Evaluating wild hog preferences to guide control strategies in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Abstract

Wild hogs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species that have occupied Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the early 1900s. The population is in direct competition with native species, inflicts unprecedented damage to plant communities, and is a reservoir for disease. The Park implemented a control program in 1959 and has kept detailed geographic records on each removal since 1980, producing over 1500 unique presence locations. To extract the geographic preferences exhibited by the presence locations, we conducted a niche factor analysis by pairing the data with relevant environmental predictors. We then mapped these preferences spatially to create two maps that depict suitable locations to support wild hog presence. Results from this project will inform control efforts and improve our understanding of the population of wild hogs that resides in the Park.