Sympatry among three suid species (family suidae) on the north coast of Kenya

Abstract

Three species of suids occur on the broad coastal plain of Kenya east and north of the Tana River; desert warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus, common warthog Phacochoerus africanus, and bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus. Systematic cameratrap surveys, comprising 9229 camera-trap days on grids at six study sites, were used to determine the distribution and relative abundance of these three suids in the Boni- Dodori Forest Complex (ca. 4000 km²) and in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve (416 km²) on Kenya’s north and central coasts, respectively. In the Boni-Dodori Forest Complex, desert warthog was captured at one camera site, common warthog at four camera sites, and bushpig at 33 camera sites. In Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, only bushpig was captured (seven camera sites). Sympatry of desert warthog and common warthog seems limited in the Boni-Dodori Forest Complex. Here, desert warthog appears to be narrowly sympatric with bushpig whereas common warthog is broadly sympatric with bushpig. Sympatry of the three suids in this region was not previously reported. This sympatry is absent in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve.

Keywords: desert warthog, common warthog, bushpig, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, Phacochoerus africanus, Potamochoerus larvatus