Strategies for wild pig control: A case study of Missouri's progress towards elimination

• الحاوية / القاعدة: Wildlife Society Bulletin
• المؤلفون الرئيسيون: Megan M. Cross, Keith M. Carlisle
• التنسيق: مقال
• اللغة: الإنجليزية
• منشور في: Wiley 2025-09-01
• الموضوعات: collaborative governance; damage management; feral swine; Incident Command Systems; invasive species management; Sus scrofa
• الوصول للمادة أونلاين: https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1607

Abstract We examined the evolution of wild pig (Sus scrofa) elimination efforts in Missouri, USA, to identify governance and management strategies that may be applicable in other contexts. In 2023, we interviewed 37 individuals from 15 agencies and organizations in Missouri to describe Missouri's path towards wild pig elimination, including the coalitions, policies, and collaborative structures foundational to control efforts, and identify the key management strategies and methods central to progress. Study methods also encompassed observation and document analysis, and data indicated that the adoption of a broad partnership and implementation of a unified Incident Command System enhanced wild pig control efforts by facilitating collaborative decision‐making and coordination across multiple organizations. Furthermore, several management practices emerged as instrumental in advancing elimination efforts. Management actions included systematic baiting, the employment of full‐time trapping professionals and University Extension outreach specialists, the establishment of a centralized hotline for reporting wild pig sightings and damage, integration of drone and helicopter operations, and the development of a program to provide private landowners free access to damage mitigation tools. Our study highlights the practices contributing to Missouri's pursuit of wild pig elimination and suggests their potential transferability to other situations where wild pig population control is a management priority.