Predicting home range size from the body mass or population densities of feral pigs, Sus scrofa (Artiodactyla: Suidae)

Abstract

Telemetry studies of feral pigs (Sus scrofa, L.) in different habitats were used to predict home range size, from (i) body mass and (ii) population density. Geometric mean regressions of the loge transformed data indicated that body mass of male and female feral pigs and mean population density were good predictors of the home range size of feral pigs (r2 = 0.81, 0.77 and 0.85 respectively). There were no sexual differences in home range size of feral pigs once the effect of body mass was taken into account. Use of these variables in models that incorporate spatial aspects along with the practical application of the results to the management of feral pig populations are briefly discussed.