What can interactions between large hoofed mammals (ungulates, to those in the know) in the Scottish Highlands tell us about their impacts on ecosystems? 🦌

In a new study from Connor Lovell, Nathalie Pettorelli and Terry Dawson camera traps were used to investigate differing land use preferences from 3 deer species and wild boar…the first of its kind to look at free-roaming wild boar in Scotland

Each species preferred different combinations of land cover types:
🌱Sika deer > coniferous plantations, grassland, woodland
🌲Roe deer > coniferous plantations, grassland
🌿Red deer > wetland
🌳Wild boar > grassland and woodland

In an unexpected result, no evidence of negative effects of human disturbance was found…however possible explanations for this may include species’ avoidance behaviours

Results from this study could be crucial when looking at reintroductions of wild boar to Scotland, as well as potential consequences of land type changes for difference species 🦌🐗

Read more 👇 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ec…