Space use by pen-raised Wild boars (Sus scrofa) released in Tuscany (Central Italy) - I: daily movement patterns

Abstract

In order to study the ecology of pen-raised Wild boar released for restocking, 22 ear-tagged wild boars were released into the wild near Siena (Tuscany). Fourteen of them, fitted with radiocollars, were followed from March ‘90 to January ‘91. Two kinds of observation techniques were used: individual locations and continuous observation. The mean distance between successive locations, the mean movement rate and the maximum distance between any two locations were calculated for each individual. Spatial analysis of movements was carried out using a G.I.S. Continuous observations were used to identify different models of activity: local activity, movement andtraveling.Keywords: Wild boar, Sus scrofa, Suidae, Ungulates, Space use, Space utilization.