COLUMBIA, S.C. — In an effort to control the feral hog population in Congaree National Park, the National Park Service (NPS) has scheduled dates in July and August for hog management. On these dates, staff from NPS and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will be conducting their work with firearms, including high-powered rifles, and during the times the animals are most active:
- Monday, July 8, to Tuesday, July 9
- Friday, August 2, to Sunday, August 4
- Friday, August 16, to Sunday, August 18
Because of the nature of the work, access to park trails and facilities -- including the Harry Hampton Visitors Center, parking lots, and the Longleaf and Bluff campgrounds -- will close at 4:30 p.m. and reopen to the public at 7 a.m. the following morning. During these times, the following restrictions will be in place:
- Access to all park trails west of the South Cedar Creek Canoe Landing, and Cedar Creek between Bannister's Bridge and South Cedar Creek landings will be closed.
- No backcountry camping permits will be issued.
- Visitors should not enter the park while the hog management is ongoing and should obey all posted closure signs
Cedar Creek, downstream from the South Cedar Creek Canoe Landing, will be open for paddlers during the day. NPS wants the public to knw that the closures are necessary to preserve staff and visitor safety while the feral hog management is taking place.
The work must be done to try to minimize the damage the animals can do to the park's environment. Feral hogs can destroy protected, unique or rare plants through consumption of large amounts of vegetation, and their rooting and wallowing behaviors. According to APHIS, feral hogs can be linked to the decline of nearly 300 native plants and animals in the United States.