Biology

Wildlife management

Geography

Ecology

Wild boar

Fishery

Wildlife

Mediterranean climate

Pest Management Science

Fences 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.

Permeability of artificial barriers (fences) for wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) in Mediterranean mixed landscapes

Permeability of artificial barriers (fences) for wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Mediterranean mixed landscapes