Simple Ways to Protect Crops from Wild Pigs

2002-06-01

Wild pigs (Sus barbatus and Sus scrofa) are a serious pest to crops cultivated in areas near the jungle. The wild pig is an intelligent animal. It is also prolific, has excellent smell, sight and hearing, and is highly adaptable. As an omnivore, a wild pig will eat anything. Wild pigs sleep during the day, and are active at night.

They cause huge losses to farmers, as their attacks on crops are unexpected and damaging. An attack on a corn field at the tasselling stage can wipe out 50% of the standing plants. Control measures such as fencing, baiting and traps are practiced, but are not very effective. In Malaysia, farmers are now using coconut fruit bunches to deter the wild pigs from entering cultivated areas.

The Technology

This new method of controlling wild pigs is based on placing a physical deterrent around a tree or where the pigs are thought to enter the field. The best deterrent is coconut fruit bunches together with dried coconut leaves (Fig. 1).

• Several coconut fruit bunches are tied together, with the fingers pointing outward.
• The tied-up bunches are placed around the base of a plant, or the probable point of entry to a field. Be sure that the fingers of the coconut fruit bunches are pointing outwards (Fig. 2).
• The fingers will hurt the nose or eyes of wild pigs if they attempt to dig the roots of the plant (Fig. 3).

Merits of the Technology

This method is simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly. Farmers can easily learn it with a simple demonstration.

Index of Images

• 

  Figure 1 Dried Coconut Fruit Bunches and Leaves Act As a Deterrent

• 

  Figure 2 The Bunches and Leaves Are Tied Together and Placed around the Young Banana Plant, with the Fingers Pointing Outward

• 

  Figure 3 The Protruding Fingers of the Fruit Bunches Hinder and Hurt the Wild Boar When It Tries to Root up the Young Wax-Apple Plant

Download the PDF. of this document, 271,670 bytes (265 KB).