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26 October 2023 Landscape Use and Activity Patterns of Feral Swine on Rangelands in North Texas
Jacob G. Harvey, Aaron B. Norris, John M. Tomeček, Caitlyn E. Cooper-Norris
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Abstract

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) inhabit 35 states in the United States with an estimated population of 6 million animals. The feral swine population is greatest in Texas with an estimated population of at least 2.5 million. Monitoring swine landscape use and activity patterns is the first step to understanding effects on plant communities and potential zoonotic disease spillover events with livestock. Feral swine population densities are greatest in forested regions, but as their range expands, they will continue to encounter novel ecosystems. The Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas presents a unique landscape in which feral swine are found in midgrass prairies primarily used for livestock production. Two 405-ha survey areas were chosen from a ranch in north Texas to stratify game cameras across three vegetation types: bottomland, deep upland, and shallow upland. From June 2021 to May 2022, cameras monitored animal movement. Swine image captures were logged and tagged with date, time, and temperature. Vegetative surveys were also conducted to estimate biomass production and vegetation height around the camera locations. Total swine captures (n = 242) over the study period were analyzed through mixed model analysis with terms of season, time, and vegetation type with interaction models run. Swine captures were significantly greater at bottomland sites than deep upland sites in the fall, winter, and spring (P = 0.01), as well as during midmorning time blocks (8:00–11:59) (P = 0.03). Temperature was also a significant driver of swine activity (P < 0.01) with low camera captures occurring at the extremes (≤ 0.0°C and ≥ 30.0°C). Biomass production and vegetation structure were not good predictors of swine vegetation association. These results can better inform producers where and when feral swine may be present, increasing the efficiency of feral swine management.

Jacob G. Harvey, Aaron B. Norris, John M. Tomeček, and Caitlyn E. Cooper-Norris "Landscape Use and Activity Patterns of Feral Swine on Rangelands in North Texas," Rangeland Ecology and Management 91(1), 1-10, (26 October 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2023.07.004
Received: 14 November 2022; Accepted: 21 July 2023; Published: 26 October 2023
KEYWORDS
activity patterns
feral swine
grassland
invasive
Sus scrofa
Texas
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