Movements of Feral Pigs (Sus Scrofa) at Sunny Corner, New South Wales.

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
B Kay
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Peak Activity ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

This study describes the movements of feral pigs at Sunny Corner in eastern New South Wales. Population density at this site was 2 pigs km-2. Twenty-two pigs (12 males and 10 females) were captured and fitted with telemetry transmitters. Aggregate home range for males (10.7 � 6.9 km2) was significantly greater than for females (4.9 � 1.4 km2) as was 24 h home range (1.4� 1.1 km2, males and 0.8 � 0.4 km2, females). Seasonal home ranges were greatest in the winter and smallest in the autumn. These differences were attributed to variations in food availability. During all seasons there was a preference for creeklines that had vegetative cover. This was the result of thermoregulatory needs, refuge availability and food supply. Peak activity throughout the study occurred between 1900 and 2400 hours with little movement during the middle of the day. The implications of these results to management programs are discussed.

Movements and Home Ranges of Feral Pigs (Sus Scrofa) in Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales.

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 711 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
B Kay
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

The movements of a subalpine population of feral pigs were examined at Kosciusko National Park in southeastern New South Wales. Sufficient data were collected to estimate the home-range area of 20 pigs on the basis of 782 telemetry and trap locations. Mean (+/- s.d.) home-range size (minimum convex polygon method) for males (35.0 t 22.2 km*2) was significantly greater than that for females (1 1.1 +/- 5.2 km*2). Use of capture-recapture distances to estimate home-range size was considered inappropriate. A test for nomadism suggests that, although home ranges of pigs in this environment were larger than those reported for other pigs in Australia, the pigs were essentially sedentary. Management implications for this population are discussed.

The Effect of an Intensive Shooting Exercise From a Helicopter on the Behaviour of Surviving Feral Pigs.

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 435 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Dexter
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
New South ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Diel Variation ◽  
Radio Tracking ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
North Western

The hypothesis that disturbance from a shooting exercise using a helicopter will influence the behaviour of surviving feral pigs, Sus scrofa, was tested on a population of radio-collared feral pigs in north-western New South Wales. No significant differences existed in hourly distance moved by pigs, diel variation in distance moved by pigs, or home-range size of pigs, between a radio-tracking session conducted immediately before a shooting exercise from a helicopter and a radio-tracking session conducted during and after the exercise. The position of the home ranges of feral pigs did not appear to be affected by the shooting exercise, although several radio-collared feral pigs moved into and out of the study area between tracking sessions. Overall, the results suggest that the disturbance caused by shooting has little effect on the behaviour of surviving feral pigs.

Home ranges of feral cats (Felis catus) in central-western New South Wales, Australia

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Molsher ◽  
Chris Dickman ◽  
Alan Newsome ◽  
Warren Müller
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Adult Cats

Twenty-one feral cats were radio-tracked using direct sighting and triangulation techniques (amassing 730 location fixes) during winter in an agricultural landscape in central-western New South Wales. Factors affecting home-range size, home-range overlap and habitat use were assessed. Mean home-range size was 248 ha (s.e. = 34.9, n = 15 cats, 598 location fixes). Home-range size and habitat use were not influenced by sex or age of adult cats, prey abundance or time of day. However, cat weight significantly influenced range size, with heavier cats having larger ranges than smaller cats. Although the cats are apparently solitary, their home ranges overlapped considerably, particularly between young adults and old adult cats. Cats were active both by day and night and did not occupy permanent dens. Home ranges encompassed mixed habitat types that provided both shelter and prey. Open woodland and open forest were the main habitat types covered by home ranges, but within these areas cats showed a preference for grassland, where rabbits were more abundant. The results recorded in this study indicate that cat-control programs should concentrate in mixed habitat areas, where both shelter and food are available, and over widely dispersed areas. The absence of group living suggests that the effectiveness of virally vectored fertility or biological control agents would be limited.

Home Range of the Common Wallaroo, Macropus-Robustus-Erubescens, in Far Western New South Wales

1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
TF Clancy ◽  
DB Croft
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Bivariate Normal Distribution ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
The Common

Aspects of the home range and space-use patterns of the common wallaroo or euro (Macropus robustus erubescens) were studied over a three year period in arid New South Wales. Thirty-five adults (19 males and 16 females) were captured and fitted with radio-transmitters and their movements followed. The home ranges of the majority of animals were significantly different from that of a bivariate normal distribution, indicating a heterogeneity of space use. Home ranges were small and essentially stable over time. There were significant differences between the sexes in all parameters of home range measured due to differences in ecological and social requirements. Males had significantly larger weekly home ranges in winter than females (77.2 +/- 47.5 ha and 30.5 +/- 16.5 ha, respectively) but in summer home ranges were similar (30.2 +/- 20.4 ha and 27.6 +/- 15.0 ha). On a yearly basis males ranged over an area approximately three times the size of that used by females. Yearly home-range size in males was positively correlated with body size when conditions were poor.

The Behaviour of Feral Pigs, Sus scrofa, in Flocks of Lambing Ewes

1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Pavlov ◽  
J Hone
Keyword(s):  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

The behaviour of feral pigs in flocks of lambing ewes was studied in New South Wales during autumn and spring in both 1978 and 1979. Pigs were shown to be predators of lambs. Pig activity caused some disturbance to the flock on 77.5% of the observed occasions they were within 100 m of lambing flocks. Lambs were caught in 10 of 42 (23.8%) of observed chases. The feeding sequence on lambs by feral pigs follows a distinct pattern, and carcasses left at different stages of consumption can implicate feral pigs. Pigs were seen to kill one or two lambs in an evening but it is unknown how many lambs one pig may kill during an entire lambing. One individually identifiable pig was seen to kill five times, and harass the flock for up to 2 h, on seven different occasions during the spring 1978 lambing. Both boars and sows were seen to kill lambs.

The Evaluation of a Feral Pig Eradication Program During a Simulated Exotic Disease Outbreak.

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
H Bryant
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Initial Population ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Eradication Program ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Natural Boundaries ◽  
Feral Pig

An exercise was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of plans to eradicate feral pigs in an exotic disease emergency. The study site was an area of 120 km2 on the southern edge of the Macquarie Marshes in western New South Wales. Shooting from a helicopter accounted for 946 pigs at a rate of 39.2 per hour. This was at an average of 1.65 shots and a cost of $11.77 per pig. A further 43 were shot from the ground or trapped. Of an estimated initial population of 1238, 80% was removed. Telemetry studies conducted in conjunction with the exercise indicated that some pigs became attuned to the significance of a hovering helicopter and modified their behaviour to avoid detection. Movements also emphasised the need to match the boundaries of feral pig eradication zones with natural boundaries, where overlapping home ranges are minimal and densities low. Eradication of feral pigs during an outbreak of exotic disease may be an unrealistic goal, and it may be more efficient to aim to eradicate the disease within the feral pig population. This would be achieved by isolating those pigs carrying the infection; it does not necessarily require the removal of all feral pigs.

Home range and movement of foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in coastal New South Wales, Australia

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Meek ◽  
Glen Saunders
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
New South ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Coastal Habitat ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Fox Control ◽  
Polygon Method

Data on the home range and activity of 14 foxes was collected from coastal habitat in Jervis Bay, New South Wales during 1993–95. Radio-collared foxes had a mean home range of 135 ha and core activity areas of 23 ha (determined by the Minimum Convex Polygon method). There were no significant differences in the home ranges of male and female foxes. The home ranges of some foxes shifted throughout the study. Some animals went on long forays beyond their normal range. All animals displayed nocturnal activity patterns except during the breeding season or after long spells of wet weather when some foraging occurred during daylight hours. The information collected in this study is discussed in the context of fox control.

Contrast between the visible abundance of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, and its rarity in fox and dog scats in the gorges east of Armidale, New South Wales

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Lunney ◽  
B Law ◽  
C Rummery
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
Scat Analysis ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Collection Period ◽  
Natal Home

Predator scats were collected near colonies of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, in gorges near Armidale, New South Wales. Scat collection coincided with the two periods when these macropodids are believed to be most vulnerable to predation: when juveniles vacate the pouch (September) and when they disperse from natal home ranges (April). The ratio of known dingo to fox scats did not differ significantly from 1 : 1 for each collection period. The most common dietary items identified in the scat analysis were as follows: rabbits (in 30% of scats); swamp wallabies (21%); cattle (16%); and brushtail possums (10%). Despite a visible abundance of P. penicillata in the study area, it occurred rarely (1%) in the 342 canid scats collected, and no P. penicillata was detected in fox scats. While the collection and analysis of predator scats does detect P. penicillata, it does not provide an efficient means of doing so and is unlikely to be effective at detecting small populations of this species.

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