Catastrophic impact of wild boars: insufficient hunting pressure pushes snakes to the brink

Abstract

AbstractClimatic changes, habitat loss and invasive species are important threats for many animal populations. Here, we report rapid declines and extinctions of adder populations monitored during 12 years in Belgium where none of the above causes was involved. This study provides the first large‐scale data showing that wild boars represent a major risk for snakes, pushing populations to extinction. Drastic population declines were observed in the sites impacted by wild boars (N = 14), while in other sites spared by wild boars populations remained stable (N = 9). Wild boars are highly fertile and their main predators have been extirpated from Western Europe; yet, recreational hunting kept populations in check during decades. Hunting pressure is currently insufficient to control the rapid expansion of wild boars, demographic outbreaks are increasingly frequent. Wild boars are omnivorous; they can destroy snakes directly and indirectly through the depletion of snake's preys and via the destruction of key microhabitats. Snakes exhibit limited dispersal capacities; they cannot escape local perturbations and thus are highly vulnerable. Because wild boars have a very eclectic diet, are prolific breeders and are able to devastate a range of habitats their negative impact under relaxed hunting pressure applies to a huge variety of organisms, including reptiles. Policies to limit wild boar populations are urgently needed. Recommendations to target reproductive females and piglets should be generalized and applied.