JACKSON – Annually, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) actively remove beavers and feral hogs from Canal Section, Divide Section, and John Bell Williams Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) located in northeast Mississippi. Approximately 260 beavers and 70 feral hogs have been removed, primarily through trapping, since July 2014. The result is the conservation of hundreds of acres of habitat on these WMAs.

Beavers are native to Mississippi and can serve a valuable role in increasing wetland biodiversity. However, if left unchecked, damming activity can significantly alter the natural hydrology of bottomland hardwood systems. This can result in a loss of tree species, ground-story vegetation, and timber revenue. Beavers can also damage important infrastructure such as levees and roads through damming or burrowing. Feral hogs are not native to North America, outcompete native wildlife for food, damage sensitive habitats, destroy crops, damage infrastructure, and can carry diseases harmful to humans and livestock.

The MDWFP recognizes the importance of continued nuisance animal control for managing wildlife habitat, protecting wildlife resources, and conserving Mississippi's public lands.

For more information regarding wildlife management areas in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/wma or call us at (601) 432-2199. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.