Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries

Chapter 12: Bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus (F. Cuvier, 1822)

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Table 12.3 Bushpig forage fractions over four seasons for southern and eastern Cape bushpigs (South Africa).

Mean percentages of forage fractions per season in southern (S: Forest) and eastern Cape (E: Valley Bushveld) bushpig stomach
contents (South Africa; Seydack 1990)

Forage classes Region Forage fractions (%)

Summer Autumn Winter Spring Year

PLANT ORIGIN S 94.7 95.4 91.0 94.5 93.6

E 87.1 92.2 86.9 88.8 88.4

Fruit S 19.3 19.2 16.8 9.1 15.1

E 23.8 11.9 9.1 5.9 10.5

Herbage S 30.7 37.6 24.7 40.4 33.3

E 26.3 10.6 31.9 45.4 27.8

Subterranean S 18.4 15.0 40.4 31.3 29.1

E 37.0 72.7 45.4 54.0 49.9

Fungi S 26.4 23.5 9.1 13.4 16.0

E 0 0 0 0 0

ANIMAL ORIGIN S 5.3 4.6 9.0 5.5 6.4

E 12.9 4.8 13.1 11.2 11.6

Invertebrate S 0.5 2.0 5.2 1.8 2.6

E 5.9 0 3.2 0.4 2.3

Vertebrate S 4.8 2.6 3.8 3.7 3.8

E 7.0 4.8 9.9 10.8 9.3

Seasons: summer: December–February; autumn: March–May; winter: June–August; spring: September–November

Table 12.4 Contrasting nutrient fractions for southern and eastern Cape
bushpigs (South Africa).

Selected percentage dry matter of ingesta from southern (S)
and eastern (E) Cape bushpigs (South Africa)

Percentage dry
matter of ingesta

Region Mean Indication of

significance

Ash S 10.3 E > S

E 15.8

Phosphorus (P) S 0.20 E > S

E 0.36

Calcium (Ca) S 0.58 E > S

E 1.59

Potassium (K) S 0.67 E > S

E 0.89

Nitrogen-free extract S 50.0 S > E

E 43.0

Soluble carbohydrates S 14.2 S > E

E 10.3

Lignin S 22.3 S > E

E 17.0

(Seydack 1990)

Table 12.5 Contrasting life-history tactics in southern and eastern Cape

bushpigs (South Africa).

Life-history traits of southern (S) and eastern (E) Cape

bushpigs contrasting regional divergence in reproductive

versus somatic investment

Reproductive

investment

Reproductive versus somatic investment:

Early onset of female

breeding

Ratio of reproductive/

non-reproductive

E > S

2–6 years: E (1.45) > S (0.49)

6+ years: E (1.40) ≈ S (1.50)

Percentage females

reproductive

E (75 %) > S (64 %) E > S

Fecundity (2 years

+): mean live births

per annum

Mean fecundity: E (2.70) > S(1.92) E > S

Somatic investment

Female body size Body length (mm): S (1247) > E (1198) S > E

Energy storage

levels: Subcutaneous

fat layer index

(thickness: mm):

yearlings and

females (2 years +)

Yearlings (males): S (14.7) > E (7.9) S > E

Yearlings (females): S (14.4) > E (9.9) S > E

Females (pregnant): S (25.5) > E (21.7) S > E

Females (lactating): S (17.5) > E (8.5) S > E

Lifespan/survival Life expectancy at birth: S (2.8) > E (1.8) S > E

Seydack (1990); Seydack & Bigalke (1992)

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