Everything they do, they do it for the water – Behavioural adaptations of wild pigs to drylands in Argentina

Abstract

Invasive species are increasingly reshaping drylands worldwide, yet their behavioural adaptations remain poorly understood. The wild pig ( Sus scrofa ) is a species that is physiologically non‐adapted to arid conditions; however, it has successfully colonized these environments and has been established in the Monte Desert, Argentina, since the 1980s. We examined the behavioural adaptations of wild pigs in Argentine drylands by comparing their occupancy and activity patterns between a protected area (Biosphere Ñacuñán Reserve) and a private grazed field. Using 98 camera trap stations, we assessed the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on wild pig behaviour. Bayesian occupancy modelling revealed that proximity to water sources (i.e. water availability) was the strongest predictor of wild pig presence, while human‐related variables also significantly and negatively influenced occupancy patterns. Activity pattern analysis revealed moderate overlap (Δ1 = 0.57) between the two land‐use types but with significantly different temporal distributions. In the reserve, wild pigs were crepuscular and nocturnal (38.9% for both), while in the grazed field, they were predominantly nocturnal (50%). These findings highlight that wild pigs adapt to arid environments by seeking water and adjusting their activity to avoid thermal stress and human encounters. Notably, permanent artificial watering points created for livestock facilitate wild pig persistence, emphasizing how human activities unintentionally support the expansion of this invasive species in Argentina's drylands.