Feral hogs are increasingly a problem not just in rural Texas but also in cities and suburban neighborhoods, as rapid population growth pushes development into former agricultural land. Experts at the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI) are responding to this shift by focusing on strategies tailored for managing feral hogs in urban and suburban settings.
According to Texas A&M NRI, feral pig activity caused more than $670 million in agricultural losses in 2024, while landowners across the state spent over $130 million trying to control the invasive species. With Texas now home to eight of the nation’s 15 fastest-growing cities, encounters between people and feral hogs are becoming more frequent near metro areas such as Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
To address these challenges, NRI recently released a new educational guide titled “Managing Feral Pigs on Small Acreage Properties and Metropolitan Areas.” The resource is designed to help landowners, homeowner associations, and local governments understand practical, science-based management options that comply with city ordinances and neighborhood restrictions.
Jay Long, project coordinator for the NRI Wild Pig Management Program, said feral hogs are no longer just a rural concern. Beyond damaging lawns, landscapes, and green spaces, hogs also threaten water resources and can spread diseases and parasites that affect people and pets. Urban management is especially complex because local regulations often restrict common rural control methods.
Communities are already putting these resources to use. Suburban residents near San Antonio, for example, have partnered with NRI experts to develop neighborhood-level management plans that include education, trapping strategies, and coordination with local officials. NRI emphasizes that successful hog control requires collaboration among landowners, municipalities, and state agencies.
By combining research, outreach, and community involvement, Texas A&M NRI aims to help Texans reduce the growing impact of feral hogs across the state’s changing landscape.
Source: National Hog Farmer (Texas A&M University / Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute)
Original article: “Texas A&M NRI focuses on urban, suburban feral hog management”
https://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/livestock-management/texas-a-m-nri-focuses-on-urban-suburban-feral-hog-management