SPATIAL AND ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF WILD BOARS IN TUSCANY, ITALY

Home ranges and core areas of 25 radiocollared wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Tuscany, Italy, were studied by a method of building a buffer area on both sides of the lines connecting radiolocation points in chronol ogical order. Core areas of males were more scattered within the entir e ranges and less intensively used than core areas of females. All cor e areas were < 1.0 km2, while mean monthly home ranges varied from 1.1 to 3.9 kM2 With largest areas in October-December. Home ranges of fem ales overlapped extensively, whereas those of males appeared to be mor e exclusive. Habitat choices did not show significant trends except fo r some specific situations, suggesting that analyses of the internal a natomies of home ranges are of limited use in the absence of informati on on the social and ecological contexts. The wild boar were mostly no cturnal and rested during daytime in forested habitats. Comparison wit h previous work suggests a remarkable plasticity of the spatial and ac tivity patterns of the species.