130925-studie-wildlife-comeback-in-europe

Figure 1a.
Distribution of Wild
boar in 1890 [6] ,
1955 [38] and 2008 [1] .
Black stars denote
countries where the
species occurs in
low numbers [39–41] . In
Cyprus, the species
was reintroduced
in the 1990s, and
subsequently
eradicated with
government
backing [42] .
Figure 1b. Map
highlighting areas
of range expansion,
persistence and
contraction of the
Wild boar in Europe
between 1955 and
2008.
Abundant and widely distributed in Spain,
the Wild boar expanded its range throughout
the Iberian peninsula from occupying half of
the country in the early 20 th century [29] . This
development was most likely driven by the
abandonment of rural areas by humans, and
the associated increase in scrubland habitat [35] .
Management of the species is aimed at reducing
the impact on small game breeding, crop damage
and road accidents [29] .
The species is present throughout Poland except
at higher altitudes, although it is more abundant in
the west where winters are milder [8] . Thought to be
steadily increasing, official Figures on population
size are very likely underestimations [8] .
The history of Wild boar in Sweden is an
eventful one: it disappeared in the 17 th century due
to hunting and hybridisation with free-ranging
domestic pigs, but was re-established through
reintroductions and escapes [36] . Following its
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