Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Bushpig, Potamocheorus porcus, occurring naturally in the high rainfall areas of Zimbabwe, have become a major threat to maize producers in the country. Traditional means of control including hunting have been unsuccessful in keeping the numbers to a tolerable level owing to the secretive and cunning nature of the animal. The use of poisons has been discouraged because of indiscriminate use and problems of secondary poisoning, so alternative methods of mechanical control were sought. Several methods evolved during experimentation, producing a strategy to control bushpig throughout the year.