FERAL HOG DAMAGE TO ENDANGERED HOUSTON TOAD (BUFO HOUSTONENSIS) HABITAT IN THE LOST PINES OF TEXAS.

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are considered a destructive exotic invasive species in the U.S., and their abundance appears to be increasing in the Lost Pines ecoregion of Texas. This is of particular concern due to the status of the Lost Pines as the last remaining stronghold for the federally endangered Houston toad (Bufo [Anaxyrus] houstonensis). We documented short-term impacts of feral hogs to pond perimeters, water quality, and aquatic arthropods at ponds on one of the primary recovery sites for the Houston toad, the Griffith League Ranch in Bastrop County. We also investigated the efficacy of exclosure fencing for eliminating feral hog use of a pond on the adjacent Welsh tract. We found that structural damage to pond perimeters by feral hog wallowing resulted in increased nutrient concentrations and total suspended solids in the ponds, but this damage did not affect aquatic predatory arthropod captures. We found the exclosure fence to be an effective barrier for feral hogs. The ability of feral hogs to rapidly degrade Houston toad breeding habitat warrants consideration of proactive control or deterrent measures, particularly at heavily used breeding ponds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]