Impacts from control operations on a recreationally hunted feral swine population at a large military installation in Florida

Engeman, Richard M.; Hershberger, Troy; Orzell, Steve L.; Felix, Rodney K.; Killian, Gary J.; Woolard, John; Cornman, Jon; Romano, David; Huddleston, Chet; Zimmerman, P. R.; Barre, Chris; Tillman, Eric A.; Avery, Michael L.

doi:10.1007/s11356-014-2727-9

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The impacts of feral swine population control on damage rates and amounts cannot be appropriately discussed without first reviewing the effects of the control program on the feral swine population levels (see Engeman et al 2014). Using three population metrics, that study found that the feral swine population dropped sharply following the onset of control into 2009 and then remained considerably lower from 2010 to 2012 than in 2008 (pre-control) and in 2009 ).…”

Section: Discussion Population Control and Damagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such releases represent an increased opportunity for immigration into the base beyond what might occur naturally among the feral swine living in the vicinity. Previously, Engeman et al (2014) found strong evidence of immigration from that property, implying there might have been artificially increased pressure on the northern plant sites before immigrant swine diffused through the base. Thus, we compared the average proportion of sites with any feral swine damage across years at sites located within 1.6 km of the north border to the average proportion of sites with any feral swine damage located throughout the rest of the base.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, monitoring population changes is a key performance metric for evaluating the need and efficacy of management actions and Engeman et al (2014) applied three metrics to monitor the impacts of control on feral swine population levels at APAFR through the same time course as our damage observations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Feral swine damage to globally imperiled wetland plant communities in a significant biodiversity hotspot in Florida

et al. 2016

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We studied rooting damage during five-years of feral swine control at Avon Park Air Force Range, a significant botanical biodiversity hotspot in peninsular Florida with many globally imperiled plant species and communities. While control reduced swine abundance, remaining animals consistently rooted the 49 studied sites in both middle-dry season (MDS) and late-dry season (LDS) each year. At each study site, we measured rooting with sub-meter accuracy. Neither total nor proportional area rooted differed in either season, across study years, or among plant community types: herbaceous seepage slopes, wet pine savannas, wet grasslands. The proportion of sites with damage during MDS was at least 25 % less than pre-control baseline. During LDS, the proportion of sites with damage increased over years but remained below the initial 2 years' MDS results. Fresh rooting frequency (rooting \1 week-old) across sites dropped precipitously from baseline and remained low for MDS. Fresh rooting frequency among sites during LDS was lower than MDS for all but year two of the study. Canopied habitat \50 m from a study site almost guaranteed rooting at the site each observation period. We propose actions for protecting wetlands, integrating swine control into other compatible land use practices, and improving swine control efficacy. While we measured damage amounts at each site very accurately, our approach of also considering frequency of rooting and frequency of fresh rooting across sites offers low-labor means to broadly assess swine damage and control Communicated by

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Section: Discussion Population Control and Damagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Feral swine damage to globally imperiled wetland plant communities in a significant biodiversity hotspot in Florida

et al. 2016

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“…Hanson et al 2009;Lieury et al 2015). One study reported that control efforts were hindered by immigration from a neighbouring hunting reserve where feral pigs were deliberately released (Engeman et al 2014). However, if the AO is too large, it can be impossible to concentrate enough shooting effort to offset in situ reproduction (Simard et al 2013).…”

Section: Other Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of ground-based shooting to control overabundant mammal populations

Bengsen

Forsyth

Harris³

et al. 2020

Wildl. Res.

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Context Ground-based shooting is widely used in management programs aiming to alleviate the impacts of invasive or overabundant wildlife populations. However, evaluations of individual shooting operations have shown variable results, and the effectiveness of ground-shooting as a population-management intervention has not been systematically examined. Aims Our review aimed to (1) assess the efficacy of shooting as a population management tool, and (2) identify commonalities among studies that will help managers identify situations where ground-shooting is most likely to be effective. Methods We systematically reviewed the literature to identify studies involving ground-shooting. From each study, we collated information about operational objectives, target taxa, geographic context, type of shooter used, effort, effectiveness, and use of additional control tools. Key results Most studies had no a priori quantifiable objectives. However, 60% of the 64 case studies produced a detectable reduction in population density and/or damage. The most common type of operation used unpaid or commercial harvest-oriented shooters to reduce herbivore density or damage. Only 30% of the operations that used volunteer shooters or recreational hunters achieved their objectives. Target taxa, geographic area or integration of shooting with other population-control methods had no detectable effect on the effectiveness of shooting operations. Common factors that hindered the effectiveness of shooting operations included immigration of target species from adjacent areas (n=13), decreasing effort from shooters as the target population declined (n=7) and selective harvesting (n=7). Conclusions Ground-based shooting can be an effective management tool for overabundant wildlife populations, but many shooting operations did not achieve a notable decrease in animal abundance or damage. The source of failure could often be attributed to an inability to remove a sufficient proportion of the population to cause a population decline. Implications Managers contemplating using ground-based shooting to reduce the impacts or density of wildlife populations should (1) carefully consider whether this is a suitable management tool to achieve the desired outcomes, (2) establish clear objectives that aim to meet defined outcomes and allow for continuous improvement, and (3) ensure that operations are sufficiently resourced to achieve and maintain those objectives.

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Field evaluation of low-dose warfarin baits to control wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in North Texas

Poché

Franckowiak

et al. 2018

PLoS ONE

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Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a highly detrimental invasive species that occupy a rapidly expanding range within the United States. In Australia, field trials evaluating baits containing 0.09% warfarin resulted in wild pig population reduction >95%. The objective of this study was to conduct an EPA-approved field trial to evaluate the use of bait containing low-dose warfarin (0.01% and 0.005%) in reducing wild pig numbers in Texas. An 8-week field test was conducted in the panhandle ~100 km southeast of Amarillo. Two ~8 km2 treatment plots were selected and each presented with either 0.01% or 0.005% warfarin baits. One control plot (~8 km2) was presented placebo. The baits were delivered using 30 species-specific feeders per plot (n = 90) that kept wildlife from accessing the toxicant. Pig movements and feed consumption were monitored during pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment periods. All pigs with VHF transmitters within the 0.005% warfarin-treated plot (n = 14) succumbed to the warfarin (100% mortality). Overall, 35 wild pigs were found dead from warfarin toxicosis, within both treatment plots. Total feed consumption by wild pigs was reduced by ~97.8% and ~96.2% for the 0.005% and 0.01% warfarin baited plots, respectively, indicating the absence of pigs was a result of toxic bait consumption. Results of 97 systematic searches of the treatment plots indicated no warfarin-induced non-target wildlife fatalities. Warfarin residues in wild pig livers averaged 3.69 mg/kg (n = 13) and 2.89 mg/kg (n = 9) for pigs recovered within the 0.005% plot and 0.01% warfarin plot, respectively. This study is the first efficacy field evaluation of a wild pig toxicant conducted in the US. The results suggest low-dose warfarin bait, presented in species-specific feeders, can effectively reduce wild pig numbers and pose minimal risk to non-target wildlife and domestic animals. A product containing warfarin may provide another management tool in reducing wild pig problems.

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Impacts from control operations on a recreationally hunted feral swine population at a large military installation in Florida

Cited by 7 publications

References 29 publications

Feral swine damage to globally imperiled wetland plant communities in a significant biodiversity hotspot in Florida

Feral swine damage to globally imperiled wetland plant communities in a significant biodiversity hotspot in Florida

A systematic review of ground-based shooting to control overabundant mammal populations

Field evaluation of low-dose warfarin baits to control wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in North Texas

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