Wild pig habitat use impacted by prescribed fire in the William B. Bankhead National Forest, USA

Abstract Wild pigs ( Sus scrofa ; feral pigs, feral swine, wild boar) are invasive animals that disturb and damage native ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, especially in forests. In North America, wild pigs are now widespread throughout the southeastern United States, where prescribed fire has become a common tool in forest management. Recently burned areas often attract wildlife, so managers need to know how prescribed fire may affect wild pig habitat use. From 2014 to 2016, we visually surveyed for pig sign using strip transects in 8 burned and 9 unburned forest stands in the Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area and the Sipsey Wilderness, within the William B. Bankhead National Forest (BNF) in Alabama, USA. On each transect we measured several habitat variables, including vertical forest structure from ground cover to canopy cover, to determine features associated with wild pig habitat use and prescribed fire. Signs of pig activity were most often present in unburned stands adjacent to the Sipsey Wilderness boundary. Where present, pig sign was more abundant where there was greater overstory tree species evenness, fine woody debris cover, understory deciduous species composition, and leaf litter cover. Our results indicated that wild pig activity was lower in stands managed under a 3‐year prescribed burn regimen, while activity and associated damage were higher in and near the Sipsey Wilderness. Natural resource managers should consider how management activities, like prescribed burning, may alter wild pig habitat use and should be mindful to protect ecologically sensitive areas, like wildernesses.