Manage the threat
Need strategies for feral hogs
The state of Arkansas has a growing environmental issue: feral hogs. This is a problem that has been in the United States for many years, but has rapidly increased in the last decade.
Pigs were brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus and released to breed on islands of the West Indies. This practice continued with explorers into the 16th and 17th centuries in the West Indies and southern parts of the United States. Domestic pigs periodically escaped from farms in the South and joined feral pig populations.
From 1982 to 2016, the wild pig population in the United States increased from 2.4 million to an estimated 6.9 million, with 2.6 million estimated to be residing in Texas alone. Today that number could be as high as 10 million.
Feral hogs inflict significant harm on the environment. Their rooting creates damage to the ground, disrupting ecosystems and impacting the stability of soil. Agriculture also takes a hit as these hogs consume crops, leading to economic losses for farmers. In forests and other environments, they eat plants and alter habitats, making it challenging for native wildlife to find homes and food sources. The invasion of their territories causes increased competition among species for resources, disrupting the natural balance of the area. Feral swine carry over 30 diseases, some fatal, that can be transferred to humans. These pose a threat to the health of both wild and domesticated animals.
Recently there have been articles published about “super pigs” crossing the Canadian border into North Dakota and other border states. These pigs are smart and adaptable, and will eat anything, including crops and wildlife. While hunting may seem like the obvious solution, it leads to the pigs becoming more wary and gunshy, and in some cases becoming nocturnal. It also causes a big group of hogs to scatter into different smaller groups, which makes them harder to control.
In Arkansas, we don’t have super pigs, but we have had decades of problems with feral hogs. They ravage fields and crops, and according to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture cause about $19 million in damage in Arkansas annually. I have personally seen the damage that they can cause in our own Ozark National Forest by digging and rooting around.
This is not only an issue on public lands. Private landowners can also contribute to this problem. Some landowners encourage hog populations on real estate for hunting purposes. Some people may also breed feral hogs and swine and release them to populate until they are hunted. The majority of the hogs will not be caught, and will stay in the wild and join other groups of pigs.
While solutions to this problem are challenging, it can be managed. Targeted hunting programs help control numbers and mitigate ecological and agricultural damage. Non-lethal interventions, like habitat modification or food-source reduction, offer a more sustainable approach. Fencing in agricultural areas can act as a preventative measure against economic losses. Additionally, investing in research for more advanced control methods, such as biological agents, may provide long-term solutions with less collateral damage to other wildlife. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission could benefit from an increase in funding toward feral hog control.
The issue of feral hogs in Arkansas is a challenge that needs attention and action. Their current population explosion poses a threat to ecosystems, agriculture, and public health. By implementing a combination of the above listed strategies, along with continued research into improved control methods, we can work toward reducing the impact of feral hogs and preserving the health of our lands and wildlife.