Sanitary Waste Landfill Effects on an Invasive Wild Pig Population

Being opportunistic omnivores, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) readily feed on edible garbage. Given the presence of substantial volumes food waste, large multi-county and regional municipal sanitary waste landfills constitute attractive forage resources for pigs, providing a year-round anthropogenic source potentially high-quality forage. Our objective was to assess effects that landfill has local foraging in facility's disposal cells. The landfill, located United States Department Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) South Carolina, USA, became operational 1998 began there 2001. By 2009 >100 pigs/night were observed suggesting establishment may have important consequences population dynamics, public safety, disease transmission. We evaluated changes body mass, fetal litter size, numbers removed, pig-vehicle collisions (WPVCs) before (1980–2000) after (2001–2019) SRS. Body mass during period increased greater extent vicinity compared rest Fetal size whereas it remained unchanged density surrogate (number harvested) around by 2.9 times, site only 53%. No WPVCs occurred adjacent 2001, but along 2 major roads bordering Effects pig populations scavenging can present unique challenges management, control, Potential approaches address these could be exclusion fencing prevent access landfill's cells or enhanced placement cell covers reduce access. © 2021 Wildlife Society.