Free of exotic pigs: Two decades of dedicated effort

Pinnacles National Monument recently declared 14,500 acres of park lands free of exotic pigs. Over two decades of effort made this possible through construction of 24 miles of pig fence and extensive monitoring and eradication of pigs within the exclosure. Using a variety of detection techniques including use of dogs and radio-collared pigs, we determined that the most effective method at Pinnacles is trapping at strategic locations. Pinnacles is now in a new phase of pig management involving six critical tasks: 1) Monitor fence to identify breeches and rapidly repair breeches; 2) Remove an adequate width of brush on both sides of the fenceline for protection from wildfire and keeping clear to monitor for breeches; 3) Monitor for pig sign within exclosure; 4) Rapidly respond with trained staff if a pig enters the exclosure; 5) Employ proactive measures to reduce resource damage to areas of high resource value within the park boundary that are not protected by the pig-exclusion fence; and 6) Construct additional pig-exclusion fencing for new land acquisition areas of high resource value.