8. A Model for Evaluating Hunting and Contraception as Feral Hog Population Control Methods

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species known to feed on small animals, eggs, roots, and herbaceous material. In addition to being a nuisance on managed lands such as Fort Benning, GA, uncontrolled populations of feral swine destroy habitat and elevate the risk of disease for threatened and endangered species that cohabitate the land. This chapter explores the relative effectiveness of controlling feral swine populations with hunting, contraception, and a combination of the two. To study the issue, the authors used NetLogo (http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/) to develop an agent-based simulation model that incorporates digital maps of the subject population’s habitat at Fort Benning. Simulation results supported the hypothesis that the combination of lethal control and oral contraceptive delivery will provide better control of the Fort Benning feral swine population than will either technique alone. Additionally, the model provides a framework for understanding how feral swine interact with the landscape and helps land managers to predict the impacts of proposed control techniques.