LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES — The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service eradicated more than 1,800 wild pigs in Land Between the Lakes in 2026. This operation achieved an estimated 90 percent reduction in the wild pig population.

Most of the eradication efforts occurred in the southern area of the lakes, near the Tennessee border. The pig carcasses from the 2026 operation will remain at the site. "90 percent estimated reduction means a lot to us because, number one, it is a safety issue for our visitors. Number two, it is cultural damage. They are damaging the cemeteries and cultural historical sites," said Scott Raymond, public affairs officer for Land Between the Lakes.

Feral swine are an invasive species found across the United States. Wild pigs disrupt wildlife nesting areas and hinder crop growth by digging into the ground. The USDA APHIS website indicates the minimum annual cost of feral swine damage in the country is $3.4 billion.

Reported wild pig sightings at the site are currently below average. Crop fields in the area were recently planted without observed hog damage. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources supports the eradication operation, which included methods such as aerial gunnery and trapping. Wild pig hunting was prohibited in Kentucky in 2024 and in Tennessee in 2011. "There is no way that, in our research on it, that they would be able to get the numbers that APHIS is able to do through aerial gunnery and trapping," Raymond said.

No independent assessment was available for this report.