Abstract
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most detrimental invasive mammals in the US. Lack of adequate population control has allowed pigs to become established across the landscape, causing significant ecological and economic damage. Given the need for additional tools for reducing wild pig populations, two toxicants, warfarin and sodium nitrite, are at the forefront of the discussion regarding future wild pig management. However, no research has examined stakeholders’ perspectives towards the use of toxicants in wild pig management. Given the lack of knowledge, our goal was to determine stakeholders’ perspectives towards the legal use of toxicants for managing wild pigs. We surveyed 1822 individuals from three stakeholder groups (hunters, farmers, and forestland owners) across Alabama during February 2018 using an online survey following the Tailored Design Method. All three stakeholder groups were generally supportive of toxicant use, though their views differed slightly by group. Furthermore, all stakeholder groups were supportive of toxicant purchasing and use regulations, while accidental water contamination, human health impact, and incorrect usage of a toxicant were stakeholders’ greatest concerns. These results indicate that these groups would likely be in support of using toxicants for wild pig management in Alabama and could be a model for other states or locations. Consequently, these results have direct implications for shaping policy and possible use of toxicants as a future wild pig management tool.
Highlights
The United States has approximately 50,000 invasive species which are responsible for $128– 131 billion of damage per year [1]. These cost estimates include both damages caused by invasive species and the costs associated with their management and control [2]
Our objectives were to 1) determine stakeholder acceptability of sodium nitrite and warfarin for managing wild pig populations, 2) examine perspectives on various types of possible purchasing and use regulations, should toxicants be legalized for wild pigs, and 3) identify stakeholder concerns related to environmental and human health, application, and legal liability associated with the use of toxicants
Before respondents were able to answer any questions pertaining to toxicant use in wild pig management, they were provided with a list of pertinent information about both warfarin and sodium nitrite (S1 Appendix)
Summary
The United States has approximately 50,000 invasive species which are responsible for $128– 131 billion of damage per year [1]. These cost estimates include both damages caused by invasive species and the costs associated with their management and control [2]. While specific management techniques vary by species, the overall management of invasive species depends where on the invasion curve the species occurs [7–9; Fig 1]. One species that is near the end of the invasion curve and requires long-term management is the wild pig (Sus scrofa)
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