J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(4):174-180 | DOI: 10.17221/99/2013-JFS

An assessment of the applicability of dung count to estimate the wild boar population density in a forest environmentOriginal Paper

R. Plhal1, J. Kamler1, M. Homolka2, J.Drimaj1
1 Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
2 Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic

Wild boar is a native species in the fauna of the Czech Republic. It is becoming a problematic game species both in the Czech Republic and in other European countries due to its harmful impacts. So far no suitable method of its sustainable management has been devised. Yet, a correct abundance estimate is essential for proper management, field crop damage prevention and proper hunting planning. This paper employed faecal pellet group count to estimate the wild boar density in a forest environment. The research was conducted in a study area covering 12.83 km2, which is surrounded by farmland. The count was done under ideal conditions in early spring, after snow had melted. The study area was organised into several differing environments in which different dung densities were expected. The presence of feeding sites, where wild boars concentrated, was taken into account. The conducted count confirmed differences in the utilization of different habitats within the study area. The resulting wild boar abundance was estimated at 64.3 (± 8.9; 95% CI) indd.km-2.

Keywords: accumulation; defecation; distribution; faeces; Sus scrofa

Published: April 30, 2014  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Plhal R, Kamler J, Homolka M, Drimaj J. An assessment of the applicability of dung count to estimate the wild boar population density in a forest environment. J. For. Sci. 2014;60(4):174-180. doi: 10.17221/99/2013-JFS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Abaigar T., Delbarrio G., Vericad J.R. (1994): Habitat preference of wild boar (Sus-scrofa L., 1758) in a mediterranean environment - indirect evaluation by signs. Mammalia, 58: 201-210. Go to original source...
    2. Acevedo P., Vicente J., Höfle U., Cassinello J., RuizFons F., Gortazar C. (2007): Estimation of European wild boar relative abundance and aggregation: a novel method in epidemiological risk assessment. Epidemiology and Infection, 135: 519-527. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Barnes R.F.W. (2002): The problem of precision and trend detection posed by small elephant populations in West Africa. African Journal of Ecology, 40: 179-185. Go to original source...
    4. Braga C., Alexandre N., Fernandez-Llario P., Santos, P. (2010): Wild boar (Sus scrofa) harvesting using the Espera hunting method: side effects and management implications. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 56: 465-469. Go to original source...
    5. Brauer A., Lange E., Kaden V. (2006): Oral immunisation of wild boar against classical swine fever: uptake studies of new baits and investigations on the stability of lyophilised C-strain vaccine. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 52: 271-276. Go to original source...
    6. Campbell D., Swanson G.M., Sales J. (2004): Comparing the precision and cost-effectiveness of faecal pellet group count methods. Journal of Applied Ecology, 41: 1185-1196. Go to original source...
    7. Cristescu B., Ion I. (2007): Density of ungulates at preferential feeding in two hunting grounds of Vrancea County (Romania), with comparison between two study methods. Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii "Al. I. Cuza" Iasi, Biologie Animala: 245-250.
    8. Fernández-Llario P. (2004): Environmental correlates of nest site selection by wild boar Sus scrofa. Acta Theriologica, 49: 383-392. Go to original source...
    9. Focardi S., Isotti R., Pelliccioni E.R., Iannuzzo D. (2002): The use of distance sampling and mark-resight to estimate the local density of wildlife populations. Environmetrics, 13: 177-186. Go to original source...
    10. Fonseca C. (2008): Winter habitat selection by wild boar Sus scrofa in southeastern Poland. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 54: 361-366. Go to original source...
    11. Fonseca C., Kolecki M., Merta D., Bobek B. (2007): Use of line intercept track index and plot sampling for estimating wild boar, Sus scrofa (Suidae), densities in Poland. Folia Zoologica, 56: 389-398.
    12. Frank B. (2008): Understanding the nature of human dimensions: intergrating people in wild boar management. In: Náhlik A., Tari T. (eds): Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and on sub-order Suiformes. Sopron, 28.-30. August 2008. Sopron, University of West Hungary: 22.
    13. Fruzinski B., Labudzki L. (2002): Management of wild boar in Poland. Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft, 48: 201-207. Go to original source...
    14. Geisser H., Reyer H.U. (2005): The influence of food and temperature on population density of wild boar Sus scrofa in the Thurgau (Switzerland). Journal of Zoology, 267: 89-96. Go to original source...
    15. Geisser H. (1998): The wild boar (Sus scrofa) in the Thurgau (Northeastern Switzerland): Population status, damages and the influence of supplementary feeding on damage frequency. Gibier Faune Sauvage, 15: 547-554.
    16. Gentle M. (2010): Alternative toxins for feral pig (Sus scrofa) management in Australia? In: Book of abstracts of the 8th international symposium on wild boar and other suids. York, 1.-4. September 2010. York, The Food and Environment Research Agency: 23.
    17. Gerard J.F., Cargnelutti B., Spitz F., Valet G., Sardin T. (1991): Habitat use of wild boar in a French agroecosystem from late winter to early summer. Acta Theriologica, 36: 119-129. Go to original source...
    18. Hahn N., Eisfeld D. (1998): Diet and habitat use of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in SW-Germany. Gibier Faune Sauvage, 15: 595-606.
    19. Hebeisen C., Fattebert J., Baubet E., Fischer C. (2008): Estimating wild boar (Sus scrofa) abundance and density using capture-resights in Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 54: 391-401. Go to original source...
    20. Heinze E., Boch S., Fischer M., Hessenmoller D., Klenk B., Muller J., Prati D., Schulze E.D., Seele C., Socher S., Halle S. (2011): Habitat use of large ungulates in northeastern Germany in relation to forest management. Forest Ecology and Management, 261: 288-296. Go to original source...
    21. Hemami M. R., Dolman P. M. (2005): The disappearance of muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) pellet groups in a pine forest of lowland England. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 51: 19-24. Go to original source...
    22. Herrero J., García-Serrano A., Couto S., Ortuno V.M., García-González R. (2006): Diet of wild boar Sus scrofa L. and crop damage in an intensive agroecosystem. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 52: 245-250. Go to original source...
    23. Hladíková B., Zbořil J., Tkadlec E. (2008): Populační dynamika prasete divokého (Sus scrofa) na střední Moravě (Artiodactyla: Suidae). [Population dynamics of the Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) in central Moravia, Czech Republic (Artiodactyla: Suidae).] Lynx (Praha), 39: 55-62.
    24. Huckschlag D. (2008): A Digital infrared video camera system for recording and remote capturing. In: Náhlik A., Tari T. (eds): Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and on sub-order Suiformes. Sopron, 28.-30. August 2008. Sopron, University of West Hungary: 48-49. Go to original source...
    25. Jedrzejewska B., Okarma H., Jedrzejewski W., Milkowski L. (1994): Effects of exploitation and protection on forest structure, ungulate density and wolf predation in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland. Journal of Applied Ecology, 31: 664-676. Go to original source...
    26. Keuling O., Stier N., Roth M. (2008): Annual and seasonal space use of different age classes of female wild boar Sus scrofa L. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 54: 403-412. Go to original source...
    27. Killian G., Miller L., Rhyan J., Doten H. (2006): Immunocontraception of Florida feral swine with a singledose GnRH vaccine. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 55: 378-384. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    28. Kirschning J., Unici R., Hartl G.B. (2008): Population genetics of the Wild boar in Europe. In: Náhlik A., Tari T. (eds): Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and on sub-order Suiformes. Sopron, 28.-30. August 2008. Sopron, University of West Hungary: 66-67.
    29. Laing S.E., Buckland S.T., Burn R.W., Lambie D., Amphlett A. (2003): Dung and nest surveys: estimating decay rates. Journal of Applied Ecology, 40: 1102-1111. Go to original source...
    30. Lemel J., Truve J., Soderberg B. (2003): Variation in ranging and activity behaviour of European wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Sweden. Wildlife Biology, 9: 29-36. Go to original source...
    31. Massei G., Bacon P., Genov P.V. (1998): Fallow deer and wild boar pellet group disappearance in a Mediterranean area. Journal of Wildlife Management, 62: 1086-1094. Go to original source...
    32. Massei G., Genov P.V., Staines B.W. (1996): Diet, food availability and reproduction of wild boar in a Mediterranean coastal area. Acta Theriologica, 41: 307-320. Go to original source...
    33. Merli E., Meriggi A. (2006): Using harvest data to predict habitat-population relationship of the wild boar Sus scrofa in Northern Italy. Acta Theriologica, 5: 383-394. Go to original source...
    34. Morimando F., Plantamura G., Galardi L., Pianigiani F. (2008): Wild boar census by extensive camera trapping: a population management approach in Tuscany (Central Italy). In: Náhlik A., Tari T. (eds): Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and on sub-order Suiformes. Sopron, 28.-30. August 2008. Sopron, University of West Hungary: 66-67.
    35. Musial F., Kowalski A., Enck P., Kalveram K.T. (1999): A computer-controlled, long-term recording system for studying eating, drinking, and defecation behavior in miniature pigs. Physiology and Behavior, 68: 73-80. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    36. Neff D.J. (1968): Pellet-group count technique for big game trend census and distribution - rewiev. Journal of Wildlife Management, 32: 597-614. Go to original source...
    37. Plhal R., Kamler J., Homolka M., Adamec Z. (2011): An assessment of the applicability of photo trapping to estimate wild boar population density in a forest environment. Folia Zoologica, 60: 237-246. Go to original source...
    38. Putten G. (2000): An ethological definition of animal welfare with special emphasis on pig behaviour. In: Hovi M., Trujillo R.G. (eds): Proceedings of the 2nd NAHWOA workshop. Córdoba, 8.-11. January 2000. Reading, University of Reading: 120-134.
    39. Rodríguez-Estévez V., Martínez A., Gomez A.G., Mata C. (2005): Feeding activity and other activities during the grazing journey of the iberian pig in the montanera fattening period. In: Book of Abstracts of the EAAP - 56th Annual Meeting. European Association for Animal Production. Uppsala, 5.-8. June 2005. Wageningen, Wageningen Academic Publishers: 239.
    40. Schley L., Roper T.J. (2003): Diet of wild boar Sus scrofa in Western Europe, with particular reference to consumption of agricultural crops. Mammal Review, 33: 43-56. Go to original source...
    41. Sweitzer R.A., van Vuren D., Gardner I.A., Boyce W.M., Waithman J.D. (2000): Estimating sizes of wild pig populations in the North and Central Coast regions of California. Journal of Wildlife Management, 64: 531-543. Go to original source...
    42. Thurfjell H., Ball J.P., Ahlen P.A., Kornacher P., Dettki H., Sjoberg K. (2009): Habitat use and spatial patterns of wild boar Sus scrofa (L.): agricultural fields and edges. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 55: 517-523. Go to original source...
    43. Tottewitz F., Stubbe C., Ahrens M., Dobias K., Goretzki J., Paustian K.H. (1996): Counting droppings as a method of estimating the population of ruminant game. Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft, 42: 111-122. Go to original source...
    44. Tsaparis D., Katsanevakis S., Ntolka E., Legakis A. (2009): Estimating dung decay rates of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in different habitat types of a Mediterranean ecosystem: an information theory approach. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 55: 167-172. Go to original source...
    45. Waithman J.D., Sweitzer R.A., van Vuren D., Drew J.D., Brinkhaus A.J., Gardner I.A. (1999): Range expansion, population sizes, and management of wild pigs in California. Journal of Wildlife Management, 63: 298-308. Go to original source...
    46. West B.C., Cooper A.L., Armstrong J.B. (2009): Managing Wild Pigs: A Technical Guide. Human-Wildlife Interactions Monograph No. 1: 1-55.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content