Texas hunters' perceptions regarding the acceptability of toxicants to control wild pig populations.

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species in the United States. They damage agriculture, degrade water quality and ecological communities, and host a number of viruses, parasites, and bacteria transmissible to humans and animals. In states such as Texas, USA, where wild pigs cause extensive damage to agriculture and property, officials have considered allowing for the use of toxicants to control wild pig populations. To provide decision-makers with information regarding stakeholders' perceptions of the use of toxicants to control wild pigs, we surveyed Texas hunters in 2019 to assess the level of acceptance of a hypothetical wild pig toxicant, the sociodemographic and other factors most closely associated with acceptability of such a toxicant, and the specific concerns that underlie hunters' positions on the use of such a toxicant. We received 37,317 completed responses to an online, self-administered survey. Respondents were divided over the use of a toxicant, with 43% finding a toxicant acceptable, 18% neutral, and 39% finding a toxicant unacceptable. The factor most closely associated with acceptance of a wild pig toxicant was respondents' desired wild pig population size in Texas (χ² = 3,657.7, P < 0.001, V = 0.26), with 70% of respondents who preferred that wild pigs be completely removed from Texas finding the use of a toxicant to be acceptable, compared to 14% of respondents who preferred that wild pig populations increase or stay the same. The most commonly raised concerns in connection with toxicant usage were potential negative impacts to nontarget animals (33%) and negative impacts to human health (24%). Our research suggests that while achieving a consensus among Texas hunters on toxicant usage is unrealistic, building majority support may be possible if the identified concerns are sufficiently addressed in product development and outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]