Dispersal record of Wild boar (Sus scrofa) in northeast Spain: Implications for implementing disease-monitoring programs

Abstract

The wild boar population in Spain has increased in recent decades due to a number of factors, including increased food availability, the abandonment of crops, as well as through hybridization with the domestic pig. Studying dispersal is useful for understanding the ecology of a species and the spread of diseases in wildlife. In the case of the wild boar (Sus scrofa), its dispersal depends on environmental changes, food availability, population density, and hunting pressure. The goal of this study was to describe the dispersal of wild boars captured with cage-traps, anesthetized and marked with ear tags between 2008 and 2012 in Catalonia (northeast Spain). Six of 40 wild boars (16 males and 24 females) were recaptured at a mean linear distance of 45.8 km (min. 30, max. 89.8) from their origin. Surprisingly, females dispersed more than males, 57.7 km on average, a distance 1.7 times greater than females in other parts of the world. These dispersal patterns can be partially explained by the need for new territories. This mammal has experienced a huge increase in both distribution range and status throughout the Iberian Peninsula, probably due to an increase in vegetation cover and a lack of predators. Hence, any information about its dispersal patterns is of special interest to specific management plans. Despite to our moderate sample size, it is clear that the impressive dispersal ability of wild boar should be taken into account in the design of health surveillance programs of wildlife diseases. 20 || E. Casas-Díaz et al. | Recorded Dispersal of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa

Prevalence ofSalmonellaspp. in tonsils, mandibular lymph nodes and faeces of wild boar from Spain and genetic relationship between isolates

“…where 11 serotypes were detected. This fact is probably reflecting the free nature of the carrier animal and its habit of frequent moving for long distances (Andrzejewski & Jezierski, 1978;Casas-Díaz et al, 2013). In this way, the present study also shows the wide spread of Salmonella spp.…”

“…In contrast to most of the literature on pigs (Baloda, Christensen, & Trajcevska, ; Berends, Urlings, Snijders, & Van Knapen, ; Hurd, McKean, Wesley, & Karriker, ; Letellier, Messier, Pare, Menard, & Quessy, ), our data showed that the animals from the majority of the estates carried more than one serotype, reaching its maximum in F14, where 11 serotypes were detected. This fact is probably reflecting the free nature of the carrier animal and its habit of frequent moving for long distances (Andrzejewski & Jezierski, ; Casas‐Díaz et al., ). In this way, the present study also shows the wide spread of Salmonella spp.…”

Epidemiological analyses of African swine fever in the European Union (November 2017 until November 2018)

“…Juvenile male wild boar will probably leave their maternal group during the mating season, generating a dispersal peak in autumn (Keuling et al, 2008). However, long-range movements of older wild boar have also been recorded (Casas-D ıaz et al, 2013). Hence, long-range movements may occur in any season.…”

Zero-inflated-censored Weibull and gamma regression models to estimate wild boar population dispersal distance

“…For instance, risk assessment models for the introduction/spread of African Swine Fever are heavily dependent on parameters regarding the land occupation (De la Torre et al, 2015). Surveillance programs for commercial swine herds often consider the dynamics of the wild boar population in preventing diseases (Casas-Díaz et al, 2013). As such, the models proposed here are useful for generating inferences about dispersal distance and testing if covariates are associated with the distance, thus helping to overcome current gaps in our understanding of wild boar behavior (Guinat et al, 2016;EFSA, 2019).…”