Effective management of wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations has to be based on precise estimates of local densities. The development of an effective and cost-efficient technique to cope with this need has always represented a challenge for wildlife managers and researchers. Drive counts, hunting bags, and Random Encounter Model (REM) are among the most frequently used techniques, with the latter recently gaining wide recognition. We sought to compare the 3 methods in terms of their suitability for management, precision, and effort required. Moreover, we evaluated the uncertainty of REM results when all sources of error were considered. In our study, the 3 methods were applied to a wild boar population of the Italian Apennines in 2013. We used the delta method to assess the total uncertainty of REM density estimates on the basis of the errors associated to all the parameters involved.Notably, the 3 methods tested showed consistent mean density estimates, though none of them reached fully satisfying levels of precision for management purposes. Since the low precision of REM was mostly due to the high variability of the group-size parameter, we propose simple technical improvements aimed at reducing the variability of this parameter and, thus, of REM. Although all the methods tested still need to be further developed to be effective for wild boar management, REM seems to be the most promising one in terms of both

The International Symposium on Wild Boar and Other Suids (IWBS 2022), which took place in Montseny Biosphere Reserve (Catalonia, Spain) in September 2022, provided to ENETWILD with the opportunity to meet in‐person for the first time after 2.5 years, and meet the international scientific community with expertise on wild suids and other ungulates. Twelve members of ENETWILD consortium representing 6 partners were present. Bringing together international experts, stakeholders and ENETWILD collaborators was a perfect occasion to present the European Observatory of Wildlife (EOW). Two hundred and twenty‐five wildlife experts from 25 countries were present at symposium, and at presentation of the EOW. Overall, 3 'Plenary Talks' and 118 presentations (62 oral and 56 posters) were made. The meeting has gone through all the possible topics regarding wild suids, from genetics to monitoring and management. This was the optimal context to introduce the EOW to an ideal target audience, both in terms of interest and in terms of potential new member of the Network. From our presentation, it emerged the importance of comparable data on geographical distribution and abundance of wildlife hosts in Europe, fundamental to develop the best management policies and to perform effective risk assessments for shared emergent diseases. The adoption of a common and effective protocol adopted throughout the continent would ensure such comparability. Moreover, the discussion highlighted the need of extending the network to as many European countries as possible and, when feasible, of having multiple sites within each country. A number of participants manifested their interest to join the EOW during the 2023 campaign. Such a capillary distribution of observation points would provide solid and comparable density estimates as well as effective feedback about the field protocol implemented by the EOW. A number of questions were raised by the audience during the presentation of the EOW.

The European Observatory of Wildlife (EOW) as part of the ENETWILD project, aims to improve the European capacity for monitoring wildlife populations, implementing international standards for data collection, providing guidance on wildlife density estimation, and finally, to promote collaborative, open data networks to develop wildlife monitoring, initially focusing on terrestrial wild mammals. This report presents density estimates for species that are widely distributed (wild boar (Sus scrofa), European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus)) by following a standardised camera trapping (CT) protocol, in 48 areas from 28 different countries in Europe, during 2022. Density values are provided for 37 areas from 20 countries, while an additional 9 locations from 8 countries are currently completing the data analysis. The EOW involved different stakeholders over most European countries, which resulted for the first time in a number of reliable (known precision) wild ungulate density estimates, from areas representing different European bioregions. These estimates are the result of a collaborative effort from the network to apply practical systematic and rigorous protocols. The results presented from the first pilot campaign of the EOW cannot be used to accurately describe wildlife population gradients and trends at European level but can be used as first baseline data for future trend analyses. Our 1 www.enetwild.com www.efsa.europa.eu/publications 2 EFSA Supporting publication 2023:EN-7892The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as authors. This task has been carried out exclusively by the authors in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the authors, awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors.results show data gaps, but also provide relevant insights into some of the main drivers of demographic evolution of wild ungulate populations in Europe. We will expand and improve the EOW in the future to include more representative sites. The Agouti app, including photogrammetry methods to estimate CT detection zone size and animal speed of movement using a computer vision process proved useful to reduce the workload and to improve objectivity of measurements for REM method. We discuss the results obtained by the 2022 campaign in relation to the specific objectives of the EOW and propose the next steps.