Traditional and emerging methodology to educate the public about wild pigs
Date
2014-09
Authors
Higginbotham, Billy, speaker
Cathey, Jim, speaker
Tyson, Mark, speaker
Higginbotham, Billy, moderator
International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, producer
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
The wild pig population in Texas is estimated at 2.6 million animals and damage to agronomic enterprises is conservatively estimated at $52 million annually. In response to this damage, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service increased educational efforts and direct control of wild pigs via Wildlife Services. Recently social media has been employed to reach clientele who may not come to traditional Extension programming. From 2006 -2013, grant funds from the Texas State Legislature via the Texas Department of Agriculture were used to develop and deploy an integrated strategy of landowner education via traditional one-on-one contacts, group meetings, demonstrations, and publications. From 2010 to present, with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency via Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the National eXtension, we incorporated the use of internet-based tools and iPhone applications in addition to 45 face-to-face programs, to deliver information on wild pigs. Many of these tools are linked with the eXtension.org Feral Hog Community of Practice and benefit from the collaborative effort from 23 states. We dramatically increased information delivery and audience engagement. The Feral Hogs CoP Facebook has 1820 ‘likes' and a reach of over 7,000 on some posts. Articles on Wild Wonderings Blog have a total of 49,215 views and the wild pig videos on the WFSCAgrilife YouTube channel have a combined 35,626 views. As wild pig populations continue to increase the need for rapid and widespread distribution of information will become a vital component to improve the public's knowledge of this exotic species.
Description
Moderator: Billy Higginbotham.
Presented at the 8th international congress for wildlife and livelihoods on private and communal lands: livestock, tourism, and spirit, that was held on September 7-12, 2014 in Estes Park, Colorado.
Video presenter: James Cathey.
Presented at the 8th international congress for wildlife and livelihoods on private and communal lands: livestock, tourism, and spirit, that was held on September 7-12, 2014 in Estes Park, Colorado.
Video presenter: James Cathey.
Rights Access
Subject
Wildlife management -- Congresses
Range management -- Congresses