Search

Wild boar population dynamics promote the increase in numbers and distribution of the species in Eurasia, leading to a rise in the interaction with human activities, as well as generating problems with the management of certain infectious diseases, most notably African swine fever (ASF). ASF virus possesses high stability in several contaminated pork and pork products that can be a source of indirect transmission to susceptible hosts habituated to anthropogenic food waste. This transmission route is a concerning threat for the dispersion of the disease, primarily into unaffected areas given the worldwide widespread distribution of the disease and the increase of wild boar contact with humans. Thus, in this study, a straightforward tool to assess the relative risk of wild boar natural populations potentially consuming food waste is presented using synthetic data. Three risk groups were defined related to urban areas, travel, and leisure. The surrounding quality of habitat of wild boar was used to obtain the relative risk of wild boar potentially consuming anthropogenic food waste. To assign the relative risk to the corresponding risk unit, we also included the population for the urban areas group, and traffic volume for the travel risk group. The leisure group had higher scaled risk scores, followed by the urban areas group. Higher risk was found in the edges of the study area where more natural landscapes are found. The implications of this risk are discussed focusing on the context of ASF transmission. The outputs can help prioritize decision-making in terms of the improvement of preventive measures against the habituation of wild boar to anthropogenic food waste and ASFV introduction in a given study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the confirmation of African swine fever (ASF) in South Korea in 2019, its spread, predominantly in wild boars, has been a significant concern. A key factor in this situation is the lack of identification of risk factors by surveillance bias. The unique orography, characterized by high mountains, complicates search efforts, leading to overlooked or delayed case detection and posing risks to the swine industry. Additionally, shared rivers with neighboring country present a continual threat of virus entry. This study employs geospatial analysis and statistical methods to 1) identify areas at high risk of ASF occurrence but possibly under-surveilled, and 2) indicate strategic surveillance points for monitoring the risk of ASF virus entry through water bodies and basin influences. Pearson's rho test indicated that elevation (rho = -0.908, p-value < 0.001) and distance from roads (rho = -0.979, p-value < 0.001) may have a significant impact on limiting surveillance activities. A map of potential under-surveilled areas was created considering these results and was validated by a chi-square goodness-of-fit test (X-square = 208.03, df = 1, p-value < 0.001). The strong negative correlation (rho = -0.997, p-value <0.001) between ASF-positive wild boars and distance from water sources emphasizes that areas surrounding rivers are one of the priority areas for monitoring. The subsequent hydrological analyses provided important points for monitoring the risk of virus entry via water from the neighboring country. This research aims to facilitate early detection and prevent further spread of ASF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild boar trapping has been used as a management tool to control wild boar populations. However, it is increasingly criticized due to animal welfare concerns. While cortisol levels have been used to assess trap-related stress in wild boar, data on trap-related injuries and behavioral data are scarce. We aimed to evaluate three different corral-style traps for wild boar according to available mammal trapping standards to investigate and refine animal welfare in wild boar trapping. We examined 138 wild boars captured and killed by head shot in 27 capture events. Traps were closed by remote control only if the complete group were trapped. The behavior of the animals in the trap and during culling was recorded on video. All wild boars were examined and a pathological and radiological examination of the heads for trap- and shot-related injuries followed. Trap-related injuries occurred in 33% of the animals with superficial mild skin defects to skull fractures. One out of three traps met all the set requirements. A wire-meshed trapping system failed all. After installing an incomplete barrier in the center of the trap to slow down trapped animals, the fracture rate in one trap type was significantly reduced by 29% (p < 0.05). Our data showed that the type of trap (p = 0.007) and the number of animals trapped at once (p = 0.002) had a significant influence on the number of escape attempts. Trapping larger groups reduced the escape attempts. We emphasize the importance of an accurate pathological examination to evaluate animal welfare in traps and call for adjusting the injury categories listed in the standards and make a proposal for wild boar live trapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radionuclide contamination is a serious health issue caused by nuclear experiments and plant accidents, as seen for the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear plants. Italy has been especially interested in northwestern alpine regions, as have several other nations. The aim of this work was to indagate 134Cs and 137Cs contamination in wild boars, which were considered bioindicators sampled in the Chisone/Germanasca Valley and the Pellice Valley districts (Piedmont, Italy) in two hunting seasons (2014 and 2016). In the 2014 season, only the livers of the animals (n = 48) were sampled, whereas in 2016, five different anatomical sampling sites were sampled for each animal (n = 16). The analyses were conducted in an accredited laboratory (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell'Ambiente–ARPA) by the aid of an HPGe detector (Ortec) with a relative efficiency of 50%. In general, the contamination levels registered in 2014 were under the detection limit for 134Cs and low for 137Cs (Chisone/Germanasca valley: min: 0.0, max: 23.9 median 11.0 Bq/kg vs Pellice valley: min 0, max: 31.7, median: 9.6 Bq/kg) and no health concern can be supposed. In the first-year samples, the liver showed a negative correlation between age and contamination level. In the second year of sampling, low levels were confirmed (min: 3.1 Bq/kg, max: 113.3; median 17.7 Bq/kg). Multiple sampling from the same animal showed that the diaphragm (median = 27.7 Bq/kg) kidney (27.4) and tongue (27.6) were more contaminated than the liver (17.7) and spleen (15.3). Moreover, a linear mixed model revealed a negative organ-by-age interaction, meaning that interorgan differences in contamination level were greater in younger (5–11 months) than in older (18–36 months) animals. Different feeding habits can be the explanation. Our paper shows that muscle sites (diaphragm and tongue) can be useful for radionuclide pollution surveillance in wild boar populations and that younger animals show more interorgan variability in contamination levels than older animals. More investigations are needed to confirm this correlation and to fulfill the request for more data to achieve better risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parabens are compounds widely utilized in the industry as preservative additives to personal care products, cosmetics and food. They pollute the environment and penetrate to the living organisms through the digestive tract, respiratory system and skin. Till now the knowledge about exposure of terrestrial wild mammals to parabens is extremely scarce. Therefore, this study for the first time assessed the concentration levels of five parabens commonly used in industry (methylparaben—MeP, ethylparaben—EtP propylparaben–PrP, benzylparaben -BeP and butylparaben–BuP). Substances have been analyzed in hair samples collected from wild boars using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method. The hair is a matrix, which allows to study long-term exposure of organisms to parabens. During this study MeP was noted in 96.3% of samples with mean 88.3±72.9 pg/mg, PrP in 87.0% of samples with mean 8.5±3.3 pg/mg, BeP in 44.4% of samples with mean 17.2±12.3 pg/mg and EtP in 11.1% of samples with mean 17.2±4.8 pg/mg. In turn BuP was noted only in 3.7% of samples with concentration levels below limit of quantification (2.6 pg/mg). Statistically significant intragender differences in parabens levels have not been noted. Only BeP concentration levels depended on industrialization and density of human population of area, where the animals lived. This study indicates that wild boars are exposed to parabens, especially to MeP and PrP, and analysis of the hair seems to be a useful tool of biomonitoring of parabens in wild mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earliest introduction of livestock (cattle, goats, sheep, pigs) into the Carpathian Basin was an important step towards farming expansion into continental Europe. This spread beyond the environments of the southern Balkans was accompanied by a reduction in the spectrum of cultivated crops, changes in the relative representation of different domestic animals, and, most likely, adaptations of husbandry practices. How the earliest farmers in the Carpathian Basin kept their domestic stock is still understudied. We explored early animal management and land use strategies at the Starčevo settlement at Alsónyék-Bátaszék, Hungary (Early Neolithic, ca. 5800–5600 cal BC). Settled at the intersection of wide alluvial plains, waterlogged meadows and marshes to the east, and forested hills to the west, early farmers at Alsónyék had a wide variety of options for nourishing their livestock. We performed stable isotope ratio analysis of bone collagen (n = 99; δ13C, δ15N) and tooth enamel (nteeth = 28, sequentially sampled for δ13C and δ18O) from wild and domestic animals to locate them in the landscape and investigate herding practices on a seasonal scale. The bone collagen isotope ratios mostly indicate feeding in open environments. However, results from the sequential analysis of cattle and sheep enamel suggest diverse dietary strategies for winters, including consumption of forest resources, consumption of summer hay and grazing in an open environment. Most pigs appear to have had herbivorous diets, but several individuals likely supplemented their diet with animal protein. Stable isotope ratio results from the Lengyel phase at Alsónyék (ca. 4800–4300 cal BC) suggest more access to animal protein for pigs, and feeding in more open areas by wild boar, red deer and cattle compared to the Starčevo phase. This study's results demonstrate considerable variability in early animal husbandry practices at Alsónyék. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolves returned to Germany in 2000, leading to fear in German horse owners that their horses could be in danger of wolf attacks or panic-like escapes from pastures when sighting wolves. However, reports from southern European countries indicate that wolf predation on horses diminishes with increasing presence of wildlife. Therefore, we conducted a long-term, filed observation between January 2015 and July 2022 on 13 non breeding riding horses, mares and geldings, kept permanently on two pastures within the range of wildlife and a stable wolf pack with annual offspring. Wildlife cameras at the fences of the pastures made 984 times recordings of wolves and 3151 times recordings of wildlife in and around the pastures. Between 1 January 2022 and 23 March 2022 we observed two stable horse groups. Pasture 1 was grazed by five horses of mixed breed, four mares and one gelding, with the median age of 8 years (min. = 6y, max. = 29y). Pasture 2 was grazed by eight heavy warmbloods and draught horses, three mares and five geldings, with the median age of 16 years (min. = 13y, max. = 22y). During this period no wolf was recorded at pasture 2, but wild boar several times, whereas at pasture 1, wolves were recorded 89 times, and for the wildlife mostly hare. Wolves may have avoided pasture 2 because of the presence of wild boar or because the large group of older, heavy breed horses may have formed a stable, protective group. The latter needs to be confirmed in a follow-up field observation, which records anti-predator behavior and welfare indicators in horses. In conclusion, wolves did not attack the mature horses on pastures with plenty of wildlife and the horses did not respond to the presence of wolves with visible signs of reduced welfare or panic. This indicates that wolves may prefer to prey on easily accessible wildlife around and at horse pastures and that Central European horses become accustom to the presence of non-hunting wolves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-wildlife interactions occur where human and wildlife coexist and share common resources including food or shelter. Increasing wildlife populations within protected areas also can increase interactions with humans living adjacent to these areas, resulting in conflicts including human casualty, livestock depredation, crop damage, and property loss. We analyzed six years human-wildlife conflict data from 2016–2021 in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park and conducted questionnaire survey to investigate factors influencing human-wildlife conflicts. Nineteen people were attacked by wildlife, primarily wild boar (Sus scrofa). Ninety-two livestock were killed by leopard (Panthera pardus), and among these most were sheep or goats killed near ShNP during summer. Crops were most frequently damaged by Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), followed by wild boar. Greatest economic losses were from damage to rice, followed by sugarcane and wheat. Asian elephant was the only reported species to cause structural damage to property (e.g., homes). Majority of respondents (83%) considered that the mitigation techniques that are currently in practice are effective to reduce the conflicts. However, the effectiveness of the mitigation techniques are the species specific, we recommend use of more efficacious deterrents (e.g., electric fencing) for large herbivores and mesh wire fencing with partially buried in the ground. Effective collaboration among different tiers of government, non-governmental organizations, civil societies and affected communities are important to share the best practices and continue to apply innovative methods for impactful mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species are a pervasive driver of global change with increasing media coverage. Media coverage and framing can influence both invasive species management and policies, as well as shed light on research needs. Using the wild boar (Sus scrofa) invasion in Argentina as a case study, we conducted a content analysis of media coverage and scientific articles. Specifically, we compared news and scientific articles based on their emphasis: ecological, economic, and health impacts and the overall perception portrayed in the news: "positive" when the articles emphasized benefits from wild boar and "negative" when focused on damage and/or loss. A literature search using Google news, Web of Science, Scielo, and Google Scholar yielded a total of 194 news articles and 37 research papers on wild boar in Argentina. More than half of the news articles focused on economic impacts of wild boar (56%) such as sport hunting, illegal hunting, and road accidents; while 27% focused on ecological impacts, and 10% on health impacts. In contrast, the majority of the scientific articles (65%) focused on ecological impacts of wild boar on native species and ecosystems; while 21% were related to health impacts and only 8.3% of scientific articles were related to economic impacts. This mismatch between media and science reveals a disconnection between social and scientific interests in wild boar and their management in Argentina, and it provides insights to research needs and prevention of management conflicts. Additionally, we found that 66.8% of news articles focused on "negative" aspects of wild boar, while 33.2% of news articles portrayed "positive" perceptions. This finding is very important because the management of invasive species such as wild boar usually requires lethal techniques, and the success of the programs depend on favorable social and political support. Good science communication is therefore key to helping scientists and managers perform more effective management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mast seeding and associated events in Melocanna baccifera, the largest fruit producing bamboo, is an enigma. So far there are no comprehensive accounts on its flowering phenology, fruiting dynamics and animal interactions. In this study, spanning over 13 years (2009 to 2022), we observed eight M. baccifera clumps in JNTBGRI Bambusetum from flowering initiation, fruiting to eventual death. Flowering phenology, floral characteristics, floret types, breeding system, bee visitation, pollination, fruit production and predators were recorded; predation patterns were correlated with fruit chemistry. Flowering duration of clumps ranged from 20 (March 2009—October 2010) to 120 (September 2012—August 2022) months. Bisexual florets are dichogamous and protogynous; and female duration (22–72 h) is many times higher than male duration (2–6 h). The highest ever fruit production for an individual bamboo clump (456.67 Kg) was recorded. Of the total fallen fruits (38371), 38.11% were predated, 43.80% good fruits (no predator hits) and 18.09% immature fruits. A positive correlation between reward (fruits) versus predation was observed, especially in short intervals of high fruit production. Pollen predators (Apis cerana indica, Halictus taprabonae, Braunsapis cupulifera, Trigona iridipennis), fruit predators, ranging from arthropods to mammals, viz., millipede (Spinotarsus colosseus), slug (Mariaella dussumieri), snails (Cryptozona bistrialis, Macrochlamys sp.), borers (Achroia grisella, Blattella germanica), mammals (monkeys Macaca radiata, rats Rattus rattus, porcupine Hystrix indica, wild boar Sus scrofa, palm civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), seedling predators (rabbit Lepus nigricollis, deer Axis axis), and insect/pest predators (ants Crematogaster biroi, Oecophylla smaragdina, mantis Euchomenella indica) were identified. Fruit predation is linked to its age and chemistry. Apart from new insights on flowering phenology, breeding system, pollination and fruiting dynamics, this study demonstrates the vibrant interaction between M. baccifera flowers/fruits and visitors/predators, and provides significant leads towards elucidating the cause of rat multiplication and other events associated with its gregarious flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) was first detected in South Korea on a pig farm in September 2019. Despite active preventive measures to control the spread of ASFV, outbreaks on pig farms and in wild boar have been increasing. In this study, we investigated the spatial contamination area using the minimum convex polygon (MCP) approach, and growth rate using a logistic diffusion model. On the basis of the ASFV outbreak locations recorded from September 17th, 2019, to May 20th, 2022, the MCP area for the second week was 618.41 km2 and expanded to 37959.67 km2 in the final week. The maximum asymptote of the logistic function was considered as the land area of South Korea, and we estimated logistic growth rates of 0.022 km2 per week and 0.094 km2 per month. Administrative bodies should implement preventive and quarantine measures for infectious diseases. The results of this study will be a reference for epidemiologists, ecologists, and policy makers and contribute to the establishment of appropriate quarantine measures for disease control and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community attitudes towards large carnivores are of central importance to their conservation in human-dominated landscapes. In this study, we evaluate community attitudes and perceptions towards the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) and bears (Ursus thibetanus and Ursus arctos), as well as their prey species, namely sika deer (Cervus nippon), roe deer and wild boar (Sus scrofa), in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin province, northeast China. We surveyed 139 households and found that community members' perceptions of large carnivores and their prey species were influenced by their predominant economic activities; their prior interactions with wildlife; their household income level; and whether they were either long-term residents of Yanbian or had migrated to the region from elsewhere in China. We recorded fairly neutral attitudes towards large carnivores among the communities we surveyed, but strongly negative attitudes were shown towards wild boar, particularly where respondents had lost agricultural products to crop raiding by wild boar. We recommend conservation stakeholders in northeast China utilise this finding to encourage support for large carnivore recovery and conservation by targeting messaging around the importance of the tiger as a key predator of wild boar in the ecosystem. Furthermore, our findings suggest that government provided compensation paid for cattle lost to large carnivore predation (notably, by tigers) may be helping to reduce animosity from cattle owners towards large carnivores. However, we also highlight that compensation for loss of livestock is therefore performing a useful role in mitigating human-wildlife conflict, that there are potentially unintended consequences of the current compensation program, for example it fails to dissuade livestock grazing in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious disease of domestic and wild pigs of all breeds and ages, with the acute form of the disease being characterized by high fever, hemorrhages in the reticuloendothelial system and a high mortality rate. Registered safe and efficacious ASF vaccines are not available. The development of experimental ASF vaccines, particularly live attenuated, have considerably intensified in the last years. There is much variability in experimental approaches undertaken by laboratories attempting to develop first generation vaccines, rendering it difficult to interpret and make comparisons across trials. ASF virus (ASFV) genotyping does not fully correlate with available cross-protection data and may be of limited value in predicting cross-protective vaccine efficacy. Recently, ASFV strains were assigned to a respective nine groups by seroimmunotype (from I to IX): in vivo the grouping is based on results of cross protection of pigs survived after their infection with a virulent strain (bioassay), while in vitro this grouping is based on hemadsorption inhibition assay (HADIA) data. Here we demonstrate the antigenic and protective properties of two attenuated ASFV strains MK200 and FK-32/135. Pronounced differences in the HADIA and in immunological test in animals allow us to consider them and the corresponding reference virulent strains of the ASFV of Mozambique-78 (seroimmunotype III, genotype V) and France-32 (seroimmunotype IV, genotype I) as useful models for studying the mechanisms of protective immunity and evaluation of the candidate vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wolf is a generalist-opportunistic predator that displays diverse and remarkably adaptable feeding strategies across its range with local adaptations to certain prey species depending on their availability and vulnerability. The multi-prey system of the Slovak Carpathians supports important portion of the European wolf population; however, it has been markedly understudied. We evaluated winter diet composition and prey selection of Slovak wolves based on 321 scat samples collected between September–April within four different study areas during 2015–2017. The winter diet of wolves in the Slovak Carpathians was characterized by a 98% occurrence of wild large-sized and medium-sized ungulates with red deer occurring in wolf scats most often, consistent with their highest density among other wild ungulates. However, by comparing the consumption with availability of wild prey, we found that wolves in fact selected for wild boar especially in areas with higher altitudinal range, while selected for red deer in areas with low altitudinal range where this prey species was more spatially predictable. Although wolves showed the potential to switch between red deer and wild boar when their density increases, we found that this variation can be rather linked to changing prey vulnerability, which is dependent on particular environmental conditions at local scale such as topography and snow accumulation. The present study provides valuable insights into the winter foraging ecology of Slovak wolves in a multi-prey system of the Carpathians and allows for practical implications in the management of the rapidly increasing populations of wild ungulates across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) has spread to many countries in Africa, Europe and Asia in the past decades. However, the potential geographic extent of ASF infection is unknown. Here we combined a modeling framework with the assembled contemporary records of ASF cases and multiple covariates to predict the risk distribution of ASF at a global scale. Local spatial variations in ASF risk derived from domestic pigs is influenced strongly by livestock factors, while the risk of having ASF in wild boars is mainly associated with natural habitat covariates. The risk maps show that ASF is to be ubiquitous in many areas, with a higher risk in areas in the northern hemisphere. Nearly half of the world's domestic pigs (1.388 billion) are in the high-risk zones. Our results provide a better understanding of the potential distribution beyond the current geographical scope of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Philippine archipelago was believed to have never been connected to the Asian continent even during the severe Quaternary sea-level drops. As a result, the history of domestic pig (Sus scrofa) dispersal in the Philippines remains controversial and must have some anthropogenic origin associated with human migration events. In this study, the context of origin, dispersal, and the level of genetic introgression in Philippine domestic pigs were deduced using mitochondrial DNA D-loop analysis altogether with domestic pigs and wild boar corresponding to their geographic origin. The results revealed considerable genetic diversity (0.900±0.016) and widespread Asian pig-ancestry (94.60%) in the phylogenetic analysis, with admixed European pig-origin (5.10%) harboring various fractions of ancestry from Berkshire and Landrace. The close genetic connection between the continental wild boars and domestic pigs present in the Philippine domestic pigs corroborates our hypothesis of a genetic signal that may be associated with the recently reported multiple waves of human migrations to the Philippines. The Haplogroup D7, reported to occur only in Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspots, included a high frequency of Philippine domestic pig haplotypes (54.08%), which poses an interesting challenge because its distribution is not consistent with the hypothesized migration route of Neolithic Austronesian-speaking populations. We detected the first Pacific Clade signature and ubiquitously distributed D2 haplotypes (Asian major) on several Philippine islands. The analyses of mismatch distribution and neutrality test were consistent with the Bayesian skyline plot which showed a long stationary period of effective population size. The population decline was consistent with the pronounced population bottleneck in Asian and European pigs during the interglacial periods of the Pleistocene. The results of this study will support the conservation strategies and improvements of economically important genetic resources in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suids (Sus sp.) played a crucial role in the transition to farming in northern Europe and, like in many regions, in the Netherlands pig husbandry became an important subsistence activity at Neolithic sites. Yet little is known about wild boar palaeoecology and hunting in the Late Mesolithic Netherlands with which to contextualize this transition. This paper presents the first multi-proxy analysis of archaeological suid remains in the Netherlands. It explores human-suid interactions at the Swifterbant culture sites of Hardinxveld-Giessendam Polderweg and De Bruin (5450–4250 BC) through biometric analysis, estimation of age-at-death, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. The results reveal targeted hunting of adult wild boar in the Late Mesolithic (5450–4850 BC), with a possible shift over time towards more juveniles. The wild boar in this period are demonstrated to be of comparably large size to contemporary northern European populations and exhibiting a wide range of dietary regimes. In the final occupational period (4450–4250 BC), small suids are present, possibly domestic pigs, but there is no evidence of pig management. This study demonstrates that the nature of human-suid interactions varied over time, which may have been connected to changing environmental conditions, human mobility, and wild boar behaviour. This study also contributes the first biometric and dietary baseline for mid-Holocene wild boar in the Netherlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how wildlife interacts with human activities across non-protected areas are critical for conservation. This is especially true for ungulates that inhabit human-dominated landscapes outside the protected area system in Nepal, where wildlife often coexists with livestock. Here we investigated how elevation, agricultural land, distance from roads, and the relative abundance of livestock (goats, sheep, cow and buffalo) influenced wild ungulate chital (Axis axis), nilgai (Boselaphustrago camelus), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and sambar (Rusa unicolor) abundance and occurrence. We counted all individuals of wild ungulates and livestock along 35 transects conducted between November 2017 and March 2018 in community forests of Bara and Rautahat distracts in the lowlands of Nepal. We assessed abundance and occurrence relation to covariates using Generalized Linear Models. We found that livestock outnumbered wild ungulates 6.6 to 1. Wild boar was the most abundant wild ungulate, followed by nilgai, chital, and sambar. Elevation and livestock abundance were the most important covariates affecting the overall abundance of wild ungulates and the distribution of each individual ungulate species. Our results suggest spatial segregation between wild ungulates, which occur mainly on high grounds (> 300 m.a.s.l.), and livestock that concentrate across low ground habitats (< 300 m.a.s.l.). Our results provide a critical first step to inform conservation in community forest areas of Nepal, where wildlife interacts with people and their livestock. Finding better strategies to allow the coexistence of ungulates with people and their livestock is imperative if they are to persist into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that pigs (Sus scrofa) were domesticated very early in Neolithic China, but far less is known about the processes by which pig husbandry intensified so that pork became the most important animal protein for humans are less clear. Here, we explore pig feeding practices using the carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of bone collagen, focusing on developments in pig husbandry during the Yangshao period (7000–5000 BP) in the middle Yellow River region of China, and at the site of Xipo (5800–5000 BP) in particular. The results show that the diets of domestic pigs at Xipo were dominated by millet foods. Comparisons with other Yangshao sites in the region show a trend of increasing millet foddering for pigs throughout the Yangshao period. These results, and comparisons of the isotopic data for pigs against those for humans from the Xipo cemetery (5300–5000 BP), suggest that pigs were closely managed by humans. The evidence points to an intensification of Neolithic pig husbandry in the middle Yellow River region from this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) is a serious contagious disease that causes fatal haemorrhagic fever in domestic and wild pigs, with high morbidity. It has caused devastating damage to the swine industry worldwide, necessitating the focus of attention on detection of the ASF pathogen, the African swine fever virus (ASFV). In order to overcome the disadvantages of conventional diagnostic methods (e.g. time-consuming, demanding and unintuitive), quick detection tools with higher sensitivity need to be explored. In this study, based on the conserved p72 gene sequence of ASFV, we combined the Cas12a-based assay with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and a fluorophore-quencher (FQ)-labeled reporter assay for rapid and visible detection. Five crRNAs designed for Cas12a-based assay showed specificity with remarkable fluorescence intensity under visual inspection. Within 20 minutes, with an initial concentration of two copies of DNA, the assay can produce significant differences between experimental and negative groups, indicating the high sensitivity and rapidity of the method. Overall, the developed RPA-Cas12a-fluorescence assay provides a fast and visible tool for point-of-care ASFV detection with high sensitivity and specificity, which can be rapidly performed on-site under isothermal conditions, promising better control and prevention of ASF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American Criollo pigs are thought to descend mainly from those imported from the Iberian Peninsula starting in the late 15th century. Criollo pigs subsequently expanded throughout the Americas, adapting to very diverse environments, and possibly receiving influences from other origins. With the intensification of agriculture in the mid-20th century, cosmopolitan breeds largely replaced Criollo pigs, and the few remaining are mostly maintained by rural communities in marginal areas where they still play an important socio-economic and cultural role. In this study, we used 24 microsatellite markers in samples from 1715 pigs representing 46 breeds with worldwide distribution, including 17 American Criollo breeds, with the major focus of investigating their genetic diversity, structure and breed relationships. We also included representatives of the Iberian, Local British, Hungarian, Chinese and Commercial breeds, as well as Wild Boar, in order to investigate their possible influence in the genetic composition of Criollos. Our results show that, when compared with the other breeds, Criollo pigs present higher levels of genetic diversity, both in terms of allelic diversity and expected heterozygosity. The various analyses indicate that breed differentiation overall explains nearly 21% of the total genetic diversity. Criollo breeds showed their own identity and shared a common genetic background, tending to cluster together in various analyses, even though they differ from each other. A close relationship of Criollos with Iberian breeds was revealed by all the different analyses, and the contribution of Iberian breeds, particularly of the Celtic breeds, is still present in various Criollo breeds. No influence of Chinese breeds was detected on Criollos, but a few were influenced by Commercial breeds or by wild pigs. Our results confirm the uniqueness of American Criollo pigs and the role that Iberian breeds have played in their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the pathogenic Leptospira spp. Canine and human leptospirosis sometimes occur on Amami Oshima Island, located in the Nansei Archipelago, southwestern Japan; however, information on the causative Leptospira spp. on this island is quite limited. This study aimed to investigate the molecular and serological characteristics of Leptospira spp. isolated from wild animals and a dog in Amami Oshima Island. We obtained seven Leptospira strains by culturing kidney tissues of wild animals, such as black rats (2), wild boars (3), and rabbit (1) as well as blood from a symptomatic dog. Using flaB sequencing and microscopic agglutination test with antisera for 18 serovars, the isolates were identified as Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroups Javanica (black rat), L. interrogans serogroup Australis (black rat and dog), and L. interrogans serogroup Hebdomadis (wild boar and rabbit). The sequence type (ST) of L. borgpetersenii serogroup Javanica was determined to be ST143 via multilocus sequence typing (MLST) using seven housekeeping genes. For L. interrogans, MLST and multiple-locus variable-tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) revealed identical ST and MLVA types in rat and canine isolates, whereas two STs and MLVA types were identified in wild boar isolates. The STs and MLVA types of rabbit and one of the wild boars were identical. Bacterial culture and flaB-nested polymerase chain reaction demonstrated a high rate of Leptospira infection in wild boars (58.3%, 7/12), whereas Leptospira spp. were detected in 4.8% of black rats (2/42). This study revealed diverse Leptospira genotype and serotype maintenance in wild mammals on Amami Oshima Island. MLST and MLVA indicated that black rats were a source of canine infection. Wild boars carry L. interrogans and are considered an important maintenance host because antibodies against serogroup Hebdomadis were detected in human and canine leptospirosis patients on this island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans, scavenging wildlife and the environment, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free bullets for shooting of wild animals. We compared efficiency metrics and terminal ballistic performance for lead-based and lead-free (non-lead) bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in eastern Australia. Ballistic testing revealed that lead-based and lead-free bullets achieved similar performance in precision and muzzle kinetic energy (E0) levels (3337.2 J and 3345.7 J, respectively). An aerial shooting trial was conducted with wild pigs shot with one type of lead-based and one type of lead-free bullets under identical conditions. Observations were made from 859 shooting events (n = 430 and 429 respectively), with a sub-set of pigs examined via gross post-mortem (n = 100 and 108 respectively), and a further sub-set examined via radiography (n = 94 and 101 respectively). The mean number of bullets fired per pig killed did not differ greatly between lead-based and lead-free bullets respectively (4.09 vs 3.91), nor did the mean number of bullet wound tracts in each animal via post-mortem inspection (3.29 vs 2.98). However, radiography revealed a higher average number of fragments per animal (median >300 vs median = 55) and a broader distribution of fragments with lead-based bullets. Our results suggest that lead-based and lead-free bullets are similarly effective for aerial shooting of wild pigs, but that the bullet types behave differently, with lead-based bullets displaying a higher degree of fragmentation. These results suggest that aerial shooting may be a particularly important contributor to scavenging wildlife being exposed to lead and that investigation of lead-free bullets for this use should continue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 21st century, invasive animals rank second only to habitat destruction as the greatest threat to global biodiversity. Socially-acceptable and cost-effective strategies are needed to reduce the negative economic and environmental impacts of invasive animals. We investigated the potential for sodium nitrite (SN; CAS 7632-00-0) to serve as an avian toxicant for European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L.). We also assessed the non-target hazard of an experimental formulation of SN that is being developed as a toxicant for invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa L.). In gavage experiments with European starlings, we identified a lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) for mortality of 2.40% technical SN (w/v; 120 mg SN/kg body mass) and a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for mortality of 1.30% technical SN (65 mg/kg). The exposure of ten starlings to the experimental formulation of SN (10% SN pig toxicant) resulted in one starling mortality during four days of exposure to the toxic bait. Sodium nitrite toxicity presented a moderate hazard to European starlings; thus, the future development of SN as an avian toxicant is dependent upon its cost-effectiveness. We discuss the management of toxic effects and non-target hazards of SN for wild birds, including best practices for toxic baiting of vertebrate pests and management of invasive wild pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most detrimental invasive mammals in the US. Lack of adequate population control has allowed pigs to become established across the landscape, causing significant ecological and economic damage. Given the need for additional tools for reducing wild pig populations, two toxicants, warfarin and sodium nitrite, are at the forefront of the discussion regarding future wild pig management. However, no research has examined stakeholders' perspectives towards the use of toxicants in wild pig management. Given the lack of knowledge, our goal was to determine stakeholders' perspectives towards the legal use of toxicants for managing wild pigs. We surveyed 1822 individuals from three stakeholder groups (hunters, farmers, and forestland owners) across Alabama during February 2018 using an online survey following the Tailored Design Method. All three stakeholder groups were generally supportive of toxicant use, though their views differed slightly by group. Furthermore, all stakeholder groups were supportive of toxicant purchasing and use regulations, while accidental water contamination, human health impact, and incorrect usage of a toxicant were stakeholders' greatest concerns. These results indicate that these groups would likely be in support of using toxicants for wild pig management in Alabama and could be a model for other states or locations. Consequently, these results have direct implications for shaping policy and possible use of toxicants as a future wild pig management tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel five year Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) wildlife research intervention project in badgers (Meles meles) commenced in 2014 in a 100km2 area of Northern Ireland. It aimed to increase the evidence base around badgers and bovine TB and help create well-informed and evidence-based strategies to address the issue of cattle-to-cattle spread and spread between cattle and badgers. It involved real-time trap-side testing of captured badgers and vaccinating those that tested negative for bTB (BadgerBCG–BCG Danish 1331) and removal of those that tested bTB positive using the Dual-Path Platform VetTB test (DPP) for cervids (Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Medford, NY USA). Four diagnostic tests were utilised within the study interferon gamma release assay (IGRA), culture (clinical samples and post mortem), DPP using both whole blood and DPP using serum. BCG Sofia (SL222) was used in the final two years because of supply issues with BadgerBCG. Objectives for this study were to evaluate the performance of the DPP in field conditions and whether any trend was apparent in infection prevalence over the study period. A Bayesian latent class model of diagnostic test evaluation in the absence of a gold standard was applied to the data. Temporal variation in the sensitivity of DPP and interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) due to the impact of control measures was investigated using logistic regression and individual variability was assessed. Bayesian latent class analysis estimated DPP with serum to have a sensitivity of 0.58 (95% CrI: 0.40–0.76) and specificity of 0.97 (95% CrI: 0.95–0.98). The DPP with whole blood showed a higher sensitivity (0.69 (95% CrI: 0.48–0.88)) but similar specificity (0.98 (95% Crl: 0.96–0.99)). The change from BCG Danish to BCG Sofia significantly impacted on DPP serum test characteristics. In addition, there was weak evidence of increasing sensitivity of IGRA over time and differences in DPP test sensitivity between adults and cubs. An exponential decline model was an appropriate representation of the infection prevalence over the 5 years, with a starting prevalence of 14% (95% CrI: 0.10–0.20), and an annual reduction of 39.1% (95% CrI: 26.5–50.9). The resulting estimate of infection prevalence in year 5 of the study was 1.9% (95% CrI: 0.8–3.8). These results provide field evidence of a statistically significant reduction in badger TB prevalence supporting a TVR approach to badger intervention. They give confidence in the reliability and reproducibility in the DPP Whole Blood as a real time trap-side diagnostic test for badgers, and describe the effect of vaccination and reduced infection prevalence on test characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial strain PO100/5 was isolated from a skin abscess taken from a pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. It was identified as Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis using biochemical tests, multiplex PCR and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis. After genome sequencing and rpoB phylogeny, the strain was classified as C. ulcerans. To better understand the taxonomy of this strain and improve identification methods, we compared strain PO100/5 to other publicly available genomes from C. diphtheriae group. Taxonomic analysis reclassified it and three others strains as the recently described C. silvaticum, which have been isolated from wild boar and roe deer in Germany and Austria. The results showed that PO100/5 is the first sequenced genome of a C. silvaticum strain from livestock and a different geographical region, has the unique sequence type ST709, and could be could produce the diphtheriae toxin, along with strain 05–13. Genomic analysis of PO100/5 showed four prophages, and eight conserved genomic islands in comparison to C. ulcerans. Pangenome analysis of 38 C. silvaticum and 76 C. ulcerans genomes suggested that C. silvaticum is a genetically homogeneous species, with 73.6% of its genes conserved and a pangenome near to be closed (α > 0.952). There are 172 genes that are unique to C. silvaticum in comparison to C. ulcerans. Most of these conserved genes are related to nutrient uptake and metabolism, prophages or immunity against them, and could be genetic markers for species identification. Strains PO100/5 (livestock) and KL0182T (wild boar) were predicted to be potential human pathogens. This information may be useful for identification and surveillance of this pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the tropics, large-bodied mammals have been affected by selective logging in ways that vary with levels of timber extraction, collateral damage, species-specific traits and secondary effects of hunting, as facilitated by improved access through logging roads. In Peninsular Malaysia, 3.0 million hectares or 61 percent of its Permanent Reserved Forests is officially assigned for commercial selective logging. Understanding how wildlife adapts and uses logged forest is critical for its management and, for threatened species, their conservation. In this study, we quantify the population status of four tropical ungulate species in a large selectively logged forest reserve and an adjacent primary forest protected area. We then conduct finer scale analyses to identify the species-specific factors that determine their occurrence. A combined indirect sign-camera trapping approach with a large sampling effort (2,665 km and 27,780 trap nights surveyed) covering a wide area (560 km2) generated species-specific detection probabilities and site occupancies. Populations of wild boar were widespread across both logged and primary forests, whereas sambar and muntjac occupancy was lower in logged forest (48.4% and 19.2% respectively), with gaur showing no significant difference. Subsequent modelling revealed the importance of conserving lower elevation habitat in both habitat types, particularly <1,000 m asl, for which occupancies of sambar, muntjac and gaur were typically higher. This finding is important because 75 percent (~13,400 km2) of Peninsular Malaysia's Main Range Forest (Banjaran Titiwangsa) is under 1,000 m asl and therefore at risk of being converted to industrial timber plantations, which calls for renewed thinking around forest management planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern death assemblages provide insights about the early stages of fossilization and useful ecological information about the species inhabiting the ecosystem. We present the results of taphonomic monitoring of modern vertebrate carcasses and bones from Doñana National Park, a Mediterranean coastal ecosystem in Andalusia, Spain. Ten different habitats were surveyed. Half of them occur in active depositional environments (marshland, lake margin, river margin, beach and dunes). Most of the skeletal remains belong to land mammals larger than 5 kg in body weight (mainly wild and feral ungulates). Overall, the Doñana bone assemblage shows good preservation with little damage to the bones, partly as a consequence of the low predator pressure on large vertebrates. Assemblages from active depositional habitats differ significantly from other habitats in terms of the higher incidence of breakage and chewing marks on bones in the latter, which result from scavenging, mainly by wild boar and red fox. The lake-margin and river-margin death assemblages have high concentrations of well preserved bones that are undergoing burial and offer the greatest potential to produce fossil assemblages. The spatial distribution of species in the Doñana death assemblage generally reflects the preferred habitats of the species in life. Meadows seem to be a preferred winter habitat for male deer, given the high number of shed antlers recorded there. This study is further proof that taphonomy can provide powerful insights to better understand the ecology of modern species and to infer past and future scenarios for the fossil record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild boar and feral swine number and range are increasing worldwide in parallel with their impact on biodiversity and human activities. The ecological and economic impact of this species include spread of diseases, vehicle collisions, damage to crops, amenities and infrastructures and reduction in plant and animal abundance and richness. As traditional methods such as culling have not contained the growth and spread of wild boar and feral pigs, alternative methods such as fertility control are now advocated. We used empirical data on two isolated wild boar populations to model and compare the effects of different regimes of culling and fertility control on population trends. We built a Bayesian population model and applied it to explore the implications for population control of various management options combining culling and/or contraception. The results showed that, whilst fertility control on its own was not sufficient to achieve the target reduction in wild boar number, adding fertility control to culling was more effective than culling alone. In particular, using contraceptives on 40% of the population to complement the culling of 60% of the animals, halved the time to achieve our target reduction compared with culling only. We conclude that, assuming the effort of adding fertility control to culling was found to be cost-effective in terms of population reduction, these two methods should be used simultaneously if a rapid decrease in wild boar number is required for a closed population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetics of pigs has been well studied in Europe and Asia, but most of previous studies of molecular phylogeny of Sus scrofa have been based on sequences of both wild and domestic forms. In this study we analysed genetic traits of Sus scrofa from 13 regions in Asia (including previously undisclosed Eastern Caucasus and Trans-Baikal regions) using purely wild boar samples. Mitochondrial control region and Y-chromosome genes (AMELY & USP9Y) were employed to resolve phylogeographic relationships. We discussed spatio-temporal dynamics of wild boar distribution and compared molecular data to morphological and cytogenetic data on wild boar variability and taxonomy. A total of 51 haplotypes were detected in mtDNA control region and five haplotypes were found in combined sequences of Y-chromosome genes. The phylogeography of Asia-wide wild boars supported a hypothesis of migration from South-East Asia to South Asia, followed by migration to East and West Asia. We present a hypothesis about independent dispersal of wild boars into West Asia from South and North-East Asia. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny generally fits the morphologically based intraspecies taxonomy. Distribution of chromosomal variants of wild boar presently does not show clear correlation with mtDNA clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal hunting is a persistent problem in many protected areas, but an overview of the extent of this problem and its impact on wildlife is lacking. We reviewed 40 years (1980–2020) of global research to examine the spatial distribution of research and socio-ecological factors influencing population decline within protected areas under illegal hunting pressure. From 81 papers reporting 988 species/site combinations, 294 mammal species were reported to have been illegally hunted from 155 protected areas across 48 countries. Research in illegal hunting has increased substantially during the review period and showed biases towards strictly protected areas and the African continent. Population declines were most frequent in countries with a low human development index, particularly in strict protected areas and for species with a body mass over 100 kg. Our results provide evidence that illegal hunting is most likely to cause declines of large-bodied species in protected areas of resource-poor countries regardless of protected area conservation status. Given the growing pressures of illegal hunting, increased investments in people's development and additional conservation efforts such as improving anti-poaching strategies and conservation resources in terms of improving funding and personnel directed at this problem are a growing priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is a newly emerging virus in the swine industry, first reported recently in 2016. PCV3 assembles into a 2000 bp circular genome; slightly larger than PCV1 (1758–1760 bp), PCV2 (1766–1769 bp) and PCV4 (1770 bp). Apart from being associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS), PCV3 has been isolated from pigs with clinical signs of reproductive failures, myocarditis, porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) and neurologic disease. Given that PCV3 is increasingly reported in countries including Thailand and U.S. with whom Malaysia shares trade and geographical relationship; and that PCV3 is associated with several clinical presentations that affect productivity, there is a need to study the presence and molecular characteristics of PCV3 in Malaysian swine farms. Twenty-four commercial swine farms, three abattoirs and retail shops in Peninsular Malaysia were sampled using convenience sampling method. A total of 281 samples from 141 pigs, including 49 lung archive samples were tested for PCV3 by conventional PCR. Twenty-eight lung samples from wild boar population in Peninsular Malaysia were also included. Nucleotide sequences were analyzed for maximum likelihood phylogeny relationship and pairwise distances. Results revealed that PCV3 is present in Peninsular Malaysia at a molecular prevalence of 17.02%, with inguinal lymph nodes and lungs showing the highest molecular detection rates of 81.82% and 71.43% respectively. Despite wide reports of PCV3 in healthy animals and wild boars, no positive samples were detected in clinically healthy finishers and wild boar population of this study. PCV3 strain A1 and A2 were present in Malaysia, and Malaysian PCV3 strains were found to be phylogenetically related to Spanish, U.S. and Mexico strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild boar are considered one the world's worst invasive species and linked to biodiversity loss, competition for resources, predation of native species, and habitat modifications. In this study, we use camera traps to evaluate whether the invasive wild boar had an effect on the medium-sized mammal community of a protected area in southern Brazil. Based on photographic records, we evaluated whether the presence and relative abundance of wild boar was associated with a decrease in diversity or change in activity of medium-sized mammals. All comparisons were made between samples where wild boar were present or absent. The records of each camera during a season were considered a sample. The wild boar was the fourth most common species in the study area being present in 7.8% of the photographic records. The species richness of mammals was not negatively affected by the occurrence of wild boar and most common species did not exhibit changes in the daily activity pattern. However, we recorded an increase in the time elapsed between an observation of wild boar and the record of the next species relative to the average latency period observed among other mammalian species. This average latency period was similar to that observed in the case of large predators such as Puma, and its increase could be reflective partly of the avoidance of native species to wild boar. Nevertheless, our results show that the effect of invasive wild boar on the mammal community is not large as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attaining and maintaining the Official Tuberculosis Free status continues to be a challenge when several domestic and wild hosts contribute to the maintenance of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). Local tuberculosis hotspots are sometimes identified in cattle in low-prevalence regions. We have, therefore, studied one such hotspot in depth in order to produce an epidemiological diagnosis. Host population size and MTC prevalence were estimated in selected wildlife and in livestock, while on-cattle environmental DNA detection was additionally used as a proxy for risk of exposure at the farm (herd) level. Positive skin test reactors were found on16 of the 24 cattle farms studied in the period 2012–2016. Although all goats tested negative to the skin test during this period, MTC was confirmed in four sheep at slaughter, thus indicating an unknown prevalence of infection in this host species. With regard to wildlife, the prevalence of MTC infection based on culture was 8.8% in the case of wild boar (Sus scrofa), and the only road-killed badger (Meles meles) submitted for culture tested positive. Two criteria were employed to divide the cattle farms into higher or lower risk: tuberculosis testing results and environmental DNA detection. Environmental MTC DNA detection yielded significant differences regarding "use of regional pastures" and "proximity to woodland". This study suggests that on-animal environmental DNA sampling may help when assessing contact risk as regards MTC in livestock at the herd level. This tool opens up new avenues of epidemiological research in complex multi-host settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The margay (Leopardus wiedii) is a small Neotropical arboreal wild cat. This species is thought to be forest-dependent, although few studies so far have directly evaluated the relationships between spatiotemporal aspects of its ecology and landscape characteristics. The aim of this study was to estimate margay population density and activity patterns in six areas with different habitat types and levels of anthropogenic disturbance in the southernmost Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Our working hypothesis was that density and activity patterns differed between areas in response to differences in forest cover and anthropogenic disturbance. Margay records were obtained using camera trapping, during spring and summer from 2017 to 2019. In all areas, the sampling scheme consisted of 20 un-baited stations, set 1km apart, each containing two paired cameras. We assessed the potential effects of environmental variables, including anthropogenic factors, on margay density, rate of detection and space use by comparing nine spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models. Activity patterns of the margay, its potential prey, and competitors were described and compared using the date and time of the records. We obtained 66 records of margay. Two of the six sampled areas were excluded from subsequent analyses due to the small number of records. The density estimated by the top-ranked model varied from 9.6±6.4 individuals/100km2 in the area with the highest human disturbance to 37.4±15.1 individuals/100km2 in a less disturbed area. Margay densities responded positively to vegetation cover, supporting the hypothesis of forest dependence by the species. Both the margay and their potential prey (small rodents and marsupials) were found to be mostly nocturnal. Margay activity also overlapped with that of the ocelot, Leopardus pardalis, and with mammals associated with human presence (wild boar, cattle, domestic dogs and cats). This is the first multi-area study on patterns of density and activity of the margay in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We concluded that the margay is mostly nocturnal, and while its densities are positively influenced by forest cover and negatively influenced by human disturbance, the activity pattern of the species does not seem to change across landscapes with distinct levels of human modification. Margay populations seem to be able to persist under moderate levels of habitat modification, highlighting the importance of preserving even small native forest remnants in the highly fragmented Atlantic Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal tuberculosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused principally by Mycobacterium bovis, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). In southern Iberian Peninsula, wild reservoirs such as the wild boar, among other factors, have prevented the eradication of bovine tuberculosis. However, most of the studies have been focused on south-central Spain, where the prevalence of tuberculosis is high among wild ungulates and cattle herds. In northern regions, where wild boar density and bovine tuberculosis prevalence are lower, fewer studies have been carried out and the role of this species is still under debate. The aim of this study was to describe the temporal and spatial distribution of antibodies against MTC in wild boar from the Basque Country, northern Spain. Sera from 1902 animals were collected between 2010 and 2016. The seroprevalence was determined with an in house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the search of risk factors was assessed by Generalized Linear Models. Overall, 17% of wild boars (326/1902; 95%CI, [15.5%–18.9%]) showed antibodies against MTC. Risk factors associated with seropositivity were the year and location of sampling, the number of MTC positive cattle, the distance to positive farms and the percentage of shrub cover. Younger age classes were associated with increased antibody titres among seropositive individuals. The seroprevalence detected was higher than those previously reported in neighbouring regions. Hence, further studies are needed to better understand the role of wild boar in the epidemiology of tuberculosis in low tuberculosis prevalence areas and consequently, its relevance when developing control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the impact of confinement in a car trunk on decomposition and insect colonization of carcasses, three freshly killed pig (Sus scrofa domesticus Erxleben) carcasses were placed individually in the trunks of older model cars and deployed in a forested area in the southwestern region of British Columbia, Canada, together with three freshly killed carcasses which were exposed in insect-accessible protective cages in the same forest. Decomposition rate and insect colonization of all carcasses were examined twice a week for four weeks. The exposed carcasses were colonized immediately by Calliphora latifrons Hough and Calliphora vomitoria (L.) followed by Lucilia illustris (Meigen), Phormia regina (Meigen) and Protophormia terraenovae (R.-D.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). There was a delay of three to six days before the confined carcasses were colonized, first by P. regina, followed by Pr. terraenovae. These species represented the vast majority of blow fly species on the confined carcasses. Despite the delay in colonization, decomposition progressed much more rapidly in two of the confined carcasses in comparison with the exposed carcasses due to the greatly increased temperatures inside the vehicles, with the complete skeletonization of two of the confined carcasses ocurring between nine and 13 days after death. One confined carcass was an anomaly, attracting much fewer insects, supporting fewer larval calliphorids and decomposing much more slowly than other carcasses, despite similarly increased temperatures. It was later discovered that the vehicle in which this carcass was confined had a solid metal fire wall between the passenger area and the trunk, which served to reduce insect access and release of odors. These data may be extremely valuable when analyzing cadavers found inside vehicle trunks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) is a top predator that inhabits the Iberian Peninsula. In Portugal, its numbers and distribution declined throughout the 20th century, due to human persecution, habitat degradation and prey decline, which have led to higher predation rates of livestock in the remaining packs. In Montesinho Natural Park (northeast Portugal), wild ungulate populations have been increasing in the last years, which may have led wolf to predate upon them. In order to assess Iberian wolf diet in this area, 85 wolf scats were collected from transects distributed throughout the study area in two periods between November 2017 and August 2019. Scat analysis indicated a high predation on wild ungulates, where the frequency of occurrence showed that roe deer was the most consumed prey (44%), followed by red deer (26%) and wild boar (24%). Domestic/wild cat (6%), domestic goat and stone marten (5%) were consumed in lower quantities. It was found a higher selection towards roe deer (D = 0.71) and this was the only prey item which was significantly dependent of the season of the year (χ2 = 16.95, df = 3, p < 0.001). This is the first study in Portugal where was recorded that wolves feed mainly on wild ungulates. We conclude that lower livestock predation may be correlated with higher wild ungulates densities in our study area, as well as suitable husbandry practices, leading to a shift on Iberian wolf diet from mainly livestock on previous studies to wild ungulates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time and space are essential niche dimensions along which species tend to coexist. We assessed spatiotemporal resource partitioning between leopards and lions and hypothesized the differential use of spatiotemporal resources by leopards with respect to lions. We used a systematic camera trap survey to collect the data at 50 sites. The data were analyzed using overlap indices, and non-parametric test statistics to assess the spatiotemporal associations. Leopard and lion were crepuscular and nocturnal in their activity pattern. They did not segregate temporally and showed substantially high overlap and strong temporal association. Leopard segregates with lion spatially by overlapping less and showing no association in space use at specific camera trap sites. Leopards showed preference for dense habitats, while the lion preferred both dense and open habitats. Leopard showed moderate-overlap and positive association with key prey species, i.e., chital and sambar. Lion, however showed low site-specific overlap and negative association with its crucial prey species, i.e., sambar and wild pig. We conclude that site-specific spatial partitioning along with differential affinities for habitat is helping leopards to partition their spatio-temporal resources with lions and hence facilitate coexistence of leopards with lions in Gir forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and wild suids caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), which threatens the swine industry globally. In its native African enzootic foci, ASFV is naturally circulating between soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros, especially in the O. moubata group, and wild reservoir suids, such as warthogs (Phacochoerus spp.) that are bitten by infected soft ticks inhabiting their burrows. While the ability of some Afrotropical soft ticks to transmit and maintain ASFV is well established, the vector status of Palearctic soft tick species for ASFV strains currently circulating in Eurasia remains largely unknown. For example, the Iberian soft tick O. erraticus is a known vector and reservoir of ASFV, but its ability to transmit different ASFV strains has not been assessed since ASF re-emerged in Europe in 2007. Little is known about vector competence for ASFV in other species, such as O. verrucosus, which occurs in southern parts of Eastern Europe, including Ukraine and parts of Russia, and in the Caucasus. Therefore, we conducted transmission trials with two Palearctic soft tick species, O. erraticus and O. verrucosus, and the Afrotropical species O. moubata. We tested the ability of ticks to transmit virulent ASFV strains, including one of direct African origin (Liv13/33), and three from Eurasia that had been involved in previous (OurT88/1), and the current epizooties (Georgia2007/1 and Ukr12/Zapo). Our experimental results showed that O. moubata was able to transmit the African and Eurasian ASFV strains, whereas O. erraticus and O. verrucosus failed to transmit the Eurasian ASFV strains. However, naïve pigs showed clinical signs of ASF when inoculated with homogenates of crushed O. erraticus and O. verrucosus ticks that fed on viraemic pigs, which proved the infectiousness of ASFV contained in the ticks. These results documented that O. erraticus and O. verrucosus are unlikely to be capable vectors of ASFV strains currently circulating in Eurasia. Additionally, the persistence of infection in soft ticks for several months reaffirms that the infectious status of a given tick species is only part of the data required to assess its vector competence for ASFV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the role of wild rodents/small mammals in hepatitis E virus (HEV) epidemiology has been a subject of considerable debate, this study was conducted to investigate the potential presence of HEV RNA in small rodents collected within their natural habitats and to detect if they can be potential reservoirs of the virus. A total of 483 small rodents were captured using snap traps placed at 11 regions in Croatia. Sampling was undertaken in 2008 and repeated from 2010 to 2014. Liver samples were tested for the presence of HEV RNA. HEV RNA was detected in only one liver sample (0.21%) originated from Apodemus flavicollis from the location Medvednica, nearby Zagreb collected in 2014. According to the sequence analysis, the isolate has shown to be a member of Orthohepevirus A species, genotype HEV-3. The genotyping results confirmed grouping into subtype 3a, general cluster 3abchij.The detected HEV strain showed to be genetically highly related to strains found in humans and/or domestic pigs and wild boars from Croatia. Our finding indicates that wild small mammals could play a role in the epidemiology of HEV-3 infection and therefore should be taken under consideration as potential reservoirs or/and transmitters of the disease. However, further investigation is needed to recognize their potential for maintaining the infection in natural conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Romanian wolf population, one of the largest in Europe, occupies a total home-range of 154500 km2 and is spread across a variety of landscapes–from anthropized hills and plateaus to remote, densely forested mountains. However, this population is markedly understudied, and even basic knowledge of the species' feeding habits is deficient. Wolf diet was assessed based on 236 scat samples collected between November 2013 and October 2014, by following pre-established transects (total length = 774 km). The study area (600 km2) is a multi-prey ecosystem in the southern sector of the Eastern Romanian Carpathians. Our results emphasize that more than 80% of the wolf diet is based on wild ungulates. The wild boar is clearly selected (D = 0.74) and is the most common species in the diet (Bio = 72%), while roe deer (Bio = 10%) and red deer (Bio = 5%) have a smaller contribution. Domestic species represented the second-largest prey category in both seasons. Among them, dog is a particularly important source of food (Bio 3.5–10.9%). Other domestic species (goat, sheep, horse) have marginal importance in the wolf diet and seasonal occurrence. Standardized niche breadths are low in both seasons (BAw = 0.07, BAs = 0.12), and a high degree of overlap in the resources used has been observed (Ôws = 0.99). Our study represents the first step towards understanding the wolf foraging behaviour in the Romanian Carpathians and is valuable to address the complex issues of wolf and wild ungulate population management and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii has been extensively studied in wild boars worldwide due to the emerging risk for human infection through meat consumption. However, this is the first study that reports toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in wild boars, wild boar hunters and their hunting dogs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in the complex wild boars, hunting dogs and hunters, and to determine the risk factors associated with seropositivity in southern and central-western Brazil. Overall, anti-T. gondii seropositivity was observed in 15/71 (21.1%) wild boars by modified agglutination test (MAT); and 49/157 (31.2%) hunting dogs and 15/49 (32.7%) hunters by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Brazilian wild boars was within the national and international range, posting wild boars as potential environmental sentinels for T. gondii presence. In addition, the findings have comparatively shown that wild boars have been less exposed to infection than hunting dogs or hunters in both Brazilian regions. Seropositivity for T. gondii was statistically higher in 12/14 (85.7%) captured wild boars when compared to 5/57 (7.0%) free-range wild boars (p = 0.000001). Similarly, captured wild boars from anthropized areas were more likely to be seropositive than of natural regions (p = 0.000255). When in multiple regression model, dogs with the habit of wild boar hunting had significant more chance to be positive (adjusted-OR 4.62 CI 95% 1.16–18.42). Despite potential as sentinels of environmental toxoplasmosis, seroprevalence in wild boars alone may provide a biased basis for public health concerns; thus, hunters and hunting dogs should be always be included in such studies. Although hunters should be aware of potential T. gondii infection, wild boars from natural and agricultural areas may present lower protozoa load when compared to wild boars from anthropized areas, likely by the higher presence of domestic cats as definitive hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is increasingly considered as a relevant actor in the epidemiology of animal tuberculosis (TB). Therefore, monitoring TB in this species is key when establishing comprehensive control schemes for this disease still present in Europe. No data are available on direct and indirect TB diagnostic methods in wild boars in epidemiological contexts where TB is endemic in cattle and detected in wild boars at low prevalence. We aimed to estimate and compare sensitivity and specificity values for bacterial culture, PCR and three commercial ELISAs, i.e. the TB ELISA-VK (using the bPPD antigen), INgezim TB Porcine and IDEXX M. bovis Ab Test (both using the MPB83 and MPB70 antigens), under field conditions in France. We used frequentist methods, with bacteriology as the gold standard, and a Bayesian formulation of the latent class analysis (LCA), without using a gold standard. Submandibular lymph nodes and sera from 495 wild boars hunter-harvested in three endemic areas (Aquitaine region, Côte d’Or region, and Corsica region) were collected between 2014 and 2016. Only eight individuals were positive for M. bovis by bacteriology (1.61%; CI95% 0.70–3.51%). The LCA method provided high specificities (99.2%; CI95% 98.2–99.8% for INgezim TB Porcine and 99.7%; CI95% 98.8–100% for IDEXX M. bovis Ab Test) and sensitivities (78.5%; CI95% 65.1–88.8% for INgezim TB Porcine and 83.9%; CI95% 58.9–97.2% for IDEXX M. bovis Ab Test) for both ELISAs using the MPB83 and MPB70 antigens. Bacterial culture showed limited sensitivity (42.8%; CI95% 19.0–70.6%), estimated as the probability of a positive result in an animal exposed to M. bovis. PCR and ELISA using the bPPD antigens demonstrated high specificities, and sensitivities intermediates between culture and the ELISAs using the MPB83 and MPB70 antigens. These results suggest that ELISA tests using the MPB83 and MPB70 antigens are useful to detect and monitor TB exposure of wild boar populations in field conditions in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 20 years, free living populations of feral wild boar have re-established in several locations across the UK. One of the largest populations is in the Forest of Dean where numbers have been steadily increasing since monitoring began in 2008, with estimates from 2016 reporting a population of more than 1500. Feral wild boar have significant ecological and environmental impacts and may present a serious epidemiological risk to neighbouring livestock as they are a vector for a number of important livestock diseases. This includes foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) which is currently absent from the UK. We developed an individual-based spatially explicit modelling approach to simulate feral wild boar populations in the Forest of Dean (England, UK) and use it to explore whether current or future populations might be sufficient to produce long-lived outbreaks of FMD in this potential wildlife reservoir. Our findings suggest that if you exclude the spread from feral wild boar to other susceptible species, the current population of boar is insufficient to maintain FMD, with 95% of unmanaged simulations indicating disease burn-out within a year (not involving boar management specifically for disease). However, if boar are allowed to spread beyond their current range into the adjacent landscape, they might maintain a self-sustaining reservoir of infection for the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & aim: Primary hepatic angiosarcoma is a rare tumor with poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to generate a new angiosarcoma model to improve research on hepatic angiosarcoma. Methods: Pigs sus scrofa were treated with different regimens of diethylnitrosamine (DENA). Tissues were analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry. Serum parameters were determined. Angiosarcoma tissue was investigated for chromosomal aberrations by aCGH analysis. Results: Animals of almost all different treatment regimens developed a multitude of variable liver lesions. Different tumor types such as granulation tissue type, cellular-like, hyalinization necrosis-like, angiosarcoma-like, dysplastic nodule-like, hepatocellular-like, glandular structure-like, and leiomyoma-like lesions were observed. Weekly treatment with 15 mg/kg for up to 52 weeks or a single shot of 200 mg/kg DENA led to the development of hepatic angiosarcomas. aCGH analysis of angiosarcoma tissue revealed increased alterations in tumors compared to non-tumorous tissue. Most of the chromosomal alterations were found on chromosomes 6, 7, 12, and 14. Conclusion: In this preliminary study treatment of sus scrofa with weekly injections of 15 mg/kg DENA results in a new model for primary hepatic angiosarcoma. This model may help to shed light on the pathomechanisms of primary hepatic angiosarcoma and might therefore open new treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary West Indian biodiversity has been shaped by two millennia of non-native species introductions. Understanding the dynamics of this process and its legacy across extended temporal and spatial scales requires accurate knowledge of introduction timing and the species involved. Richard Ligon’s 17th century account and celebrated map of early colonial Barbados records the translocation of several Old World species to the island in the post-contact era, including pigs (Sus scrofa) believed to have been released by passing sailors the century prior. Here we challenge this long-accepted historical narrative, presenting evidence that Ligon’s “pigs” were in fact peccaries, a New World continental mammal often confused with wild boars. We document the first recorded instance of non-native peccary (Tayassuidae) on Barbados based on a securely identified mandibular specimen from a historic archaeological context. Results of specimen 87Sr/86Sr and AMS radiocarbon assays, along with newly reported data from Sr isotope environmental analyses, indicate a local origin dating to AD 1645–1670/1780–1800. These data support the presence of living peccary on Barbados some time during the first 175 years of English settlement, which, based on review of historical and archaeological data, most likely arises from 16th century peccary introduction from the Guianas/Trinidad by the Spanish or Portuguese. We argue dimorphic representations of “pigs” on Ligon’s map reflect the co-occurrence of peccary and European domestic swine on historic Barbados. Our findings overturn conventional history and provide greater taxonomic and chronological resolution for Caribbean bioinvasion studies, helping to refine our understanding of potential ecological impacts. In addition, the new bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr data for Barbados reported here advance current efforts toward mapping the Caribbean Sr isoscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]