1/10/2024 0 Comments Endnote ugaThe SRS has been dealing with its wild pig problem since the early 1950s. The SRS was a very appropriate facility to host this symposium. Most of the organizations associated with implementing this symposium were affiliated with the Savannah River Site (SRS), a 803 km federal nuclear facility, located in western South Carolina along the Savannah River. Although the focus of the symposium was primarily directed toward federal agencies, presenters also included professionals from academic institutions, and private-sector control contractors and land managers. The result would then be a collected synopsis of what is known about wild pigs in the United States. The goal of this symposium was to assemble researchers and land managers to first address various aspects of the biology and damage of wild pigs, and then review the control techniques and management of this invasive species. Department of Energy-Savannah River Operations Office (DOE-SR), the Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC), the South Carolina Chapter of the Soil & Water Conservation Society, and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL). Forest Service-Savannah River (USFS-SR), U. This symposium was organized and sponsored by U.S.D.A. In an effort to better 'know thy enemy,' a two-day symposium was held in Augusta, Georgia, on April 21-22, 2004. For wild pigs then, it is better to 'know thy enemy' than to not, especially if one expects to be able to successfully control them. Since the more that one knows about an invasive species, the easier it is to deal with and hopefully control. All of which means that wild pigs are a veritable nightmare for land and resource managers trying to keep the numbers of these animals and the damage that they do under control. In many ways, wild pigs are America's most successful large invasive species. The ultimate answer as to how to control these animals has not been found to date. The solution to the wild pig problem has not been readily apparent. On top of that, wild pigs are both very difficult to control and, with the possible exception of island ecosystems, almost impossible to eradicate (Dickson et al. They reproduce at a rate faster than any other mammal of comparable size, native or introduced they can eat just about anything and, they can live just about anywhere. Not only do they cause damage, but wild pigs are also survivors. Wild pigs are a controversial problem that is not going away and will likely only get worse with time. The complexity of this problem has been further complicated by the widespread appeal and economic potential of these animals as a big game species (Tisdell 1982, Degner 1989). The cost of both these impacts and control efforts has been estimated to exceed a billion dollars annually (Pimentel 2007). This is the direct result of the damage that these introduced animals do. This increase, in part natural, but largely manmade, more ยป has caused an increased workload and cost for land and resource managers in areas where these new populations are found. Between 19, the number of states reporting the presence of introduced wild pigs went from 19 up to as many as 44. In spite of a fairly constant history in this country since the early 1900s, wild pigs have had a dramatic recent increase in both distribution and numbers in the United States. 1950, Wood and Barrett 1979, Mayer and Brisbin 1991, Dickson et al. The documentation of such impacts by introduced populations of this species in the United States has subsequently increased in recent years, and continued up through the present (Towne and Wentworth. These wild pigs reportedly were very aggressive and often attacked Spanish soldiers hunting rebellious Indians or escaped slaves on these islands, especially when these animals were cornered. Droves of these animals also ravaged cultivated crops of maize and sugarcane on islands in the West Indies during this same time period. Damage by these introduced animals was reported as far back as 1505 by the early Spanish colonies in the Caribbean, where wild pigs were killing the colonists cattle. The existence of problems with wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is nothing new to the Western Hemisphere.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |