Hogs have existed on Cumberland Island for hundreds of years, and were likely introduced by Spanish missionaries and/or European settlers.
Feral hogs severely damage the island’s delicate ecosystem in a number of ways:
Adult sows are capable of breeding twice each year, resulting in an explosive population if unmanaged. The National Park Staff has one dedicated biologist with the authority to hunt; he spends nearly 500 hours doing so each year. The NPS also has an intra-agency agreement that allows support from the USDA’s Wildlife Services program as-needed.
The NPS hosts several managed hunts each year, open to the public with pre-registration; however, these hunts are not considered a reliable or effective means of population control.
The National Park Service does not produce annual reports on the hog population, horse population, or other invasive species management; however, an estimated 5,000 hogs have been removed from Cumberland Island since 2000.
We’re often contacted by visitors who have witnessed damage to the island’s ecosystem, or blatant disregard of policy protections. We encourage you to report these to the National Park Service and also complete this form.
Thank you for your respectful stewardship of Cumberland Island.