Sus scrofa: Population Structure, Reproduction and Condition in Tropical North Eastern Australia

Three feral pig populations inhabiting contrasting environments along the north easterncoast of Australia have been investigated with respect to population structure, individual condition andreproduction. The population on Prince of Wales Island contains a large proportion of juvenile andsub-adult pigs but lacks pigs in the higher age classes. Individuals also breed at an earlier age thananimals of the mainland populations. Pig populations on Cape York Peninsula show a largerproportion of older animals and feral pigs living in rainforest habitats show a low proportion ofanimals in very young and very old age classes. Pigs from the lowland rainforest population are inbetter condition than those of the other populations for most of the year, reflecting the availability offood all year round in this environment. Differences in the population structure of the threepopulations are discussed with respect to fecundity and several mortality factors such as predation anddiseases/parasites

PREVALENCE OF SELECTED PARASITES AND LEPTOSPIRA IN FERAL PIGS (Sus domesticus) FROM TROPICAL NORTH-EASTERN AUSTRALIA

ABSTRACT During an extended sampling period, 1,158 wild pigs were sampled in three locations from northeast Australia. In all three populations, lungworm infection (Metastronglyus sp) decreased with age, but was higher in Lowland Rainforest pigs and pigs of Prince of Wales Island than in pigs of the Cape York Peninsula. Young animals of the Lowland Rainforest population show an exceptionally high level of lungworm infection, indicating a mortality factor in this population. The infection with kidney worm (Stephanurus dentatus) was higher in young pigs of the Lowland Rainforest (up to 5.5 months of age) compared to pigs of the other two populations investigated. Kidney worm infections remained higher in older pigs (from 13 months on) of all samples and indicate that pigs are infected with this parasite throughout their life. The incidence of Leptospirosis was highest in pigs from the Lowland Rainforest population. These results indicate that populations of wild pigs in the Lowland Rainforest, although living under optimal conditions, are heavily affected by a high burden of disease and some parasites are likely to limit population growth via a high mortality of piglets and infections throughout the lifespan of adults

MalaysianBorneoDS1_Pool2_merged

MalaysianBorneoDS1_Pool2_merge

Madagascar_Pool1_merged

Madagascar_Pool1_merge

MalaysianBorneoDS1_Pool1_merged

MalaysianBorneoDS1_Pool1_merge