hog wild
The next generation in wildlife management and research put their skills to the test in a one-of-a-kind, hands-on learning experience at the Savannah River Ecology Lab. written by aaron hale ma ’16 photography by dorothy kozlowski bla ’06, abj ’10
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eep in a South Carolina forest, just off the edge of a murky swamp, a 190-pound wild pig has found itself in a bind. While eyeing what seemed like easy pickings, a pile of dried corn left unattended, the lone boar had rooted himself into a sophisticated net pig trap. He’s sealed in. Escape proves futile. Over and over, the boar charges, tusk-first, into the flexible but resilient black netting that surrounds him. Each time, he harmlessly bounces off as if it were a sideways trampoline. Eventually, the boar sees a man quietly approaching. He wears a red Georgia Bulldogs baseball cap and carries what appears to be a high-powered rifle. The man, wildlife researcher James Beasley, is followed by more than a dozen others. In case you’re worried, the boar will be fine. The rifle isn’t armed with live ammo. Instead, it’s loaded with a syringe-dart carrying a dose of Telazol and Xylazine, a mixture of chemicals to anesthetize the pig.
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