Genetics Research and Advance on Development and Utilization of Wild Boars

Wild boar is one of the most important beast resources. It plays an important role in the maintenance of biological diversity. The genetic resources of wild boar can not only protect the genetic resources, but also improve the formation of new breeds in pigs. This paper summarized the advance on the main biological characteristics of wild boars, evolutionary origin between wild boars and domesticated pigs, and development and utilization of wild boars aimed to provide further insight into wild boar＇s genetic research and its resource protection.

Epizootiological surveillance of porcine circoviruses in free-ranging wild boars in China

Four species of porcine circoviruses(PCV1–4)have been reported to circulate in Chinese domestic pigs,while the epizootiology of these viruses in free-ranging wild boars in China remains unknown.In this study,tissue and serum samples collected from diseased or apparently healthy wild boars between 2018 and 2020 in 19 regions of China were tested for the prevalence of PCV1–4 infections.Positive rates of PCV1,PCV2,and PCV3 DNA in the tissue samples of Chinese wild boars were 1.6%(4/247),58.3%(144/247),and 10.9%(27/247)respectively,with none positive for PCV4.Sequence analysis of viral genome showed that the four PCV1 strains distributed in Hunan and Inner Mongolia shared 97.5%–99.6%sequence identity with global distributed reference strains.Comparison of the ORF2 gene sequences showed that 80 PCV2 strains widely distributed in 18 regions shared 79.5%–100%sequence identity with reference strains from domestic pigs and wild boars,and were grouped into PCV2a(7),PCV2b(31)and PCV2d(42).For PCV3,17 sequenced strains shared 97.2%–100%nucleotide identity at the genomic level and could be divided into PCV3a(3),PCV3b(2)and PCV3c(12)based on the phylogeny of ORF2 gene sequences.Serological data revealed antibody positive rates against PCV1 and PCV2 of 11.4%(19/167)and 53.9%(90/167)respectively.The data obtained in this study improved our understanding about the epidemiological situations of PCVs infection in free-ranging wild boars in China and will be valuable for the prevention and control of diseases caused by PCVs infection.

Investigation on the Harm of Wild Boar in Mingtong Town, Chengkou, Chongqing

Through the investigation and analysis of the wild boars in Mingtong Town, Chengkou, Chongqing, it was concluded that the area had long been seri- ously affected by wild boars and some of the human activities were potentially threatened, and the potential threat areas were identified. Corresponding suggestions were proposed to guide the prevention and control work, so as to protect the habi- tat and reproduction of wildlife and ensure the normal production and life of the masses.

Identification of Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 4 Gene in Wild Boar

Toll-like receptor （TLR） 4 plays an important role in the innate immune system and has been involved in resistance/ susceptibility to a number of diseases as revealed by studies in human and other domestic animals. Wild boar survives in natural environment without artificial interference and may be different from domestic pig in innate immune system. Here, the complete coding sequence of TLR4 and TLR4A was cloned in wild boar, and two other alternative splicing variants, TLR4B and TLR4C, were obtained. Compared to the counterpart from domestic pig （GcnBank No. AJ628065）, there were five SNPs, c.510T〉C, c.960A〉G, c.962A〉G, c.1605T〉G and c.1824A〉G, in the coding sequence of wild boar TLR4A gene. TLR4 gene was expressed in all the tissues from wild boar studied with the most abundance in spleen tissue, and mRNA level was significantly lower in spleen from wild boar than that from Min pig. The allele distribution was significantly different at polymorphic loci c.962G〉A and c.1027C〉A （p〈0.01） between wild boar and Min pig. The results would contribute to understand the innate immune system in wild boar.

Snapshot of Structural Variations in the Tibetan Wild Boar Genome at Single-Nucleotide Resolution

Genomic structural variations （SVs）, particularly insertions, deletions and inversions, can contribute to the heterogeneity of millions of nucleotides within a genome, and are likely to make an important contribution to biological diversity and phenotypic variation （Alkan et al., 2011; Bickhart and Liu, 2014）. With the rapid development of the next-generation sequencing technologies and the new assembly methodolo- gies, the multiple de novo assemblies of genomes within a species allow researchers to explore more detailed SV maps （Li et al., 2011）. Compared with the traditional read depth algorithm using the whole-genome resequencing approach and array-based technologies （Baker, 2012; Wang et al., 2012;

It is time to mate: population-level plasticity of wild boar reproductive timing and synchrony in a changing environment

On a population level,individual plasticity in reproductive phenology can provoke either anticipations or delays in the average reproductive timing in response to environmental changes.However,a rigid reliance on photoperiodism can constraint such plastic responses in populations inhabiting temperate latitudes.The regulation of breeding season length may represent a further tool for populations facing changing environments.Nonetheless,this skill was reported only for equatorial,nonphotoperiodic populations.Our goal was to evaluate whether species living in temperate regions and relying on photoperiodism to trigger their reproduction may also be able to regulate breeding season length.During 10 years,we collected 2,500 female reproductive traits of a mammal model species(wild boar Sus scrofa)and applied a novel analytical approach to reproductive patterns in order to observe population-level variations of reproductive timing and synchrony under different weather and resources availability conditions.Under favorable conditions,breeding seasons were anticipated and population synchrony increased(i.e.,shorter breeding seasons).Conversely,poor conditions induced delayed and less synchronous(i.e.,longer)breeding seasons.The potential to regulate breeding season length depending on environmental conditions may entail a high resilience of the population reproductive patterns against environmental changes,as highlighted by the fact that almost all mature females were reproductive every year.

Environmental drivers of seasonal shifts in abundance of wild pigs(Sus scrofa)in a tropical island environment

Background:Non-native wild pigs(Sus scrofa)threaten sensitive flora and fauna,cost billions of dollars in economic damage,and pose a significant human–wildlife conflict risk.Despite growing interest in wild pig research,basic life history information is often lacking throughout their introduced range and particularly in tropical environments.Similar to other large terrestrial mammals,pigs possess the ability to shift their range based on local climatic conditions or resource availability,further complicating management decisions.The objectives of this study were to(i)model the distribution and abundance of wild pigs across two seasons within a single calendar year;(ii)determine the most important environmental variables driving changes in pig distribution and abundance;and(iii)highlight key differences between seasonal models and their potential management implications.These study objectives were achieved using zero-inflated models constructed from abundance data obtained from extensive field surveys and remotely sensed environmental variables.Results:Our models demonstrate a considerable change in distribution and abundance of wild pigs throughout a single calendar year.Rainfall and vegetation height were among the most influential variables for pig distribution during the spring,and distance to adjacent forest and vegetation density were among the most significant for the fall.Further,our seasonal models show that areas of high conservation value may be more vulnerable to threats from wild pigs at certain times throughout the year,which was not captured by more traditional modeling approaches using aggregated data.Conclusions:Our results suggest that(i)wild pigs can considerably shift their range throughout the calendar year,even in tropical environments;(ii)pigs prefer dense forested areas in the presence of either hunting pressure or an abundance of frugivorous plants,but may shift to adjacent areas in the absence of either of these conditions;and(iii)seasonal models provide valuable biological information that would otherwise be missed by common modeling approaches that use aggregated data over many years.These findings highlight the importance of considering biologically relevant time scales that provide key information to better inform management strategies,particularly for species whose ranges include both temperate and tropical environments and thrive in both large continental and small island ecosystems.

Pattern of injuries due to wild animal attack among patients presenting to the emergency department:A retrospective observational study

Purpose:The human-wildlife conflicts(HWCs)causing nuisances and injuries are becoming a growing public health concern over recent years worldwide.We aimed to study the demographic profile,mode of injury,pattern of injury,and outcome of wild animal attack victims presented to the emergency department.Methods:This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary-care hospital in Eastern India.Data were retrieved from the medical records from May 2017 to May 2021.Patients of all ages and genders attacked by wild animals and secondary injuries were included in this study.Patients with incomplete data,injuries due to the attack of stray and domestic animals and trauma due to other causes were excluded.Demographic profile,mode of injury,the pattern of injury,injury severity score(ISS),radiological pattern,and outcome were recorded.Statistical analysis with R(version 3.6.1.)was conducted.Results:A total of 411 wild animal attack victims were studied,of which 374(90.9%)were snakebite injuries and 37(9.1%)were wild mammalian(WM)attack injuries.The mean age of WM attack victims was 46 years,and the male-to-female ratio was 4:1.Elephant attack injury(40.5%)was the most common WM attack injury reported.Most WM attacks(43.2%)occurred between 4:00 a.m.to 8:00 a.m.The median ISS was 18.5(13-28),where 54.2%of patients had polytrauma(ISS>15).Elephant attack was associated with a higher ISS,but the difference was not significant compared to other animal types(p=0.2).Blunt trauma was common pattern of injury in the elephant attack injury cases.Lacerations and soft tissue injuries were common patterns in other animal attacks.Among snakebites,neurotoxic was the most common type(55.4%),and lower extremity was the most common site involved.Conclusion:The young male population is the major victim of HWCs;and elephant is the most common animal involved.There is a need to design scientifically sound preventive strategies for HWCs and to strengthen the preparedness in health establishments to manage victims effectively.

The Wild Boar Head Motif among the Paintings in Cave 420 at Dunhuang

This paper focuses on the representation of textile decorations that embellish the garments of Buddha and bodhisattvas in Mogao cave 420.The decorations on the robe of Buddha deserve special attention since they include also isolated wild boar heads within pearl roundel frames.The wild boar head was particularly popular among Buddhists and there is no reason to make any association between this motif and Zoroastrian deities.It could have been just a symbol of kingship that was particularly appreciated by high classes in Central Asia such as in western China and Persia.

中国乡村人一野猪冲突时空特征及对生态系统“反服务”的启示

In the context of social and economic transformation in rural China,ecosystem disservices have emerged frequently.This study reveals the spatiotemporal patterns,hazards and driving factors of wild boar damage from 2000 to 2021 by using the meta-analysis and collecting 733 typical human and wild boar conflicts.In this period,the number,spatial scope and hazard degree of wild boar damage incidents showed an increasing trend,and the number of provincial-level regions,prefecture-level cities and districts(counties)involved increased from 18,41 and 67 to 25,147 and 399,respectively.Wild boar damage incidents were concentrated in Chongqing municipality and central and western Hubei province before 2005,and then expanded to the Sichuan Basin,Loess Plateau,middle-lower reaches of Yangtze River and mountainous areas such as Changbai Mountains after 2015.The main manifestations were destroying crops,infringing poultry and causing casualties,especially the destruction of crops and farmland abandonment,accompanied by a rapid increase in casualties,accounting for 23.66% of the damage incidents.Meanwhile,the spreading trend and harmfulness of wild boar damage is a typical phenomenon of ecosystem disservices.The aggravation of this phenomenon is the result of ecological restoration,hunting ban policy,unclear boundary between agricultural land and ecological land,strong viability of wild boar and lack of natural enemies.This has posed an obvious threat to the use of abandoned farmland,the improvement of farmers’livelihood and the maintenance of regional ecological security.It is urgent to formulate a policy of controlling the number of wild boars and establish a compensation mechanism for the loss by wild boars.

Multiple aspects of the maternal reproductive investmentin a polytocous species:What do mothers really control?

One of the factors facilitating the expansion and proliferation of wild boar Sus scrofa is the plasticity of its reproductive biology.Nevertheless,the real influence of maternal and environmental factors on number and sex of the offspring is stll controversial.While the litter size was shown to be related with the maternal condition,the strength of this relation remains to be understood,together with the possible role played by environmental conditions.Analogously,it is unclear whether wild boar females can adjust their offspring sex.We investigated multiple aspects of wild boar maternal investment by means of a 10-year dataset of female reproductive traits and a set of biologically meaningful environmental variables.The maternal condition slightly affected the litter size but not the offspring sex,and environment did not affect the litter size or the offspring sex.Moreover,mothers did not cope with the higher costs entailed by producing sons by placing them in the most advantageous intrauterine position,nor by allocating less resources on daughters.Our set of results showed that the female reproductive investment is quite rigid in comparison with other aspects of wild boar reproductive biology.Wild boar females seem to adopt a typical rstrategy,producing constantly large litters and allocating resources on both sexes regardless of internal and external conditions.Such strategy may be adaptive to cope with environmental unpredictability and an intense human harvest,contributing to explain the extreme success of wild boar within human-dominated landscapes.