Crop damage by wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) depending on the crop composition in Central-Eastern Poland

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the damage caused by wild boar Sus scrofa to crop fields located in the central-eastern Poland in relation with the crop composition. A significant increase in the grassland area and in the area under cultivation of total cereals, vegetables, fruit, and root crops (p ≤ 0.05) was revealed on the study area. The volume of damage caused to legumes, industrial plants, vegetables, and fruit increased simultaneously with the increase in the surface area under these plant groups (p ≤ 0.05). The compensation payment has markedly positively correlated with the damaged area of grassland, cereals, maize, root crops, legumes and an increase in the total damage (p ≤ 0.05). The number of compensations has a significant effect on the number of wild boars harvested on the studied areas (p ≤ 0.05). The number of wild boars and the number of harvested wild boars were strongly negatively correlated with the area of maize cultivation (p ≤ 0.05). The level of wild boar hunting increased markedly simultaneously with the increase in the damage caused by these animals (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, it was shown that the number of harvested wild boars increased considerably with the increase in the number of wild boars on the study area (p ≤ 0.05). The level of damage to cereals, maize, and industrial plants decreased significantly with an increase in the total area and forest area in the study territory (p ≤ 0.05). Keywords: Sus scrofa, impact on crops, damage, recommendations