Abstract
Wild boars and domestic pigs belong to the same species (Sus scrofa). When sympatric populations of wild boars, feral pigs, and domestic pigs share the same environment, interactions between domestic and wild suids (IDWS) are suspected to facilitate the spread and maintenance of several pig pathogens which can impact on public health and pig production. However, information on the nature and factors facilitating those IDWS are rarely described in the literature. In order to understand the occurrence, nature, and the factors facilitating IDWS, a total of 85 semi-structured interviews were implemented face to face among 25 strict farmers, 20 strict hunters, and 40 hunting farmers in the main traditional pig-farming regions of Corsica, where IDWS are suspected to be common and widespread. Different forms of IDWS were described: those linked with sexual attraction of wild boars by domestic sows (including sexual interactions and fights between wild and domestic boars) were most frequently reported (by 61 and 44% of the respondents, respectively) in the autumn months and early winter. Foraging around common food or water was equally frequent (reported by 60% of the respondents) but spread all along the year except in winter. Spatially, IDWS were more frequent in higher altitude pastures were pig herds remain unattended during summer and autumn months with limited human presence. Abandonment of carcasses and carcass offal in the forest were equally frequent and efficient form of IDWS reported by 70% of the respondents. Certain traditional practices already implemented by hunters and farmers had the potential to mitigate IDWS in the local context. This study provided quantitative evidence of the nature of different IDWS in the context of extensive commercial outdoor pig farming in Corsica and identified their spatial and temporal trends. The identification of those trends is useful to target suitable times and locations to develop further ecological investigations of IDWS at a finer scale in order to better understand diseases transmission patterns between populations and promote adapted management strategies.
Highlights
Outdoor pig farming is becoming a widespread activity in many European countries driven by public demand for more ethical and natural approaches to produce pigs and a higher quality of pork products
The natural and vast pig farm environment is often shared with an abundant population of wild boars, feral pigs, and hybrids resulting of cross breeding between these different forms of Sus scrofa that cohabitate in the Corsican Mediterranean forests
Such socio-ecological context provides numerous opportunities for direct or indirect interactions between wild/feral and domestic suids (IDWS), which are known to be responsible for the maintenance and transmission of many infectious diseases circulating between wild and domestic compartments such as Hepatitis E virus, bovine tuberculosis, or trichinellosis (3–5)
Summary
Outdoor pig farming is becoming a widespread activity in many European countries driven by public demand for more ethical and natural approaches to produce pigs and a higher quality of pork products. Hunting is extremely popular in the island and practiced by approximately 17,000 licensed local hunters and 250 hunting teams who regulate wild boar populations with an estimated annual offtake of 30,000 (1, 2) Such socio-ecological context provides numerous opportunities for direct (synchronous) or indirect (asynchronous) interactions between wild/feral and domestic suids (IDWS), which are known to be responsible for the maintenance and transmission of many infectious diseases circulating between wild and domestic compartments such as Hepatitis E virus, bovine tuberculosis, or trichinellosis (3–5). IDWS are reported to contribute to the maintenance of African swine fever in the neighboring island of Sardinia, which has remained endemic for more than 35 years (7, 8) Despite their suspected epidemiological importance, no studies have ever analyzed the characteristics, drivers, or patterns of occurrence of IDWS in the framework of a complex Mediterranean socio-ecosystem (9). Knowledge on the spatial and temporal patterns of IDWS can be used to target preventive disease management measures and to reduce the risk of transmission more efficiently at specific times and locations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
