Activity patterns of small- and medium-sized mammals inside and outside a sanitation control zone on a pig farm

The intensification of livestock production has increased vulnerability to pathogen transmission, highlighting the importance of farm biosecurity. Using camera-trap data, we assessed the activity patterns of humans and small- and medium-sized mammals inside and outside a sanitary control zone (SCZ) on a pig farm in Japan. Most wildlife intrusions into the SCZ occurred during nighttime, reflecting the predominantly nocturnal activity of the assessed mammals, with little difference between activity patterns inside and outside the SCZ. In contrast, feral cats remained active within the SCZ during daytime and nighttime. These findings suggest that nighttime represents a high-risk period for wildlife intrusion and highlight the importance of strengthening physical barriers and implementing integrated wildlife and farm management.