A Rapid Population Assessment Method for Wild Pigs Using Baited Cameras at 3 Study Sites

Schlichting, Peter E.; Beasley, James C.; Boughton, Raoul K.; Davis, Amy J.; Pepin, Kim M.; Glow, Michael P.; Snow, Nathan P.; Miller, Ryan S.; VerCauteren, Kurt C.; Lewis, Jesse S.

doi:10.1002/wsb.1075

A Rapid Population Assessment Method for Wild Pigs Using Baited Cameras at 3 Study Sites

Journal Article · Thu Mar 05 00:00:00 EST 2020 · Wildlife Society Bulletin (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1075· OSTI ID:1603377

Schlichting, Peter E. ^[1]; Beasley, James C. ^[2]; Boughton, Raoul K. ^[3]; Davis, Amy J. ^[4]; Pepin, Kim M. ^[4]; Glow, Michael P. ^[4]; ^[4]; Miller, Ryan S. ^[5]; VerCauteren, Kurt C. ^[4]; Lewis, Jesse S. ^[6]

College of Integrative Sciences and Arts Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, 6073 S Backus Mall Mesa AZ 85212 USA
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
University of Florida, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation 3401 Experiment Station Ona FL 33865 USA
United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center 4101 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins CO 80521‐2154 USA
United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health 2150B Center Avenue Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, 6073 S Backus Mall Mesa AZ 85212 USA

ABSTRACT

Reliable and efficient population estimates are a critical need for effective management of invasive wild pigs ( Sus scrofa ). We evaluated the use of 10‐day camera grids for rapid population assessment (RPA) of wild pigs at 3 study sites that varied in vegetation communities and wild pig densities. Study areas included Buck Island Ranch, Florida; Tejon Ranch, California; and the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA, during 2016–2018. Rapid population assessments grids were composed of baited camera traps spaced approximately 500 or 750 m apart. Two RPA grids were deployed per study site and each grid was deployed twice (4–6 months apart) to assess changes in response to season or population control efforts. We assessed the ability of RPA grids to track population trends, how camera number influenced estimate precision, and how relative abundance indices related to density estimates. We detected changes in occupancy probability, detection probability, and N‐mixture estimates following removal operations and between seasons, but the ability of RPA grids to track population trends was dependent on the statistical method used and number of cameras traps. Increasing the number of cameras traps used in RPA grids increased precision, and these results can be used in determining survey design and estimate choice. We found that estimates of occupancy probability, detection probability, and N‐mixture estimates were positively correlated with spatially explicit capture–recapture density estimates. Thus, these less labor‐intensive estimates from RPA grids showed potential to index the relative abundance of wild pigs in some systems. Our evaluation of RPAs indicates that using study‐specific combinations of statistical method and number of cameras can provide a useful tool for monitoring wild pig presence, tracking population trends, and evaluating the effectiveness of management actions. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: EM0004391

OSTI ID:: 1603377

Journal Information:: Wildlife Society Bulletin (Online), Journal Name: Wildlife Society Bulletin (Online) Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 44; ISSN 1938-5463

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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