Wild boar in Latvia are being fitted with GPS collars to study their movements, social interactions and territorial behaviour in areas affected by African swine fever (ASF). GPS collars are currently being fitted to wild boar in Cēsis and Talsi municipalities. The animals are also being tagged with ear tags to enable visual identification. In addition to GPS data, researchers will use information from camera traps and determine the ASF status of the animals involved in the study.
The data collected will help researchers gain a better understanding of wild boar movement patterns, the areas they use and their contacts with one another. The findings will also help improve wild boar population management and ASF control measures.
The study is being conducted as part of the ASFaVIP project under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. In Latvia, the study is being carried out by the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR” in cooperation with scientists from the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”. The study will continue until 28 February 2027.