Some ecological characteristics of southern marginal wild boar population in Ukraine

The most preferable biotopes for wild boars are natural and artificial forest (70% of the animals observed) and reed beds (15%). About 76.68 (60.00-82.35)% of wild sows participate in reproduction, their fertility being 7.21 +/- 0.26 juveniles. Broods of 5-7 juveniles (56.14%) and 8-9 ones (28.07%) are the most common. Broods of 10-13 juveniles (10.53%) and 1-4 ones (5.26%) occur rarely. The broods decrease in size in July-October up to 6.26 +/- 0.19 juveniles (limit is 1-10 juveniles). In November-December, when hunting season is opened, the brood size is 4.43 +/- 0.21 (limit 1-8). Later, the number of juveniles in brood decreases to 4.30 +/- 0.35 in January and to 3.10 +/- 0.38 in March. The main reason for mortality of wild boars is work of hydroelectric power stations and reclamation systems, severe winters (1971/1972, 1984/1985, and 1986/1987) with an air temperature of -25degreesC, long-term snowfall and glaze, and poaching. In 1995-2000, the number of wolves and the mortality of wild boars caused by attacks of predators increased. The death of the animals from pausteurilesis and anthrax was registered. Among 452 wild boars found dead, 78.12% of the animals were at an age of less than 1 year (52.81% of all the investigated animals were younger than 9 months). The age of other dead animals was as follows: 1 year and 8 months (11.88%), 2 years and 8 months (6.25%), 3 years and 8 months (2.50%), 5 years and 8 months (0.94%). One wild sow was at an age of 18 years. The wild steppe population included 58.6% of juveniles (the 1(st) year of life), 14.3% of yearlings (the 2(nd) year), and 11.5% of adult males and 15.6% of females.