Quality and use of habitat patches by wild boar (Sus scrofa) along an urban gradient

D Sütő,M Heltai,K Katona

doi:10.1007/s42977-020-00012-w

D Sütő, M Heltai + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42977-020-00012-w

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Abstract

Expansion and urbanization process of wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations lead to serious human–wildlife conflicts in many cities, e.g. in Budapest, Hungary. In this study we evaluated the penetration potential of the species into the inner urban areas by identifying the occurrence of wild boar and the quality of the habitat patches for them along an urban gradient from the periphery towards the centre. Wild boar rooting intensity, shrub cover and the availability of woody species giving favourable food to wild boar were measured in four different habitat patches. The availability of hiding shrub patches was much higher in the outer areas than in the inner ones. Similarly, the proportion of shrub and tree species providing favourable food for wild boar decreased towards the centre. Accordingly, we found rooting only in two areas nearer to the city boundary. Based on our results at the peripheral areas permanent presence of wild boar in near-natural habitats should be expected, but not in the inner green zones. We recommend to monitor the urban wild boar presence and evaluate the quality of urban green patches to mitigate problems related to the wild boars.

Highlights

Human population showed rapid growth in the past 100 years, the size and number of our settlements increased at the expense of natural habitats (Aronson et al 2017; Ersoy et al 2019; Luniak 2004; Patterson et al 2003; Stillfried et al 2017b; Toger et al 2018)
We investigated the availability of woody vegetation providing hiding place and natural seed and fruit food sources and the occurrence of wild boar in different habitat patches along an urban gradient
The timing and the difference in the data collection should not cause important bias to our results, since our aim was to measure those kinds of variables which can reflect circumstances of a longer time period (i.e. to recognize stable suitable habitat patches and wild boar presence which is permanent throughout the year (Bogdán and Heltai 2014))

Summary

Introduction

Human population showed rapid growth in the past 100 years, the size and number of our settlements increased at the expense of natural habitats (Aronson et al 2017; Ersoy et al 2019; Luniak 2004; Patterson et al 2003; Stillfried et al 2017b; Toger et al 2018). Nowadays it is common to encounter red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), stone martens (Martes foina), roe deer (Capreolus capreoulus) or wild boars (Sus scrofa) in the urban and sub-urban areas of Europe (Bateman and Fleming 2012; Ciach and Fröhlich 2019; Herr et al 2009; Luniak 2004). Coexistence with these species can cause many problems in the everyday life of the citizens (Bateman and Fleming 2012; Cahill et al 2012; Lyytimäki et al 2008; Stillfried et al 2017a)

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