The temporary closure of Topock Marsh on Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) has been lifted. The area was closed during recent feral swine eradication efforts the Refuge was conducting in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was expected the aerial operation could take up to two weeks, however the eradication efforts proved to be highly effective and efficient.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) eradicated nearly 70 invasive feral swine on the Refuge in just three and a half days. Another 100 swine were eradicated by USDA during disease monitoring over the last year. In addition, it was discovered by Refuge staff that a number of swine perished in wildfires that swept through the Refuge in 2015 and 2016.
“These swine live in areas of the Refuge that have thick, dense vegetation that can be nearly impossible for a person to trudge through. For this operation to take only three and a half days shows the expert skill of USDA personnel,” stated Refuge Manager Richard Meyers.
Staff from the Refuge and USDA will continue to monitor for feral swine using trail cameras and looking for signs (scat, tracks, rooting, habitat damage) and will initiate follow-up procedures to reduce and maintain the population at zero.
