The feral boar and the feral pig (Sus scrofa) in Argentina

Abstract

Wild boar, feral pigs, and their hybrid forms (Sus scrofa), are among the most harmful and widely distributed exotic invasive species worldwide. In Argentina, the wild boar has established in approximately half of the country’s area, invading all types of ecosystems and expanding their distribution each year. Like in other parts of the world where the species has been introduced, wild boar causes severe negative impacts on biodiversity, economy and health. This omnivorous species threatens species conservation through predation and competition, soil disturbance and disruption of species interactions. Wild boar also causes significant economic impacts by affecting agricultural production and incurring costs associated with damage mitigation and population control. Also, wild boar impact human health as they can act as reservoirs and spreaders of several pathogens and the associated diseases. This species can also have some positive impacts in direct or indirect relationship with economic activities such as sport hunting, obtaining meat and derivatives. While the impacts of wild boar have been documented in various regions of Argentina, there are still significant information gaps concerning the economic impacts on agricultural production, and their epidemiological role as it relates to the health of other populations, such as native wildlife, livestock, and people. Moreover, management and control efforts are very limited and scarce at the national level, with very few successful cases. The population dynamics of wild boar, coupled with other factors like land use and climate changes, present a challenging scenario for the future. Argentina must address the current and potential threats posed by wild boar by implementing urgent management measures at the national level. This requires careful planning and decision-making to control populations, halt their geographic spread, and mitigate their negative effects.