Wild boar rooting: causes, consequences, possibilities for reducing damages
printProject presentation
Title: Wild boar rooting: causes, consequences, possibilities for reducing damages /
sl: Ritje divjih prašičev: vzroki, posledice in možnosti za zmanjšanje škod ter konfliktov
Project acronym: V4-2223
Leading institution: Faculty of Environmental Protection
Principal investigator: dr. Boštjan Pokorny
Partner institutions:
- Slovenian Forestry Institute
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty
- University of Primorska, Faculty of mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies
Investigator at UP FAMNIT: dr. Elena Bužan
Funding organization: Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARRS),
Research field (ARRS): 4.01.00 – Biotechnical sciences – Forestry, wood and paper technology
Project type: Targeted research programme
Duration: 1. 10. 2022–30. 9. 2024
In recent decades, the abundance and spatial distribution of wild boar (Sus scrofa) has been increasing dramatically throughout Europe. This represents a major management challenge, in addition to the intensification of the ecosystem role and the direct ecosystem/environmental benefits of the species. The increase in the abundance of wild boar also results in an increase in the number of conflict situations, in particular damage to agricultural land. About half of all damage caused by this species in Slovenia occurs on grassland as a result of rutting; this damage is spatially dispersed, temporally spread over almost the whole year and difficult to prevent.
Past findings suggest that anthropogenic nutrient inputs or fertilisation may have a significant impact on the establishment of rhytids in grasslands. However, we do not know what this influence (or the influence of other factors) is along the gradient of population densities of the species and under different nutrient application practices (e.g. different nutrient regimes, fertilisation methods and amounts) as well as under different climatic conditions. In order to identify and subsequently implement effective measures (e.g. short-term deterrence, provision of alternative protein sources, modified anthropogenic nutrient input practices through fertilisation and/or feeding), it is necessary to know the main causes of wild boar farrowing.
