RT Journal Article
T1 Permeability of artificial barriers (fences) for wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) in Mediterranean mixed landscapes
A1 Laguna, Eduardo
A1 Barasona García-Arévalo, José Ángel
A1 Carpio, Antonio J.
A1 Cerdeira Lozano, Joaquín Vicente
A1 Acevedo, Pelayo
AB BACKGROUNDFences are one of the most widespread manmade features in nature, constituting an artificial limitation to the movement of wildlife. To date, their effects on wildlife behavior have been understudied but this knowledge is required to design effective management procedures. Using 21 GPS‐monitored wild boar, we evaluated the permeability of different types of fences and described temporal patterns and spatial hotspots for crossing events. A fence's permeability was inferred by the crossing success, i.e., the number of times that animals crossed a barrier vs the number of times they did not cross. The vulnerability of fences at watercourses was explored by assessing whether the frequency of crossings was higher around watercourse intersections than expected by chance.RESULTSWell‐maintained big game proof fences were the most effective in reducing successful wild boar crossings; they were, on average, 30% more efficient than livestock type fences. Crossing success was higher for males than females and during the food shortage period than in the food abundance period. The frequency of crossings around watercourses was higher than expected by chance, especially in moderately and well‐maintained big game proof type fences.CONCLUSIONWhile no fence type was 100% wild boar proof, well‐maintained big game proof fences substantially constrained the movement of boar. However, they are vulnerable around watercourses. Managing the conflicts in which this species is involved, such as shared infections and agricultural damage, would require fences that are even more effective than the ones analyzed here, ideally in conjunction with other preventive actions. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
PB Wiley
SN 1526-498X
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/132948
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/132948
LA eng
NO Laguna, E., Barasona, J. A., Carpio, A. J., Vicente, J., & Acevedo, P. (2022). Permeability of artificial barriers (fences) for wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Mediterranean mixed landscapes. Pest management science, 78(6), 2277–2286. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6853
NO Ministerio de Economia, Comercio y Empresa (España)
NO European Commission
NO Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha
NO Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades ( España)
DS Docta Complutense
RD 26 feb 2026