PREFACE.
Why should the Proceedings of a
Symposium on Wild boar be published in the Journal of Mountain Ecology?
After carefully examining the work done, the editorial board of
“Ibex - Journal of Mountain Ecology”, has decided
to publish the Proceedings of the “2nd International
Symposium on Wild boar (Sus scrofa) and on sub-order
Suiformes” for three basic reasons.
1
- The present distribution of the species in the Alps. The Wild boar reappeared in many parts of the
Alps at the beginning of this century. From the mid-sixties, its
population has expanded in the mountain areas of many european
countries, Italy in particular. The causes of this phenomenon are to be
found in the far-reaching transformation of the local environment and
in climatic changes that have taken place since the 1960s. In addition
to such factors, we find that man has abandoned much of the mountain
areas located above 800-1,000 metres, entailing profound environmental
changes, such as: the expansion of wooded areas, the invasion of Alpine
meadows by bushes, the transformation of undergrowth and woods that are
no longer managed. As a result of this there is more food available
with a high nutritional value in particular chestnuts, acorns and beech
nuts, no longer used for human and animal food.
There is a continuous increase in the local populations that correspond
to the increase in the areas available to the species. This is brought
about by the numerous acts of introducing wild boars for hunting. Many
of the wild boars set free in the hilly and pre-Alpine areas end up by
colonizing, at least seasonally, even the highest of mountain districts.
2 - Role of the protected
mountain areas. The wild boar’s territorial
expansion involves many Alpine areas, where there are full protection
or hunting restrictions, whereby any kind of intervention on fauna is
strictly limited or forbidden. The coming of this species in many
Alpine parks is considered as a very important ecological event not
only for its impact on vegetation, but also for the one it has on
several species of Alpine fauna that are particularly at risk and
threatened. Such interference in an Alpine environment is still largely
unstudied. Moreover, the Wild boar, in many protected areas, risks
exasperating relations between the park managers and the local
populations. The latter end up by considering the measures for
protecting fauna as responsible for the expansion of the species in
areas where farming and forestry activities are already highly
penalised.
3 - Impact of Wild boar on Alpine
meadows. The appearance of Wild boars at high altitudes has
important repercussions on the Alpine ecosystem. In many moutain areas
indirect signs of their presence have been seen on Alpine meadows above
2,400 m. Frequently these areas are steep sloping and man undertakes no
maintenance work here. What impact can the presence of this species
have over time on such delicate ecosystems where any restoration is
slow and difficult?
These and other points may find an answer in the works presented at
this Symposium and the experience reported by researchers from various
countries, albeit with very different environmental conditions, may be
extremely useful for directing new research projects and for
understanding what may be the future developments of Wild boar in the
mountains.
The Editor in Chief of Ibex
V. Peracino
The 2nd Symposium was held in Turin, Italy, sponsorised by the
University of Turin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of
Animal Production, Epidemiology and Ecology, under the professorship of
Ecology (Prof. P. Durio), together with the sponsorship of Piedmont
Region. In this occasion, researchers from all over the world,
rapresenting Universities, National Research Institutes, nature
reservers and game reserves, met in Turin.
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