How to Count the Uncountable? An Attempt at Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Linnaeus, 1758 Monitoring in an Urbanized Area

Abstract

In order to minimize human–wildlife conflicts, long-term and data-based management plans need to be developed. We aimed at assessing wild boar (Sus scrofa, Linnaeus, 1758) density within selected areas of Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. Wild boar abundance was estimated based on snow tracking conducted within 19 well-defined sectors, varying in habitat structure and location within the city. Moreover, in two forest reserves, wild boar population density was assessed with the use of camera traps and a random encounter model. The wild boar density index (n tracks/100 m/24 h) in Warsaw varied from 0 to 3.58 depending on the sector (0 to 4.0 ind./100 ha). In turn, it was 1.8 ind./100 ha for all the forested areas, which did not seem high compared to the other wild boar populations in Poland. The REM-derived estimates were higher than the snow-tracking-based estimates. Wild boars were mostly present in forests, especially those with oak stands, while the species was absent from central districts and mostly urbanized areas. We argue that the snow tracking method reflected the general distribution of wild boars across the city and in different habitats.