Photograph by Joe Mac Hudspeth, Jr. · www.southernfocus.com
Magazine
Hogs and High Water
Record high water levels from the 2011 flood in the Mississippi Delta forced many wildlife species in the lower Yazoo River Basin and between the mainline levees of the Mississippi River to disperse from these areas and seek refuge outside the levee system or on higher ground. Wild pigs are one species in particular that became more visible and attracted much attention throughout the flood. Many Delta farmers and others across the state are all too familiar with the agricultural and ecological destruction caused by wild pigs. However, pigs displaced from the floods presented a new set of problems for residents; increased potential for human-wild pig conflicts in and around towns and suburbs, along roads, and municipalities.
Flood displaced wild hogs wandering about or taking up residence in and around Delta towns and communities presented several public safety concerns. Most human-wild pig interactions reported from these areas during the flood were limited to sightings and some spots of rooting damage. Some citizens and local officials also expressed concerns over wild pigs attacking humans, and maybe rightfully so. Though wild pigs rarely attack humans unless provoked or cornered, it stands to reason that displaced wild animals undergo some amount of stress, especially when not accustomed to the noise and populace of towns and suburbs. While there were no confirmed wild pig attacks – nor any other wild animal attacks – on humans, the situation certainly increased the potential for such an event to occur.
Wild pig-vehicle collisions pose another threat to human safety. Unlike many other wild and even domestic animals, pigs lack the reflective layer in the eye that produces eye shine. Avoiding deer collisions is difficult enough, but spotting a dark colored hog on a blacktop road at night presents a much bigger challenge and risk of injury to motorists. Drivers involved in these incidents often report little warning or reaction time prior to impact. In addition, the short and stout bodies of pigs, especially large adults, collide with greater force and cause considerably more damage than deer-vehicle collisions. The risk of wild pig-vehicle collisions are not limited only to situations in which many animals have been displaced. It’s a present danger for any local area with large numbers of wild pigs.
Levee damage caused by wild pigs during the 2011 flood generated the most serious concerns from some residents. Wild pig rooting often leaves the ground as if it had been turned under with a plow and the damage is sometimes quite extensive. Pigs also create large holes in the ground from wallowing, and trample or destroy vegetation in places where they congregate. The Mississippi Levee Board (MLB) was not just concerned about current wild pig damage to the levees, but past damage as well. According to MLB Chief Engineer, Peter Nimrod, “It’s not just a problem of wild pigs rooting and loosening the soils on the levees. In the process, rooting destroys the turf grass, which serves as an important structural component. Repairing these damaged spots is a more involved and expensive process than simply filling a hole in the ground. Even after repair, until damaged areas have completely ‘healed over’ they are potential weak points in the levee system.” This year’s flood – the largest in the Mississippi Delta since 1927 – would be the test.
This spring, floodwater levels from the Mississippi River were at the highest point ever recorded and exerted enormous pressure against mainline levee structures. Disturbances of any kind to the mainline levees occurring several days before and after crest of the Mississippi River had engineers most concerned about a breach. Levee burdens caused by wild pigs including excessive weight, and soil and vegetation disturbances exacerbated the anxiety and prompted immediate removal of these animals. “We definitely had concerns about wild pigs seeking refuge from floodwaters being on and around the levees during this time,” says Peter Nimrod. As a result, state and federal natural resources personnel worked day and night to keep wild pigs off the levees.
This year’s flood was not the first time wild pigs have caused problems on the levees. Since 2006, MLB personnel have had to deal with more frequent incidents of wild pig damage to the levees each year – some areas worse than others. Wild pig damage to Delta farmland and agricultural crops also has risen during this time. Reasons behind these more frequent problems with wild pigs stem from wild pig biological and behavioral traits and human-related activities.
Wild pigs have a high reproductive potential and can quickly populate new areas. Female pigs (sows) are capable of producing three litters of pigs in a 14 month period. Litter sizes of wild pigs range from 4 to 6 offspring and some individuals can become sexually mature as early as six months of age. In addition these highly adaptable animals can live almost anywhere and utilize many different food sources, including both plant and animal matter. Once wild pigs reach a body weight of about 40 lbs their risk of being predated by another animal is greatly reduced. Combine these characteristics with increased relocations of wild pigs by people who want to create more hunting opportunities, and you have created the “perfect storm” for wild pigs to establish new populations.
While chances are low that wild pigs would be solely responsible for a catastrophic flood event in the Mississippi Delta, they already cause enormous damage to our nation’s agriculture and environment to the tune of an estimated $1.5 billion every year. Therefore, the continued spread of wild pigs throughout the Delta and our state should not be taken lightly, especially in the event of another record flood.
(Photo credit: istockphotos.com)
Bill Hamrick is a Wildlife Extension Associate with Mississippi State University Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture.