Spatio-temporal behaviour of female wild boar in an agro-forestry–pastoral landscape of Southern Italy

Among large-sized mammals, the wild boar Sus scrofa is the main agricultural pest in Mediterranean countries. Despite being a widely studied species, its physiological adaptability requires a high number of research works assessing its ecology in different habitat types. Furthermore, little is known about ecology of the wild boar at the southernmost limits of its distribution range. We studied home range size, habitat selection and activity rhythms of female wild boar in a protected area of Southern Italy, at the limits of its distribution range. Population density was also assessed through drive counts. We monitored GPS collar-tagged, adult wild boar for at least 6 months. Female family groups selected deciduous woodland throughout the year, whereas scrubland and cultivations were selected only during the summer. Locations of wild boar were much closer to the forest edge than expected by chance alone. Throughout the year, female wild boar were mostly active between dusk and dawn with no significant inter-seasonal differences in the activity time; diurnal activity occurred principally in winter and spring. Wild boar were more active in the darkest nights, while their activity decreased in the full moon nights, possibly to limit encounters with the main predator, the grey wolf Canis lupus.