Abstract:
In many Ugandan rural communities, pigs are generally kept under traditional smallholder
systems without basic biosecurity measures in place. In some instances, these systems
are at the livestock-wildlife interface, as it is the case in Nwoya district, which is
bordered by Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP). This pig system has potential for
the maintenance and transmission of pathogens like African swine fever (ASF) between
different herds, and also with wild pigs (warthogs and bushpigs). In this paper, we
describe the spatial and temporal pattern of the movements of free ranging domestic
pigs in a rural setting in Northern Uganda where ASF is endemic. We also determine
their use of habitat to highlight the potential interaction hotspots between domestic pigs
and between domestic and wild pig populations.We fitted 10 free-ranging domestic pigs
owned by different homesteads with GPS harnesses during rainy and dry seasons. The
pig home range, daily distance, activity pattern and habitat use were calculated. Our
results show that the maximum area covered (MCP 100%) by the pigs varied between
35,965 and 475,077 m2. The core area varied from 1,317 to 50,769 m2.The pigs’ home
ranges were significantly bigger during the dry season than during the rainy season
(Wilcoxon test, W = 22, p = 0.04). The mean full day (24 h) distance was longer in
the dry season than in the rainy season (Student test, t = 2.7, p = 0.03). The pigs were
mostly located within their own homestead, but they also used other homesteads, grass
and crop fields. This study highlights that free-ranging domestic pigs may cover a wide
area, especially during the dry season. Interestingly, the home range of pigs from different
herds may overlap with areas used by wild pigs which share crops and other resources
in this area. This study provides insights into a better understanding of the potential for
spread of diseases such as ASF at small-scale and can be used to raise awareness of such risks and to better target implementation of preventive measures.