Evaluation of habitat connectivity for wild boars (Sus scrofa L.): a pilot study in South Korea

Abstract

Wild boars (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) damage human activities by invading farmlands and farms in South Korea. Recently, research has been conducted to predict their mobility to prevent damage. This study predicted the movement of wild boars in Jinju-si (712.95 km²), South Korea. Home range analysis and point density analysis were conducted with the collected wild boar coordinate data, and two cost scenarios were constructed that were applied as weights in the basic resistance value (BR) based on previous studies. Using Circuitscape, the connectivity of wild boars’ movement applied with the two scenarios was predicted and the results were compared. As a result of home range analysis, wild boars primarily utilized forests compared to other land types. In the result of point density, only forest and grass were identified in C5, which had the highest density. As a result of connectivity analysis, the average current density of Scenario 1 was 0.75 (max = 2.52, min = 0.20), and the average current density of Scenario 2 was 0.75 (max = 2.26, min = 0.25). The visual differences in the results of the two scenarios were not significant. However, upon closer inspection of enlarged areas, discrepancies were observed, particularly around grass near water and grass surrounding used areas. Utilizing actual wild boar data, we identified the movement routes of wild boars, enhancing the ability to predict areas where they may appear. This study can be used as basic data when preparing damage prevention measures or establishing wild boar management plans in areas where wild boars are expected to appear.