Potamochoerus Porcus Research Articles

A chromosome-level genome of Chenghua pig provides new insights into the domestication and local adaptation of pigs

As a country with abundant genetic resources of pigs, the domestication history of pigs in China and the adaptive evolution of Chinese pig breeds at different latitudes have rarely been elucidated at the genome-wide level. To fill this gap, we first assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the Chenghua pig and used it as a benchmark to analyse the genomes of 272 samples from three genera of three continents. The divergence of the three species belonging to three genera, Phacochoerus africanus, Potamochoerus porcus, and Sus scrofa, was assessed. The introgression of pig breeds redefined that the migration routes were basically from southern China to central and southwestern China, then spread to eastern China, arrived in northern China, and finally reached Europe. The domestication of pigs in China occurred ∼12,000 years ago, earlier than the available Chinese archaeological domestication evidence. In addition, FBN1 and NR6A1 were identified in our study as candidate genes related to extreme skin thickness differences in Eurasian pig breeds and adaptive evolution at different latitudes in Chinese pig breeds, respectively. Our study provides a new resource for the pig genomic pool and refines our understanding of pig genetic diversity, domestication, migration, and adaptive evolution at different latitudes.

Intra-tooth stable isotope analysis reveals seasonal dietary variability and niche partitioning among bushpigs/red river hogs and warthogs

Abstract How animals respond to seasonal resource availability has profound implications for their dietary flexibility and realized ecological niches. We sought to understand seasonal dietary niche partitioning in extant African suids using intra-tooth stable isotope analysis of enamel. We collected enamel samples from canines of red river hogs/bushpigs (Potamochoerus spp.) and third molars of warthogs (Phacochoerus spp.) in 3 different regions of central and eastern Africa. We analyzed multiple samples from each tooth and used variations in stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios (δ13C and δ18O) and covariances between them to infer seasonal dietary changes. We found that most Phacochoerus display C4-dominated diets, while most Potamochoerus display C3-dominated diets. Phacochoerus and Potamochoerus that co-occur in the same region display no overlap in intra-tooth δ13C, which suggests dietary niche partitioning. They also show diverging δ13C values as the dry seasons progress and converging δ13C values during the peak of the rainy seasons, which suggests a greater dietary niche separation during the dry seasons when resources are scarce than during the rainy season. We found statistically significant cross-correlations between intra-tooth δ13C and δ18O in most specimens. We also observed a temporal lag between δ13C and δ18O in some specimens. This study demonstrates that intra-tooth stable isotope analysis is a promising approach to investigate seasonal dietary niche variation. However, large inter-individual variations in δ18O at certain localities can be challenging to interpret. Future studies that expand the intra-tooth stable isotope surveys or include controlled feeding experiments will improve its application in ecological studies.

Unravelling the dynamics: Large mammal occupancy modelling in a West African tropical forest

AbstractThis study investigates the response of large mammal populations to human‐induced modifications in the Omo‐Shasha‐Oluwa Forest Reserves landscape. The impact of habitat alterations on species diversity and distribution remains poorly understood in this region. Over four seasons from May 2017 to April 2019, 52 sites were surveyed, revealing the presence of 12 large mammal species across six families. Maxwell's duiker exhibited the highest overall occupancy (0.897 ± 0.062), while the Forest elephant had the lowest (0.115 ± 0.043). Forest buffalo experienced the greatest increase in site occupancy (0.290 ± 0.076 to 0.358 ± 0.098), whereas the Mona monkey saw the most significant decrease (0.713 to 0.651). The study employed single‐species, multi‐season occupancy modelling, predicting colonisation and extinction events solely for the civet (ϒ = 0.347 ± 0.154; ε = 0.041 ± 0.031) and Red river hog (ϒ = 0.158 ± 0.098; ε = 0.098 ± 0.059). The likelihood of Civet cat and Red river hog colonisation increased with distance from the nearest settlement. These findings enhance our understanding of habitat characteristics influencing large mammal distribution, offering valuable insights for the conservation of these species in forest landscapes.

African bushpigs exhibit porous species boundaries and appeared in Madagascar concurrently with human arrival

Several African mammals exhibit a phylogeographic pattern where closely related taxa are split between West/Central and East/Southern Africa, but their evolutionary relationships and histories remain controversial. Bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) and red river hogs (P. porcus) are recognised as separate species due to morphological distinctions, a perceived lack of interbreeding at contact, and putatively old divergence times, but historically, they were considered conspecific. Moreover, the presence of Malagasy bushpigs as the sole large terrestrial mammal shared with the African mainland raises intriguing questions about its origin and arrival in Madagascar. Analyses of 67 whole genomes revealed a genetic continuum between the two species, with putative signatures of historical gene flow, variable FST values, and a recent divergence time (<500,000 years). Thus, our study challenges key arguments for splitting Potamochoerus into two species and suggests their speciation might be incomplete. Our findings also indicate that Malagasy bushpigs diverged from southern African populations and underwent a limited bottleneck 1000-5000 years ago, concurrent with human arrival in Madagascar. These results shed light on the evolutionary history of an iconic and widespread African mammal and provide insight into the longstanding biogeographic puzzle surrounding the bushpig’s presence in Madagascar.

Establishment and characterization of an immortalized red river hog blood-derived macrophage cell line.

Red river hogs (RRHs) (Potamochoerus porcus), a wild species of Suidae living in Africa with a major distribution in the Guinean and Congolian forests, are natural reservoirs of African swine fever virus (ASFV) and typically are asymptomatic. Since blood and tissue macrophages of suid animals are target cell lineages of ASFV, RRH-derived macrophages are expected to play an important role in suppressing disease development in infected individuals. In the present study, we successfully isolated RRH-derived blood macrophages using co-culture techniques of RRH blood cells with porcine kidney-derived feeder cells and immortalized them by transferring SV40 large T antigen and porcine telomerase reverse transcriptase genes. The newly established macrophage cell line of the RRH-derived blood cell origin (RZJ/IBM) exhibited an Iba1-, CD172a-, and CD203a-positive typical macrophage-like phenotype and up-regulated the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB p65 subunit and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in response to the bacterial cell wall components, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and muramyl dipeptide. In addition, RZJ/IBM cells produced the precursor form of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 upon a stimulation with LPS, leading to the conversion of IL-18, but not IL-1β, into the mature form. Time-lapse live cell imaging with pHrodo dye-conjugated Escherichia coli BioParticles demonstrated the phagocytotic activity of RZJ/IBM cells. It is important to note that RZJ/IBM cells are clearly susceptible to ASFV infection and support viral replication in vitro. Therefore, the RZJ/IBM cell line provides a unique model for investigating the pathogenesis of ASFV.

Mitochondrial genome sequence comparisons indicate that the elephant louse Haematomyzus elephantis (Piaget, 1869) contains cryptic species.

The parvorder Rhynchopthirina contains three currently recognised species of lice that parasitize elephants (both African savanna elephant Loxodonta africana and Asian elephant Elephas maximus), desert warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) and Red River hogs (Potamochoerus porcus), respectively. The Asian elephant lice and the African savanna elephant lice are currently treated as the same species, Haematomyzus elephantis (Piaget, 1869), based on morphology despite the fact that their hosts diverged 8.4 million years ago. In the current study, we sequenced 23 mitochondrial (mt) genes of African savanna elephant lice collected in South Africa and analysed the sequence divergence between African savanna elephant lice and previously sequenced Asian elephant lice. Sequence comparisons revealed >23% divergence for the 23 mt genes as a whole and ~17% divergence for cox1 gene between African savanna and Asian elephant lice, which were far higher than the divergence expected within a species. Furthermore, the mt gene sequence divergences between these lice are 3.76-4.6 times higher than that between their hosts, the African savanna and Asian elephants, which are expected for the co-divergence and co-evolution between lice and their elephant hosts. We conclude that (1) H. elephantis (Piaget, 1869) contains cryptic species and (2) African savanna and Asian elephant lice are different species genetically that may have co-diverged and co-evolved with their hosts.

Faecal Microbiota Characterisation of Potamochoerus porcus Living in a Controlled Environment.

Intestinal bacteria establish a specific relationship with the host animal, which causes the acquisition of gut microbiota with a unique composition classified as the enterotype. As the name suggests, the Red River Hog is a wild member of the pig family living in Africa, in particular through the West and Central African rainforest. To date, very few studies have analysed the gut microbiota of Red River Hogs (RRHs) both housed under controlled conditions and in wild habitats. This study analysed the intestinal microbiota and the distribution of Bifidobacterium species in five Red River Hog (RRH) individuals (four adults and one juvenile), hosted in two different modern zoological gardens (Parco Natura Viva, Verona, and Bioparco, Rome) with the aim of disentangling the possible effects of captive different lifestyle and host genetics. Faecal samples were collected and studied both for bifidobacterial counts and isolation by means of culture-dependent method and for total microbiota analysis through the high-quality sequences of the V3-V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA. Results showed a host-specific bifidobacterial species distribution. Indeed, B. boum and B. thermoacidophilum were found only in Verona RRHs, whereas B. porcinum species were isolated only in Rome RRHs. These bifidobacterial species are also typical of pigs. Bifidobacterial counts were about 106 CFU/g in faecal samples of all the individuals, with the only exception for the juvenile subject, showing 107 CFU/g. As in human beings, in RRHs a higher count of bifidobacteria was also found in the young subject compared with adults. Furthermore, the microbiota of RRHs showed qualitative differences. Indeed, Firmicutes was found to be the dominant phylum in Verona RRHs whereas Bacteroidetes was the most represented in Roma RRHs. At order level, Oscillospirales and Spirochaetales were the most represented in Verona RRHs compared with Rome RRHs, where Bacteroidales dominated over the other taxa. Finally, at the family level, RRHs from the two sites showed the presence of the same families, but with different levels of abundance. Our results highlight that the intestinal microbiota seems to reflect the lifestyle (i.e., the diet), whereas age and host genetics are the driving factors for the bifidobacterial population.

DNA integrity and viability of testicular cells from diverse wild species after slow freezing or vitrification.

Cryopreservation of testicular tissues offers new possibilities to protect endangered species, genetically valuable individuals or even the fertility potential of prepubertal individuals who have died unexpectedly. However, the use of this technique still remains a challenge. In this study, slow freezing and vitrification of testicular tissue was investigated to find out which cryopreservation method could better preserve the viability and DNA integrity of testicular germ cells in diverse wild species. Testes were obtained post-mortem from 18 artiodactyls (wild boar, roe deer, dwarf goat, mhor gazelle, European mouflon, African forest buffalo, Malayan tapir, dorcas gazelle, Iberian ibex, gnu, red river hog), 5 primates (colobus monkey, capuchin monkey, mandrill), 8 carnivores (gray wolf, Persian leopard, binturong, European mink, American black bear, suricata), and 2 rodents (Patagonian mara). The testicles belonged to adult individuals and were cut into small pieces and cryopreserved by needle immersed vitrification or uncontrolled slow freezing using a passive cooling device. After warming or thawing, testicular tissues were enzymatically digested and two germ cell types were differentiated based on their morphology: rounded cells (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and early spermatids) and elongated cells (elongated spermatids and spermatozoa). Cell viability was assessed by SYBR-14/propidium iodide while DNA fragmentation by TUNEL assay with fluorescence microscope. Our preliminary results revealed that our uncontrolled slow freezing method better preserved the viability and DNA integrity of elongated cells than vitrification. Such trend was observed in all species, being significant in artiodactyls, carnivores, and primates. Similarly, the viability and DNA integrity of rounded cells was also better maintained in primates by uncontrolled slow freezing, while in carnivores, vitrification by needle immersion showed better results in this type of cells. In artiodactyls and rodents both techniques preserved the viability of rounded cells in a similar manner, although the DNA integrity of these cells was greater after needle immersed vitrification in artiodactyls. In conclusion, the effectiveness of each cryopreservation method is affected by the phylogenetic diversity between species and cell type.

African Suid Genomes Provide Insights into the Local Adaptation to Diverse African Environments.

African wild suids consist of several endemic species that represent ancient members of the family Suidae and have colonized diverse habitats on the African continent. However, limited genomic resources for African wild suids hinder our understanding of their evolution and genetic diversity. In this study, we assembled high-quality genomes of a common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), a red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), as well as an East Asian Diannan small-ear pig (Sus scrofa). Phylogenetic analysis showed that common warthog and red river hog diverged from their common ancestor around the Miocene/Pliocene boundary, putatively predating their entry into Africa. We detected species-specific selective signals associated with sensory perception and interferon signaling pathways in common warthog and red river hog, respectively, which contributed to their local adaptation to savannah and tropical rainforest environments, respectively. The structural variation and evolving signals in genes involved in T-cell immunity, viral infection, and lymphoid development were identified in their ancestral lineage. Our results provide new insights into the evolutionary histories and divergent genetic adaptations of African suids.

Effects of environmental factors on the distribution of flagship species in Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumawu, Ghana: Implications for conservation and ecotourism development

AbstractSustainable ecotourism development and conservation depend on understanding factors that affect flagship species. This study analysed environmental factors and their effects on flagship species: African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), red‐river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), olive baboon (Papio anubis), duiker (Cephalophus spp.), and crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) distribution in Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS). Secondary data (camp reports 2017–2019) showed flagship species distribution across four vegetation types in 14 sites. Field observations were used to reconstruct camp report information using GPS coordinates to show animal distribution. Environmental factors were assessed based on the scope and severity of their threats to the species. PAST ver.3.06 was used to analyse animal and vegetation data. A total of 995 individual animals were recorded. Riverine forest (n = 325) had the highest, followed by semi‐deciduous (n = 316), and woodland Savanna (n = 192). Bushfire was the major predictive factor on animal distribution, followed by grazing pressure, farming activities, elevation, and erosion. These findings imply that an increased scale of disturbances reduces the chance of sighting flagship animals. A higher concentration of these species in riverine and semi‐deciduous forests calls for increased patrols as a conservation measure. Constructing viewing platforms and hiking trails in areas of higher animal activity would improve ecotourism development.

The efficiency of Leguminoceae Production Grains Plus Maize as A Feeding on Growth Phase of Local Swine (Potamochoerus porcus) in Timor-Leste

In Timor Leste, swine Farmers did not yet use legume production grains to maintain feed swine performance and respond to market demand. The research aims to evaluate the Efficiency of Leguminoceae Production grains Plus Maize in feeding on the Growth Phase of Local Swine in Timor Leste. This research used Latin Square Design with four rows and four columns employed. The swine feeding has 4 treatments such as R1 (corn 50% + mungbean 15% + soybean 20% + common bean 15%), R2 (corn 40% + mungbean 20% + soybean 15% + common bean 25%), R3 (corn 40% + mungbean 20% + soybean 20% + common bean 20%), R4 (corn 50% + mungbean 10% + soybean 15% + common bean 25%). This research showed that Swine that consumed R2 rates were very good compared to other feedings for Swine. Look at the performance of the Swine with an increase in body weight of 31.16kg and body length of 72.75cm in the grower phase. All data were analyzed by ANOVA Latin Square Design, and Least Significance Difference (LSD) was conducted when the means were significantly different (p&lt;0.05).

Typical intracranial myiasis in Nigerian red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus) caused by an unknown bot fly (Diptera: Oestridae).

We report an unknown taxon of bot fly (Diptera: Oestridae: Oestrinae) in red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus Linnaeus, 1758) in Cross River State, Nigeria. From direct observation and interviews with local hunters, we document that, remarkably, the parasite typically occurs within the intracranial supra-meningeal space - i.e., between the inner wall of the skull and the brain - but without causing visible inflammation or clinical signs. The parasite is most similar (up to 87.9%) to Rhinoestrus usbekistanicus based on cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 DNA sequencing but is sufficiently divergent phylogenetically to represent a new or previously un-sequenced taxon. Morphologically, the parasite shares some, but not all, features with R. nivarleti. Local cultural belief systems attribute aspects of red river hog behavior (e.g. intelligence, elusiveness) to the parasite, suggesting a prolonged presence in the red river hog population. The parasite's unusual anatomic location may be aberrant, or it may be a protective adaptation to life in red river hogs, which forage vigorously with their snouts.

Driving Utah's Rivers: Working Water in the West

Driving Utah's Rivers: Working Water in the West

Diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in sympatric mammals in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon.

Background and Aim:Gastrointestinal parasites identified in the wild can negatively affect host fitness, lower performance, and growth. On the other side, sympatric mammals that share habitat and resources may also cross-transmit parasites, which are often zoonotic and can contribute to morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to characterize the diversity of gastrointestinal parasites circulating in mammalian hosts in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park.Materials and Methods:We screened a total of 25 fecal samples collected from nine wild mammalian species, namely, western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), and red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus) as well as people working as trackers (Homo sapiens) using direct microscopic observations following a sedimentation technique to concentrate the fecal material.Results:Of the total 25 fecal samples screened, 15 (60%) were positive for parasitic gastrointestinal infection. Based on the morphology of parasite eggs and cysts, we identified a rich diversity of nematodes, protozoans, trematodes, and cestodes, including unidentified strongyles (73%), Oesophagostomum spp. (53%), Ancylostoma spp. (27%), Trichuris spp. (13%), Ascaris spp. (13%), Mammomonogamus spp. (13%), Strongyloides spp. (47%), Balantidium coli (20%), Entamoeba coli (20%), Endolimax nana (6%), Fasciola hepatica (6%), Paramphistomum spp. (13%), and Taenia spp. (6%).Conclusion:All parasites were found at least once in one of the hosts, and most were potentially zoonotic and responsible for several diseases of public health concern. Because of the small sample size, our findings should not be considered conclusive. Nevertheless, they highlight the diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in this area.

Mammal distribution and trends in the threatened Ebo 'intact forest landscape', Cameroon

Intact forest landscapes (IFLs) are globally important for maintaining functional ecosystems. Ebo forest (~1400 km2) in Cameroon is one of the largest remaining IFLs in the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forest ecoregion and harbours several IUCN Red-Listed threatened mammal species. We evaluated the status, trends, and distribution of mammals ≥ 0.5 kg in the Ebo forest over 12 years using guided recce and camera trap monitoring surveys, as well as local knowledge to inform future land use and conservation planning. Recce monitoring of six taxa (blue duiker Philantomba monticola, chimpanzee Pan troglodytes, forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis, putty-nosed monkey Cercopithecus nictitans, medium sized duikers Cephalophus spp., and red river hog Potamochoerus porcus) showed that some are stable or increasing. Indeed, our recent camera trap data confirmed breeding Gorilla gorilla (western gorilla) and elephant. Distribution models for chimpanzees and elephants showed that their populations are concentrated in the centre of the forest, away from human pressure. Some other species, however, including red colobus Piliocolobus preussi, leopard Panthera pardus, African golden cat Caracal aurata, and forest buffalo Syncerus caffer nanus are either close to extirpation or have been extirpated within living memory. We conclude that the Ebo intact forest landscape retains an important mammal community, despite no formal legal protection. Ebo’s future is uncertain, with two commercial logging concessions announced by Cameroon in 2020 and later suspended in response to national and international pressure. It is crucial to maintain Ebo’s integrity to protect the biodiversity and function of this important part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forest ecoregion.

Using meta-barcoding tools to monitor primate meat consumption at dedicated establishments in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa

Guinea-Bissau (GB) is a regional stronghold for primate conservation. Ten primates occur in the country, including the Western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) and two colobus monkeys (Colobus polykomos and Piliocolobus badius temminckii). Primate meat is consumed at households and bushmeat-dedicated establishments, locally named "Abafatório". Such establishments are mentioned to be common in urban areas since the 1980s and to be specialized in serving primate meat while drinking alcoholic beverages. The meat is typically cooked in a stew and eaten with bread. However, as the trade and consumption of primate meat are illegal activities, the location of Abafatório establishments and details of the trade, namely species being consumed, are usually hidden from outsiders. Here, we characterize illicit bushmeat commerce and consumption at six Abafatórios of a small town. Our team visited the establishments every week for 15 months (2015-2017) and collected data on the type and prices of meals and gathered tissue samples taken from carcasses by establishment owners. A meta-barcoding approach (cytb and 12S mitochondrial DNA regions and Illumina MiSeq next-generation sequencing technology) was used to identify tissue samples to the species level. Two types of establishments can be distinguished – “restaurants” and “snack-bars”. Restaurants are similar to the ones found by previous works in the capital city where primate meat is sold as a dish containing few pieces of stewed meat. Snack-bars are smaller and the meat is sold inexpensively and by the piece. In the present study, 249 tissue samples were identified to be from four primates (Cercopithecus campbelli, Chlorocebus sabaeus, Papio papio, and Erythrocebus patas) and four Artiodactyla (Philantomba maxwellii, Tragelaphus scriptus, Potamochoerus porcus and Phacochoerus africanus). Primates represented approximately 92% of all species consumed across establishments, and C. campbelli was the most traded species. Our work suggests that primate meat is monetarily accessible for locals in rural areas and that the trade at Abafatórios may have extensive negative consequences to primate conservation, in particular, the reduction of primates' populations in the southern part of GB. Our work quantifies and identifies the species consumed in Abafatório establishments for the first time and highlights the need to improve regulation and law enforcement in Guinea-Bissau.

Human–wildlife conflict in Mhokwe Ward, Mbire District, North‐East Zimbabwe

AbstractThis research investigates the economic and social aspects of human–wildlife conflict (HWC) in Mhokwe, Mbire district, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through key informant interviews and a questionnaire survey. Most households in Mhokwe rely on crop and livestock production, and hence, HWC is an important factor affecting livelihoods. More than 60% of respondents experienced problems with lions (Panthera leo Linnaeus), spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta Erxleben), armoured bush crickets (Acanthoplus speiseri Brancsik) and quelea birds (Quelea quelea Reichenbach). Other problem animals included elephant (Loxodonta africana Blumenbach), vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus Cuvier), kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros Pallas), chacma baboon (Papio ursinus Kerr), bushpig (Potamochoerus porcus Linnaeus) and common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia Linnaeus). Few incidences of conflicts were reported for hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius Linnaeus), side‐striped jackal (Canis adustus Sundevall), porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis Peters), nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus Laurenti), African wild cat (Felis lybica Forster), African python (Python sebae Gmelin) and guinea fowl (Numida meleagris Linnaeus). Livestock and crop losses were US$45,285 and US$57,541 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Despite the losses, most respondents had positive attitudes towards wildlife. Construction of strong kraals and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) can contribute to conflict reduction.

Comparative Pathology and Pathogenesis of African Swine Fever Infection in Swine.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a viral disease that affects animals of the Suidae family, and soft ticks from the genus Ornithodoros can also be infected by the ASF virus (ASFV). The disease was first described in Africa at the beginning of the twentieth century as an acute disease characterized by high mortality and fatal hemorrhages. ASF has caused outbreaks in numerous countries and it continues to be devastating nowadays for the porcine sector in those countries affected, and a massive threat for those free of the disease. ASF can follow clinical courses from peracute to chronic in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) depending on a variety of factors, including the immune status of the animals and the virulence of the ASFV strain. The key features of the pathogenesis of the disease in domestic swine are a) a severe lymphoid depletion including lymphopenia and a state of immunodeficiency, and b) hemorrhages. However, African wild swine like bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus), red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus), and warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) can be infected by ASFV showing no clinical signs of disease and acting as natural reservoir hosts. In this article we review the key features of the gross and microscopic pathology together with a description of the pathogenesis of ASFV infection in domestic pigs following the different clinical courses. The pathogenesis of ASF in wild and domestic swine is also described, what can provide important information for the design of control strategies, such as vaccines.

Bushmeat hunting around Lomami National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo

AbstractFor most of the Democratic Republic of the Congo quantitative data on bushmeat exploitation are scarce. We conducted focus group discussions on preferred species for household consumption and income generation in 24 villages around Lomami National Park, created in 2016. We also carried out a bushmeat market survey in Kindu, a major town in the study area, to estimate annual sales volumes and retail values. Villagers reported household consumption of 22 mammal species, with the most important being the African brush-tailed porcupine, Peters's duiker, bay duiker and red river hog. The latter three were also the most important for income generation. A greater number of smaller species were consumed at the household level, compared with those traded. A total of 17 mammal and one reptile species were traded in Kindu. Those traded in greater numbers were the African brush-tailed porcupine, blue and bay duiker, red river hog, red-tailed monkey and the sitatunga. We estimated &gt; 40,000 carcasses were traded in Kindu annually, with a retail value of USD 725,000. Several species of conservation concern, such as the bonobo, were mentioned or observed. Few rodents and numerous large animals were traded in Kindu, suggesting resources have not yet been depleted. However, both villagers and urban vendors perceived a decline of many species and reported an increase in the use of firearms and the number of foreign hunters in the area. Among other interventions, we discuss how local communities could be encouraged to help preserve wildlife in the Park's buffer zone.

Exposure of managed red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus) to urine from males stimulates estrous cycling and modulates fecal sex steroid metabolites in males and females

For unknown reasons, reproductive success varies among zoos in managed red river hogs. In response to urine exposure from novel conspecifics, we hypothesized that males with low libido would exhibit increased concentrations of testosterone metabolites and that acyclic and/or non-breeding females would be induced to cycle or cycle more regularly. Estrous cycle length and progesterone metabolites in same-sex housed females were compared prior to and following exposure to novel red river hog male urine. Male testosterone metabolites and female progesterone metabolites as well as estrous cycle length were compared among: 1) proven-breeder females and males; 2) non-breeding females newly paired with novel males; 3) non-breeding females and males exposed to urine from novel females and males. Fecal samples were collected 3–5 times per week for eight to 12 months, lyophilized, extracted, and assayed for progesterone and testosterone metabolites with validated enzyme immunoassays. Introduction of female urine resulted in an increased number of estrous cycles per female per month, and decreased luteal and increased follicular progesterone metabolites in females. Introduction of male urine resulted in an increase in testosterone metabolites in males. Average progesterone metabolites for pregnant proven-breeder females were more than double that for pregnant females newly paired to novel males. An interaction between season and treatment group, as well as the acyclicity of females from July through November irrespective of treatment group, suggest that season may confound and warrant judicious interpretation of the results. Additionally, females housed with pregnant females were either acyclic or did not carry their pregnancies to term, indicating that reproductive suppression may occur in females. In conclusion, urine may be a cost-effective and efficient means to manipulate estrous cycling in managed red river hogs. Furthermore, careful consideration of the number of females in a managed herd is recommended to avoid reproductive suppression.