Damage Caused to Rangelands by Wild Pig Rooting Activity is Mitigated with Intensive Trapping
Author(s): Joshua A. Gaskamp, Kenneth L. Gee, Tyler A. Campbell, Nova J. Silvy, and Stephen L. Webb
Published: October 2018
The wild pig (Sus scrofa), an exotic and invasive species, has caused great concern at a global scale, particularly within agricultural landscapes. The objective of this study was to determine whether intensive trapping and wild pig removal resulted in a concomitant decrease in damage to rangelands. Removal of 356 wild pigs over 2 years showed an immediate reduction in rooting damage that carried over after trapping ceased. After only one trap session, rooting damage across the three sites was reduced 43–82% and total damage reduction from the beginning to the end of the project was 90%. With intensive trapping (1 pig/22.7 ha/year), damage may also be reduced on neighboring areas that are not being trapped, as indicated by data from our non-trapped units. Although we reduced rooting damage locally, and on nearby areas, large-scale, intensive control will be needed for the long-term effective reduction in damage and wild pig numbers because wild pigs have high reproductive rates, high survival, and can recolonize areas rapidly.
Suggested Citation
Gaskamp, J.A., K.L. Gee, T.A. Campbell, N.J. Silvy, and S.L. Webb. 2018. Damage caused to rangelands by wild pig rooting activity is mitigated with intensive trappings. Cogent Environmental Science 4: DOI 10.1080 1540080.