Reliable and efficient population estimates are a critical need for effective management of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa). We evaluated the use of 10‐day camera grids for rapid population assessment (RPA) of wild pigs at 3 study sites that varied in vegetation communities and wild pig densities. Study areas included Buck Island Ranch, Florida; Tejon Ranch, California; and the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA, during 2016–2018. Rapid population assessments grids were composed of baited camera traps spaced approximately 500 or 750 m apart. Two RPA grids were deployed per study site and each grid was deployed twice (4–6 months apart) to assess changes in response to season or population control efforts. We assessed the ability of RPA grids to track population trends, how camera number influenced estimate precision, and how relative abundance indices related to density estimates. We detected changes in occupancy probability, detection probability, and N‐mixture estimates following removal operations and between seasons, but the ability of RPA grids to track population trends was dependent on the statistical method used and number of cameras traps. Increasing the number of cameras traps used in RPA grids increased precision, and these results can be used in determining survey design and estimate choice. We found that estimates of occupancy probability, detection probability, and N‐mixture estimates were positively correlated with spatially explicit capture–recapture density estimates. Thus, these less labor‐intensive estimates from RPA grids showed potential to index the relative abundance of wild pigs in some systems. Our evaluation of RPAs indicates that using study‐specific combinations of statistical method and number of cameras can provide a useful tool for monitoring wild pig presence, tracking population trends, and evaluating the effectiveness of management actions. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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在三个研究地点使用诱饵相机对野猪进行快速种群评估的方法

可靠，有效的种群估计是有效管理外来入侵猪（Sus scrofa）。我们评估了在植被群落和野猪密度各不相同的3个研究地点，使用10天照相机网格对野猪进行快速种群评估（RPA）的情况。研究区域包括佛罗里达的巴克岛牧场；加利福尼亚州第戎牧场；以及2016-2018年期间美国南卡罗来纳州的萨凡纳河站点。快速人口评估网格由间隔约500或750 m的诱饵摄像机陷阱组成。每个研究地点都部署了两个RPA网格，每个网格部署了两次（相隔4-6个月），以评估对季节或人口控制工作的响应变化。我们评估了RPA网格跟踪人口趋势，相机数量如何影响估计精度以及相对丰度指数与密度估计相关的能力。我们检测到占用概率，检测概率，和去除后和季节之间的N混合估计，但是RPA网格跟踪人口趋势的能力取决于所使用的统计方法和相机陷阱的数量。RPA网格中使用的摄影机陷阱数量的增加提高了精度，这些结果可用于确定勘测设计和估计选择。我们发现占用率估计值，检测概率估计值和N混合估计值与空间明确的捕获-捕获密度估计值呈正相关。因此，这些来自RPA网格的劳动强度较低的估算值显示了在某些系统中索引野猪相对丰度的潜力。我们对RPA的评估表明，将研究方法与统计方法和摄像头数量结合使用，可以为监测野猪的存在提供有用的工具，跟踪人口趋势，并评估管理措施的有效性。©2020野生动物协会。