Page 64 - Security Today, May 2018

Creating an Effective Solution Cameras help address an invasive species epidemic
BTy Jennifer Hackenburg
hese days you hear a lot about the use of surveillance equipment is all avenues of life from banks to airports to your front porch, but a significant area that can often be overlooked is the agricultural, livestock and wildlife industry. The very advancements that have increased
the use of security systems in all verticals have made impressive im- provements in the invasive species abatement industry. According to the National Conservancy, invasives (plants, fish, and animals) have contributed to the decline of 42 percent of all threatened and endan- gered species in the United States.1
What are invasive species? The Department of Agriculture (USDA), defines invasive species as plants, animals or pathogens that are non- native to the ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm to the land, native animals, and human inhabitants.
Currently, the United States spends upwards of $120 billion a year attempting to control the population of some of the worst inva- sive species such as, feral goats, rabbits, and hogs. Yes, I said hogs— feral or wild ones.2
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0518 | SECURITY TODAY
A Southern Challenge
Feral hogs are destructive, invasive pests that are mostly found in the southeast and south-central part of the United States (Texas, Okla., Mo., Ark., La., Ala., and Miss.). In 2015 alone, they caused $1.5 bil-
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lion worth of damage. Feral hogs searching for food can dig up to
18 inches deep, damaging cropland, pastures, residential yards, creek banks, and pond dams. They can strip the soil of vegetation, making it vulnerable to erosion and the loss of nutrients. Feral hogs also carry diseases that can be transmitted to pets, livestock, and human beings.
According to the National Feral Swine Mapping System, in 1982 hogs were found in 17 states. By 2004, they were in 28 states and by 2012, they were in 36 states. Hogs are continuing to increase in population and area.4 Their population is difficult to control, as one hog can produce two or three litters per year. To keep the popu- lation steady, 70 percent of the population must be eliminated each year.5 How can the surveillance industry and Dahua Technology, in particular, assist with improving this environmental concern? This case study takes you through one manner in which this is accom-
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