Officials wage 10-year battle against invasive hogs that have caused millions in damage: 'Nearly 4,500 caught'

Yahoo

3 days ago

A nearly 10-year-old campaign in Arkansas has made significant strides in managing one of the state's most destructive invasive species: feral hogs.
These animals have threatened native wildlife and caused millions of dollars in property damage, as Little Rock station KATV reported in mid-May. But thanks to a statewide strategy and strong partnerships, residents are finally seeing promising results.
It was a legislative effort that kickstarted the Feral Hog Eradication Task Force in 2017, bringing together more than a dozen federal, state, and nonprofit agencies to tackle the challenge.
With funding from the United States Department of Agriculture's Feral Swine Control Project, the group rolled out a plan that included full-time trappers, aerial support, and smarter trapping techniques, according to the local outlet. By 2024, those tactics had paid off to the tune of over 13,000 hog removals, "with nearly 4,500 caught using conservation district resources."
One landowner in Yell County told KATV he noticed a big drop in hog sightings after switching to group trapping, a method that targets entire herds rather than individuals to stop the cycle of repopulation.
In addition to millions in property damage, the task force has said the animals can cause crop loss; injury and disease transmission to livestock; threats to smaller and endangered species; and potential contamination of human food and water sources.
The Wildlife Services division of the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service now serves as the go-to contact for anyone needing help with feral hogs on private property, making it easier than ever to report and remove the animals.
The University of Arkansas-Fayetteville is also testing a potential boar sterilant, per KATV, and the task force is looking into targeted bait solutions to expand its toolkit.
It's possible that Arkansas is building a model for other states to follow. The regional feral hog problem has provided a clear example of how invasive animal species can wreak havoc on both ecosystems and everyday lives, just as invasive plants can crowd out native varieties.
The state of Arkansas coordinated resources to tackle this challenge head-on, and homeowners everywhere can implement similar strategies.
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