Resource Search 1 | National Invasive Species Information Center

Missouri Department of Conservation.
Report feral hogs, don't shoot them. The take of feral hogs is prohibited on conservation areas and other lands owned, leased, or managed by the Conservation Department. Hunting hogs on other lands is strongly discouraged. Instead, report feral hog sightings to 573-522-4115, extension 3296 or use the Feral Hog Sighting and Damage Report. The Conservation Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, along with other partners and hundreds of private landowners, are working to eradicate feral hogs in Missouri. When hunters shoot feral hogs, it complicates efforts to remove these pests. Hogs are social animals that travel in groups called sounders. Shooting one or two hogs scatters the sounder and makes trapping efforts aimed at catching the entire group at once more difficult, because hogs become trap-shy and more wary of baited sites. With their high reproductive rate, removing one or two hogs does not help to reduce populations. Anyone who observes a feral hog or damage caused by feral hogs should report it to the Conservation Department rather than shooting the animal so we can work together towards eradication.

May 6, 2021
Missouri Department of Conservation.
Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) fisheries biologists say that the Show-Me-State has another aquatic invader to be on the watch for. It's already been detected in the Mississippi River near St. Louis—and anglers might be the first line of defense. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is native to the Black and Caspian Seas between Europe and Asia and was brought to the U.S. by way of the Great Lakes in cargo ship ballast. Since then, the invasive fish has made its way down the Illinois River and has been confirmed just across the Mississippi at Alton, Illinois. MDC encourages anglers to take photos and email MDC with details if they encounter any round gobies. Anglers should report the sighting and email photos to MDCgoby@mdc.mo.gov.

Missouri Department of Conservation.
Invasive crayfish (also called crawdads) displace crayfish species naturally found in bodies of water ("native" species). They introduce disease, hurt fishing, and harm aquatic ecosystems. Our best hope of controlling them is to prevent their introduction to new locations.