas pelage phaeomelanin is related to cool dry climates with lower UV radiation. This implies that humidity or UV protection but not crypsis are the mechanisms underlying Gloger’s rule in this species and the factors driving eumelanin and phaeomelanin expression in mammalian pelage are different, reinforcing new interpretations of this venerable rule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Newell
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Hannah Walker
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Tim Caro
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
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20
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Beasley JC, Clontz LM, Rakowski A, Snow NP, VerCauteren KC. Evaluation of a warfarin bait for controlling invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa). PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:3057-3067. [PMID: 33644948 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6351] [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: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause widespread environmental and economic damage, and as a result are subjected to extensive control. Current management strategies have proven insufficient, and there is growing interest in use of toxicants to control invasive populations of this species. In 2017 a low-dose warfarin bait was federally approved for use in controlling wild pigs in the United States. However, no states have allowed use of this bait due to unanswered questions regarding welfare concerns, field efficacy, and non-target impacts. RESULTS All captive wild pigs fed 0.005% warfarin baits in no choice feeding trials succumbed in an average of 8 days from exposure. Behavioral symptoms of warfarin exposure included vomiting, external bleeding, abnormal breathing, incoordination, and limping. Postmortem examinations revealed hemorrhaging in organs and muscles, particularly the legs, gastrointestinal tract, and abdomen. Warfarin residues in tissues averaged 1.0 mg kg-1 for muscle, 3.9 mg kg-1 for liver, and 2.8 mg kg-1 for small intestines. Field testing revealed wild pigs required extensive training to access bait within pig-specific bait stations, and once acclimated, exhibited reluctance to consume toxic baits, resulting in no mortalities across two separate field deployments of toxic bait. CONCLUSION Our results suggest wild pigs are susceptible to low-dose warfarin, and warfarin residues in pig tissues postmortem are generally low. However, although warfarin-based baits are currently approved for use by the US Environmental Protection Agency, further improvements to pig-specific bait delivery systems and bait palatability are needed, as well as additional research to quantify efficacy, cost, and non-target impacts prior to widespread implementation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Lindsay M Clontz
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Allison Rakowski
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Nathan P Snow
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 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
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21
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The global impact of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) on terrestrial biodiversity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13256. [PMID: 34168214 PMCID: PMC8225776 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92691-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is a comprehensive database of over 120,000 species and is a powerful tool to evaluate the threat of invasive species to global biodiversity. Several problematic species have gained global recognition due to comprehensive threat assessments quantifying the threat these species pose to biodiversity using large datasets like the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, the global threat of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) to biodiversity is still poorly understood despite well-documented ecosystem level impacts. In this study, we utilized the IUCN Red List to quantify the impacts of this globally distributed species throughout its native and non-native range. Here we show that wild pigs threaten 672 taxa in 54 different countries across the globe. Most of these taxa are listed as critically endangered or endangered and 14 species have been driven to extinction as a direct result of impacts from wild pigs. Our results show that threats from wild pigs are pervasive across taxonomic groups and that island endemics and taxa throughout the non-native range of wild pigs are particularly vulnerable.
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22
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Lazarus BA, Che-Amat A, Abdul Halim Shah MM, Hamdan A, Abu Hassim H, Mustaffa Kamal F, Tengku Azizan TRP, Mohd Noor MH, Mohamed Mustapha N, Ahmad H. Impact of natural salt lick on the home range of Panthera tigris at the Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10596. [PMID: 34012045 PMCID: PMC8134436 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89980-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural salt lick (sira) is a strategic localisation for ecological wildlife assemblage to exhibit geophagy which may act as a population dynamic buffer of prey and predators. Undoubtedly, many agree that geophagy at natural licks is linked to nutritional ecology, health and assembly places facilitating social interaction of its users. Overall, natural salt licks not only save energy of obtaining nutrient leading to health maintenance but also forms the basis of population persistence. The Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia (Royal Belum) is a typical tropical rainforest in Malaysia rich in wildlife which are mainly concentrated around the natural salt lick. Since this is one of the most stable fauna ecology forest in Malaysia, it is timely to assess its impact on the Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris) home range dynamics. The three-potential home ranges of the Malayan tiger in this rainforest were selected based on animal trails or foot prints surrounding the salt lick viz (e.g. Sira Kuak and Sira Batu; Sira Rambai and Sira Buluh and Sira Papan) as well as previous sightings of a Malayan tiger in the area, whose movement is dependent on the density and distribution of prey. Camera traps were placed at potential animal trails surrounding the salt lick to capture any encountered wildlife species within the area of the camera placements. Results showed that all home ranges of Malayan tiger were of no significance for large bodied prey availability such as sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), and smaller prey such as muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjac) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Interestingly, all home range harbour the Malayan tiger as the only sole predator. The non-significance of prey availability at each home range is attributed to the decline of the Malayan tiger in the rainforest since tigers are dependant on the movement of its preferred prey surrounding natural salt licks. Thus, the information from this study offers fundamental knowledge on the importance of prey-predator interaction at salt lick which will help in designing strategy in rewilding or rehabilitation programs of the Malayan tiger at the Royal Belum Rainforest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Andrew Lazarus
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Azlan Che-Amat
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Muzammil Abdul Halim Shah
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Azwan Hamdan
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Hasliza Abu Hassim
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.,Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Production and Biodiversity, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Farina Mustaffa Kamal
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Tengku Rinalfi Putra Tengku Azizan
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Hezmee Mohd Noor
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.,University Agriculture Park, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Noordin Mohamed Mustapha
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Hafandi Ahmad
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
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23
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Zero-inflated-censored Weibull and gamma regression models to estimate wild boar population dispersal distance. JAPANESE JOURNAL OF STATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42081-021-00124-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe dynamics of the wild boar population has become a pressing issue not only for ecological purposes, but also for agricultural and livestock production. The data related to the wild boar dispersal distance can have a complex structure, including excess of zeros and right-censored observations, thus being challenging for modeling. In this sense, we propose two different zero-inflated-right-censored regression models, assuming Weibull and gamma distributions. First, we present the construction of the likelihood function, and then, we apply both models to simulated datasets, demonstrating that both regression models behave well. The simulation results point to the consistency and asymptotic unbiasedness of the developed methods. Afterwards, we adjusted both models to a simulated dataset of wild boar dispersal, including excess of zeros, right-censored observations, and two covariates: age and sex. We showed that the models were useful to extract inferences about the wild boar dispersal, correctly describing the data mimicking a situation where males disperse more than females, and age has a positive effect on the dispersal of the wild boars. These results are useful to overcome some limitations regarding inferences in zero-inflated-right-censored datasets, especially concerning the wild boar’s population. Users will be provided with an R function to run the proposed models.
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24
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Outreach increases detections of an invasive species in a crowdsourced monitoring program. Biol Invasions 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02526-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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25
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Pollock LA, Newton EJ, Koen EL. Predicting high-risk areas for African swine fever spread at the wild-domestic pig interface in Ontario. Prev Vet Med 2021; 191:105341. [PMID: 33848740 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The probability of disease transmission among livestock premises via spillover from wildlife vectors depends on interacting ecological, demographic, and behavioural variables. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) act as vectors and reservoirs of many diseases, including African Swine Fever (ASF), a highly lethal and contagious viral disease that affects both wild and domestic swine. Wild pigs play a significant role in the spread of ASF in geographic locations where the disease is present. Planning and preparedness will ensure that swift action can be taken to control ASF if it is introduced into North America. We used a network to predict the highest risk areas for ASF spread in Ontario, Canada given the distribution of wild pig sightings and other risk factors for wild pig presence and movement on the landscape. We used network nodes to represent the presence of domestic pig farms in a defined area, and we weighted network edges by the probability of ASF virus movement between nodes via movement of wild pigs. Our network models predicted that central Ontario has relatively high network closeness, suggesting that this area has a relatively high risk of virus exposure. These highly connected areas tended to also have the highest domestic pig farm density within a node. Central and eastern Ontario had the highest predicted network betweenness, suggesting that these areas are important for controlling virus flow across the province. We detected 10 communities or clusters within the overall network, where nodes were highly connected locally and relatively less connected to the rest of the network. Predicting areas with a high risk of exposure to the ASF virus due to wild pig movement in Ontario will guide managers on where to focus surveillance for ASF in the wild pig population and where to heighten biosecurity within commercial and backyard pig farms, ensuring that managers are prepared to act quickly to limit spread of ASF if the virus is introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Pollock
- Trent University, Department of Biology, Peterborough, ON, Canada; Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Erica J Newton
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Erin L Koen
- Trent University, Department of Biology, Peterborough, ON, Canada; Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Peterborough, ON, Canada.
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26
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Snow NP, Halseth JM, Glow MP, Lavelle MJ, Fischer JW, Vannatta EH, VerCauTeren KC. Daily and Landscape Influences of Species Visitation to Toxic Bait Sites for Wild Pigs. WILDLIFE SOC B 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan P. Snow
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Joseph M. Halseth
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Michael P. Glow
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Michael J. Lavelle
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Justin W. Fischer
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Eric H. Vannatta
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Kurt C. VerCauTeren
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Ave. Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
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27
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McKee AM, Bradley PM, Shelley D, McCarthy S, Molina M. Feral swine as sources of fecal contamination in recreational waters. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4212. [PMID: 33603153 PMCID: PMC7893155 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83798-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recreational waters are primary attractions at many national and state parks where feral swine populations are established, and thus are possible hotspots for visitor exposure to feral swine contaminants. Microbial source tracking (MST) was used to determine spatial and temporal patterns of fecal contamination in Congaree National Park (CONG) in South Carolina, U.S.A., which has an established population of feral swine and is a popular destination for water-based recreation. Water samples were collected between December 2017 and June 2019 from 18 surface water sites distributed throughout CONG. Host specific MST markers included human (HF183), swine (Pig2Bac), ruminant (Rum2Bac), cow (CowM3), chicken (CL), and a marker for shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC; stx2). Water samples were also screened for culturable Escherichia coli (E. coli) as part of a citizen science program. Neither the cow nor chicken MST markers were detected during the study. The human marker was predominantly detected at boundary sites or could be attributed to upstream sources. However, several detections within CONG without concurrent detections at upstream external sites suggested occasional internal contamination from humans. The swine marker was the most frequently detected of all MST markers, and was present at sites located both internal and external to the Park. Swine MST marker concentrations ≥ 43 gene copies/mL were associated with culturable E. coli concentrations greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency beach action value for recreational waters. None of the MST markers showed a strong association with detection of the pathogenic marker (stx2). Limited information about the health risk from exposure to fecal contamination from non-human sources hampers interpretation of the human health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M McKee
- South Atlantic Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 1770 Corporate Drive Suite 500, Norcross, GA, 30093, USA.
| | - Paul M Bradley
- South Atlantic Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 720 Gracern Rd., Suite 129, Columbia, SC, 29210, USA
| | - David Shelley
- National Park Service, Congaree National Park, 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC, 29061, USA
| | - Shea McCarthy
- National Park Service, Congaree National Park, 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC, 29061, USA.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly St, Columbia, SC, 29201, USA
| | - Marirosa Molina
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Dr, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
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Lynn MK, Morrissey JA, Conserve DF. Soil-Transmitted Helminths in the USA: a Review of Five Common Parasites and Future Directions for Avenues of Enhanced Epidemiologic Inquiry. CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2021; 8:32-42. [PMID: 33552843 PMCID: PMC7847297 DOI: 10.1007/s40475-020-00221-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review is to present a comprehensive look at five intestinal soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) of global health importance that may continue to plague low-income and rural areas of the USA and argue the need for enhanced surveillance of these infections, which primarily affect the nation's most vulnerable groups. RECENT FINDINGS Human STH infections in middle- and high-income countries are at particular risk for being undiagnosed; as common symptoms are non-specific, differentials require a high index of clinical suspicion, and cases are concentrated in areas of poverty where access to care is limited. Although autochthonous STHs are thought to be rare in the USA, infections were once common in the American South and Appalachia and robust epidemiologic surveillance is limited post 1980s. However, recent community studies and case reports from small-scale farms and areas of high rural or inner-city poverty reveal the potential for persisting helminth infections in distinct populations of the country. SUMMARY STHs are among the most common neglected tropical diseases globally causing significant morbidity in underserved communities and contributing to the continuation of cycles of poverty within vulnerable populations. Due to possible severe disease sequalae and their ability to perpetuate poverty and poverty-associated health outcomes within already vulnerable groups, it is vital that surveillance for these infections is enhanced to bolster health equity in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K. Lynn
- Laboratory of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC USA
| | - Josephine A. Morrissey
- Laboratory of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC USA
| | - Donaldson F. Conserve
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC USA
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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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Historical range expansion and biological changes of Sus scrofa corresponding to domestication and feralization. MAMMAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-020-00534-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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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] [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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32
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Bosch J, Barasona JA, Cadenas-Fernández E, Jurado C, Pintore A, Denurra D, Cherchi M, Vicente J, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM. Retrospective spatial analysis for African swine fever in endemic areas to assess interactions between susceptible host populations. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233473. [PMID: 32469923 PMCID: PMC7259610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
African Swine Fever (ASF) is one of the most complex and significant diseases from a sanitary-economic perspective currently affecting the world's swine-farming industry. ASF has been endemic in Sardinia (Italy) since 1978, and several control and eradication programmes have met with limited success. In this traditional ASF endemic area, there are three susceptible host populations for this virus sharing the same habitat: wild boar, farmed domestic pigs and non-registered free-ranging pigs (known as "brado" animals). The main goal of this study was to determine and predict fine-scale spatial interactions of this multi-host system in relation to the epidemiology of ASF in the main endemic area of Sardinia, Montes-Orgosolo. To this end, simultaneous monitoring of GPS-GSM collared wild boar and free-ranging pigs sightings were performed to predict interaction indexes through latent selection difference functions with environmental, human and farming factors. Regarding epidemiological assessment, the spatial inter-specific interaction indexes obtained here were used to correlate ASF notifications in wild boar and domestic pig farms. Daily movement patterns, home ranges (between 120.7 and 2,622.8 ha) and resource selection of wild boar were obtained for the first time on the island. Overall, our prediction model showed the highest spatial interactions between wild boar and free-ranging pigs in areas close to pig farms. A spatially explicit model was obtained to map inter-specific interaction over the complete ASF-endemic area of the island. Our approach to monitoring interaction indexes may help explain the occurrence of ASF notifications in wild boar and domestic pigs on a fine-spatial scale. These results support the recent and effective eradication measures taken in Sardinia. In addition, this methodology could be extrapolated to apply in the current epidemiological scenarios of ASF in Eurasia, where exist multi-host systems involving free-ranging pigs and wild boar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Bosch
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose A. Barasona
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Estefanía Cadenas-Fernández
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Jurado
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Pintore
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Daniele Denurra
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Marcella Cherchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Spanish Wildlife Research Institute (IREC) (CSIC-UCLM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Jose M. Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Basak JK, Okyere FG, Arulmozhi E, Park J, Khan F, Kim HT. Artificial neural networks and multiple linear regression as potential methods for modelling body surface temperature of pig. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2020.1761818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jayanta Kumar Basak
- Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Farm), Jinju, Korea
- Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Frank Gyan Okyere
- Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Farm), Jinju, Korea
| | - Elanchezhian Arulmozhi
- Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Farm), Jinju, Korea
| | - Jihoon Park
- Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Farm), Jinju, Korea
| | - Fawad Khan
- Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Farm), Jinju, Korea
| | - Hyeon Tae Kim
- Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Farm), Jinju, Korea
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Smyser TJ, Tabak MA, Slootmaker C, Robeson MS, Miller RS, Bosse M, Megens HJ, Groenen MAM, Paiva SR, de Faria DA, Blackburn HD, Schmit BS, Piaggio AJ. Mixed ancestry from wild and domestic lineages contributes to the rapid expansion of invasive feral swine. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:1103-1119. [PMID: 32080922 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Invasive alien species are a significant threat to both economic and ecological systems. Identifying the processes that give rise to invasive populations is essential for implementing effective control strategies. We conducted an ancestry analysis of invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa, Linnaeus, 1758), a highly destructive ungulate that is widely distributed throughout the contiguous United States, to describe introduction pathways, sources of newly emergent populations and processes contributing to an ongoing invasion. Comparisons of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes for 6,566 invasive feral swine to a comprehensive reference set of S. scrofa revealed that the vast majority of feral swine were of mixed ancestry, with dominant genetic associations to Western heritage breeds of domestic pig and European populations of wild boar. Further, the rapid expansion of invasive feral swine over the past 30 years was attributable to secondary introductions from established populations of admixed ancestry as opposed to direct introductions of domestic breeds or wild boar. Spatially widespread genetic associations of invasive feral swine to European wild boar deviated strongly from historical S. scrofa introduction pressure, which was largely restricted to domestic pigs with infrequent, localized wild boar releases. The deviation between historical introduction pressure and contemporary genetic ancestry suggests wild boar-hybridization may contribute to differential fitness in the environment and heightened invasive potential for individuals of admixed domestic pig-wild boar ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Smyser
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael A Tabak
- Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, United States Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Quantitative Science Consulting, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Chris Slootmaker
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael S Robeson
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, United States Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Mirte Bosse
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik-Jan Megens
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martien A M Groenen
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Samuel Rezende Paiva
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Danielle Assis de Faria
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Harvey D Blackburn
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Brandon S Schmit
- National Wildlife Disease Program, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Antoinette J Piaggio
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Sanders HN, Hewitt DG, Perotto-Baldivieso HL, VerCauteren KC, Snow NP. Invasive Wild Pigs as Primary Nest Predators for Wild Turkeys. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2625. [PMID: 32060348 PMCID: PMC7021696 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59543-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Depredation of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) nests is a leading cause of reduced recruitment for the recovering and iconic game species. Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are known to depredate nests, and have been expanding throughout the distributed range of wild turkeys in North America. We sought to gain better insight on the magnitude of wild pigs depredating wild turkey nests. We constructed simulated wild turkey nests throughout the home ranges of 20 GPS-collared wild pigs to evaluate nest depredation relative to three periods within the nesting season (i.e., early, peak, and late) and two nest densities (moderate = 12.5-25 nests/km2, high = 25-50 nests/km2) in south-central Texas, USA during March–June 2016. Overall, the estimated probability of nest depredation by wild pigs was 0.3, equivalent to native species of nest predators in the study area (e.g., gray fox [Urocyon cinereoargenteus], raccoon [Procyon lotor], and coyote [Canis latrans]). Female wild pigs exhibited a constant rate of depredation regardless of nesting period or density of nests. However, male wild pigs increased their rate of depredation in areas with higher nest densities. Management efforts should remove wild pigs to reduce nest failure in wild turkey populations especially where recruitment is low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather N Sanders
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA
| | - David G Hewitt
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA
| | - Humberto L Perotto-Baldivieso
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA
| | - Kurt C VerCauteren
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Nathan P Snow
- USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA.
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Hernández-Pérez EL, Castillo-Vela G, García-Marmolejo G, Hidalgo-Mihart M, Contreras-Moreno FM, Jesús-de la Cruz A, Juárez-López R, Reyna-Hurtado R. Relaciones ecológicas entre pecaríes de collar y cerdos asilvestrados en el sur de México: ¿evidencia de la división de nicho? REV MEX BIODIVERS 2020. [DOI: 10.22201/ib.20078706e.2020.91.2977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Froehly JL, Beane NR, Evans DE, Cagle KE, Jachowski DS. Using multi-scale behavioral investigations to inform wild pig (Sus scrofa) population management. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228705. [PMID: 32032396 PMCID: PMC7006903 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing invasive species ecology at multiple scales is needed to understand how to focus ecological monitoring and population control. As a widespread invasive species, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) frequently disrupt land management programs. We provide a detailed, multi-scaled view of the behavior of wild pigs at Fort Hood, Texas, USA by assessing seasonal and daily movement patterns, and diet. First, we quantified movement behavior through assessment of both seasonal home range size and first passage time movement behavior from 16 GPS-collared wild pigs. Home ranges were relatively large (mean: 10.472 km2, SD: 0.472 km2), and Cox proportional hazard models predicted that pigs moved slowest at temperature extremes (15< °C <30), in the spring, in rougher terrain, and in grassland communities. Secondly, we analyzed wild pig stomach contents to determine diet throughout the year. Diet was primarily plant-based, and showed seasonal variation in such items as hard and soft mast, and the foliage of forbs and woody plants. Integration of both movement and diet analyses indicate that wild pigs are more likely to be lured into baited traps in the winter when movement rates are highest and plant-based food resources are likely less abundant. Wild pigs are likely to have the greatest impact on vegetative communities in grassland habitats during the spring season when movement is restricted. Collectively, this multi-scaled approach provided detailed information on wild pig behavioral ecology in this area that would not have been apparent by looking at any single measure individually or only at a large spatial scale (i.e., home range), and could be a useful approach in other invasive species management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Froehly
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Nathan R. Beane
- Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Darrell E. Evans
- Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Kevin E. Cagle
- Natural Resources Management Branch, Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works, Fort Hood, Texas, United States of America
| | - David S. Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
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Markov N, Pankova N, Morelle K. Where winter rules: Modeling wild boar distribution in its north-eastern range. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 687:1055-1064. [PMID: 31412443 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Wild boars are distributed almost all over the Earth. Though, Northern Asia remained not inhabited by the species until the end of the 20th century. In the last two decades slowly but surely the wild boar has expanded the northeastern edge of its range to the northern border of the taiga. Investigating environmental factors that underlie range expansions is crucial for understanding its mechanism and predict future changes in species distribution and biodiversity. Here we investigated the distribution of wild boar in its northeastern range, comparing the role of habitat and climate variables at three spatial scales: the permanently occupied area, the area of potential expansion and the total area. We have shown that along the gradient of wild boar occupancy (from permanently to sporadically occupied to presently unoccupied) the importance of habitat variables decreases while importance of climatic variables increases. Our analysis suggests that the potential range increase of the species results from the combined effect of habitat and climatic variables. A possibility for future expansion, however, is rather related to climate change (particularly to the increase of temperature at high latitudes) than to the alteration of habitat or shifts in resource use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickolay Markov
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology Ural Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia.
| | - Nadezhda Pankova
- Oksky Biosphere Nature Reserve, Brykin Bor, Ryazanskaya Oblast, Russia 391072
| | - Kevin Morelle
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bialowieza, Poland
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Rutten A, Cox K, Scheppers T, Broecke BV, Leirs H, Casaer J. Analysing the recolonisation of a highly fragmented landscape by wild boar using a landscape genetic approach. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen Cox
- K. Cox, Res. Inst. for Nature and Forest (INBO), Geraardsbergen, Belgium
| | | | - Bram Vanden Broecke
- B. Vanden Broecke and H. Leirs, Dept of Biology, Univ. of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herwig Leirs
- B. Vanden Broecke and H. Leirs, Dept of Biology, Univ. of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jim Casaer
- J. Casaer, Res. Inst. for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
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O’Brien P, Vander Wal E, Koen EL, Brown CD, Guy J, van Beest FM, Brook RK. Understanding habitat co-occurrence and the potential for competition between native mammals and invasive wild pigs ( Sus scrofa) at the northern edge of their range. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Invasive species are a major contributor to biodiversity loss worldwide. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758) are highly invasive in their introduced ranges; they modify habitat and threaten native species. As recent invaders in Canada, it is unknown what habitats wild pigs occupy at the northern edge of their range and how they affect mammalian diversity. We examined habitat factors that we predicted would affect co-occurrence of wild pigs with native mammals. We randomly placed 17 camera traps in four stratified habitat types (deciduous forest, grassland, cropland, and wetland) for 2 years to examine species co-occurrence in these habitats. We analyzed camera-trap data using nonmetric multidimensional scaling. Wild pig detection during winter was greatest in wetland and cropland and positively associated with occurrence of moose (Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758)) and coyote (Canis latrans Say, 1823) and negatively associated with the presence of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817)), and humans. In summer, we detected wild pigs only in grassland; these detections were positively associated with moose and mule deer and negatively associated with domesticated cattle (Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758), elk (Cervus canadensis Erxleben, 1777), and humans. We conclude that invasive wild pig occurrence at the northern edge of their Canadian range varies seasonally, by habitat, and is negatively affected by the presence of humans. Moreover, apparent co-occurrence with native fauna and avoidance of domestic species provides early evidence for potential competitive interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul O’Brien
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Erin L. Koen
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada
| | - Carissa D. Brown
- Department of Geography, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Jenn Guy
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Floris M. van Beest
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ryan K. Brook
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada
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Aschim RA, Brook RK. Evaluating Cost-Effective Methods for Rapid and Repeatable National Scale Detection and Mapping of Invasive Species Spread. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7254. [PMID: 31076638 PMCID: PMC6510748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43729-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species can spread rapidly at local and national scales, creating significant environmental and economic impacts. A central problem in mitigation efforts is identifying methods that can rapidly detect invasive species in a cost-effective and repeatable manner. This challenge is particularly acute for species that can spread over large areas (>1 million km2). Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most prolific invasive mammals on Earth and cause extensive damage to agricultural crops, native ecosystems, and livestock, and are reservoirs of disease. They have spread from their native range in Eurasia and North Africa into large areas of Australia, Africa, South America, and North America. We show that the range of invasive wild pigs has increased exponentially in Canada over the last 27 years following initial and ongoing releases and escapes from domestic wild boar farms. The cumulative range of wild pigs across Canada is 777,783 km2, with the majority of wild pig distribution occurring in the Prairie Provinces. We evaluate eight different data collection and evaluation/validation methods for mapping invasive species over large areas, and assess their benefits and limitations. Our findings effectively map the spread of a highly invasive large mammal and demonstrate that management efforts should ideally rely on a set of complementary independent monitoring methods. Mapping and evaluating resulting species occurrences provide baseline maps against which future changes can be rapidly evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth A Aschim
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada.
| | - Ryan K Brook
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada
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Historical, current, and potential population size estimates of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in the United States. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-01983-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Pepin KM, Wolfson DW, Miller RS, Tabak MA, Snow NP, VerCauteren KC, Davis AJ. Accounting for heterogeneous invasion rates reveals management impacts on the spatial expansion of an invasive species. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kim M. Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center USDA‐APHIS Wildlife Services 4101 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80521 USA
| | - David W. Wolfson
- Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health USDA‐APHIS Veterinary Services 2150 Centre Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
| | - Ryan S. Miller
- Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health USDA‐APHIS Veterinary Services 2150 Centre Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
| | - Michael A. Tabak
- Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health USDA‐APHIS Veterinary Services 2150 Centre Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
| | - Nathan P. Snow
- National Wildlife Research Center USDA‐APHIS Wildlife Services 4101 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80521 USA
| | - Kurt C. VerCauteren
- National Wildlife Research Center USDA‐APHIS Wildlife Services 4101 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80521 USA
| | - Amy J. Davis
- National Wildlife Research Center USDA‐APHIS Wildlife Services 4101 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80521 USA
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Croft S, Smith G, Acevedo P, Vicente J. Wild boar in focus: initial model outputs of wild boar distribution based on occurrence data and identification of priority areas for data collection. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.2903/sp.efsa.2019.en-1533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Hegel CGZ, Santos LRD, Pichorim M, Marini MÂ. Wild pig (Sus scrofa L.) occupancy patterns in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2019. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract: Despite the great impacts of invasive wild pig (Sus scrofa) to natural ecosystems, habitat use by this species in the neotropics remains poorly studied. Here, we investigated the effects of local habitat and landscape covariates (vegetation types, running watercourses and roads) on occupancy patterns of wild pig in the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. We used single season occupancy modeling to estimate detection (p) and occupancy (ψ) probabilities, using 8-day camera-trap monitoring of 100 sampled sites. The cameras detected wild pig in 64 sites (naïve occupancy = 64 %). The four best models explained 72.7 % of the occupancy patterns, and the top model (with "water" variable) had a weight of 28.5 %. Even though none of the tested variables had high explanatory power of wild pig occupancy, the water variable had a negative effect trend (β = -1.124; SE = 0.734), with 59 % of occupancy when water was present and 82 % when it was absent around the sampling sites. Vestiges of the presence of wild pig in different vegetation types revealed that they used plantations of Pinus sp., native forests, and corn and oat crops. The occupation pattern shows that wild pig are generalist at our study site at the Atlantic Forest being found everywhere, raising ecological and economic concerns about the high potential negative effects of its invasion.
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Avery RH, Wall LA, Verhoeve VI, Gipson KS, Malone JB. Molecular Confirmation of Ascaris suum: Further Investigation into the Zoonotic Origin of Infection in an 8-Year-Old Boy with Loeffler Syndrome. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:638-640. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan H. Avery
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Luke A. Wall
- Section of Allergy/Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Children's Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Victoria I. Verhoeve
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Kevin S. Gipson
- Section of Allergy/Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Children's Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - John B. Malone
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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Miller RS, Opp SM, Webb CT. Determinants of invasive species policy: Print media and agriculture determine U.S. invasive wild pig policy. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S. Miller
- Veterinary Services; Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health; USDA, APHIS; 2150 Centre Avenue Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
- Department of Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
| | - Susan M. Opp
- Department of Political Science; Colorado State University; Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
| | - Colleen T. Webb
- Department of Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
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Paolini KE, Strickland BK, Tegt JL, VerCauteren KC, Street GM. Seasonal variation in preference dictates space use in an invasive generalist. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199078. [PMID: 30028855 PMCID: PMC6054371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The spatiotemporal distribution of resources is a critical component of realized animal distributions. In agricultural landscapes, space use by generalist consumers is influenced by ephemeral resource availability that may produce behavioral differences across agricultural seasons, resulting in economic and production consequences and increased human-wildlife conflict. Our objective was to assess changes in habitat selection across seasons in an invasive generalist omnivore (feral pigs, Sus scrofa). Hypothesizing that pig space use is primarily driven by forage availability, we predicted strong selection for the most nutritionally beneficial crops and resource types as agricultural seasons progressed. We deployed GPS collars on 13 adult feral pigs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley to study resource selection in a fragmented agricultural landscape. We estimated resource selection using mixed-effect logistic regression to assess variation in selection across planting, growing, harvest, and fallow seasons. Results We found that feral pigs varied resource selection across seasons, particularly for corn (Zea mais). We also detected seasonal dependencies in proportional coverage on the net probability of selection of a land unit (e.g., selection was generally strongest for locations composed of both agricultural and natural habitat), resulting in marked variation in predicted space use among agricultural seasons. Conclusions These findings indicate behavioral changes in selection across agricultural seasons are driven by complex interactions between the availabilities of temporally dynamic resources and temporally static natural cover. Temporal variations in resource selection trends indicate seasonal responses to crop phenology which suggests a season-specific habitat functional response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Paolini
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Bronson K. Strickland
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Jessica L. Tegt
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Kurt C. VerCauteren
- United States Department of Agriculture, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Garrett M. Street
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, United States of America
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Pittiglio C, Khomenko S, Beltran-Alcrudo D. Wild boar mapping using population-density statistics: From polygons to high resolution raster maps. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193295. [PMID: 29768413 PMCID: PMC5955487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The wild boar is an important crop raider as well as a reservoir and agent of spread of swine diseases. Due to increasing densities and expanding ranges worldwide, the related economic losses in livestock and agricultural sectors are significant and on the rise. Its management and control would strongly benefit from accurate and detailed spatial information on species distribution and abundance, which are often available only for small areas. Data are commonly available at aggregated administrative units with little or no information about the distribution of the species within the unit. In this paper, a four-step geostatistical downscaling approach is presented and used to disaggregate wild boar population density statistics from administrative units of different shape and size (polygons) to 5 km resolution raster maps by incorporating auxiliary fine scale environmental variables. 1) First a stratification method was used to define homogeneous bioclimatic regions for the analysis; 2) Under a geostatistical framework, the wild boar densities at administrative units, i.e. subnational areas, were decomposed into trend and residual components for each bioclimatic region. Quantitative relationships between wild boar data and environmental variables were estimated through multiple regression and used to derive trend components at 5 km spatial resolution. Next, the residual components (i.e., the differences between the trend components and the original wild boar data at administrative units) were downscaled at 5 km resolution using area-to-point kriging. The trend and residual components obtained at 5 km resolution were finally added to generate fine scale wild boar estimates for each bioclimatic region. 3) These maps were then mosaicked to produce a final output map of predicted wild boar densities across most of Eurasia. 4) Model accuracy was assessed at each different step using input as well as independent data. We discuss advantages and limits of the method and its potential application in animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Pittiglio
- Animal Production and Health Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Italy
| | - Sergei Khomenko
- Animal Production and Health Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniel Beltran-Alcrudo
- Animal Production and Health Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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A globally-distributed alien invasive species poses risks to United States imperiled species. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5331. [PMID: 29593292 PMCID: PMC5871849 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23657-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the midst of Earth’s sixth mass extinction event, non-native species are a driving factor in many imperiled species’ declines. One of the most widespread and destructive alien invasive species in the world, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) threaten native species through predation, habitat destruction, competition, and disease transmission. We show that wild pigs co-occur with up to 87.2% of imperiled species in the contiguous U.S. identified as susceptible to their direct impacts, and we project increases in both the number of species at risk and the geographic extent of risks by 2025. Wild pigs may therefore present a severe threat to U.S. imperiled species, with serious implications for management of at-risk species throughout wild pigs’ global distribution. We offer guidance for efficient allocation of research effort and conservation resources across species and regions using a simple approach that can be applied to wild pigs and other alien invasive species globally.
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