Intensive monitoring suggests population oscillations and migration in wild boar Sus scrofa in the Pyrenees

Abstract

As few studies have analysed local variability in populations of wild boar Sus scrofa in Western Europe in recent years, our understanding of ecological processes currently affecting this species is limited. To analyse questions regarding local variability in wild boar abundance, we used information from 442 traditional drive hunts monitored throughout eight hunting periods in the Pyrenees mountain range (Urdués, N Spain). Results showed temporal oscillations in abundance, and a non–linear decrease of 23% in the number of wild boar seen per drive hunt between 2004 and 2011. Numbers of dogs and hunters per drive hunt also affected indexes of wild boar abundance. Inter–annual variations in bag size may cause overestimations of variations in boar abundance and may even deviate from the population dynamics inferred from the number of wild boars seen per drive hunt. The multimodal patterns of wild boar abundance during the hunting periods suggest migrations in the Pyrenees. Our findings highlight the limitations of hunting bag statistics in wild boar. Further studies are required to guarantee information–based sustainable management of wild boar populations.