Florida and Invasive Species Management: Feral Hog

by Brandi Harris

Submitted : Spring 2010

Land management of restored wetlands poses new challenges to park personnel as well as state policy-makers. Those in land management must work to ensure a healthy, well-functioning, sustainable ecosystem. One area of concern threatening state manage lands are invasive exotic species. Kristopher Brown is an Environmental Specialist with the Department of Environmental Protection. An experiment was designed based upon a 2007 study done by Richard Engeman. The results indicate feral hog distribution and can be used to determine the most time can cost efficient methods of swine removal. Randomly selected plots were set up and swine damage was evaluated during the month of April. An index of spatial pattern (IP), was then used to calculate swine saturation. Results indicated an aggregated distrubution pattern. Land managers will use this information to determine the amount of permitted hunters allowed on the preserve during the 2011 feral hog hunting season.

[ Back ]