Private Landowners' Perspectives on Feral Swine and Regulation-Evidence from Arkansas, Louisiana, and East Texas.

Abstract

Feral swine (FS) (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species that has spread widely across the southern United States, including the West Gulf region. With their rapidly increasing population, they have caused severe damage to landowners. To better understand private landowners' knowledge and attitudes toward FS, we conducted a mail survey in the West Gulf region including Arkansas, Louisiana, and East Texas in 2021. The results indicated that the majority of landowners are familiar with, have overall negative opinions of, and are concerned about the presence and future population growth of FS in this region. Nearly 70% of the private landowners surveyed supported stricter FS control regulations. Logistic regression results further revealed that landowners' supportiveness for FS control regulations is associated with their perceived FS-induced economic damage and ownership characteristics (i.e., age and tenure). These findings shed new light on private landowners' perspectives on FS invasions and control regulations, aiding in developing and implementing FS control/management policies and programs in the West Gulf region and beyond.