Turkeys are so last week. Thanksgiving is over, and Americans now need to turn their focus to a different animal–wild pigs. These four-footed critters inhabit and cause destruction in a majority of US states and may soon be joined by “super pigs” threatening to invade from Canada. Environmentalists are squealing an alarm about the pig predicament.
What’s A Feral Pig?
Feral, or wild, pigs are the same species as the domesticated pigs raised on farms. But Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web they are not. Although they typically avoid contact with humans, feral hogs can be aggressive and have been known to attack people. The results aren’t likely to be pretty since these swine can grow up to 5 FEET long and up to 400 pounds. (Sounds like a diet is in order.) In fact, a Texas woman was killed by wild hogs back in 2019.
In addition to their aggressiveness, these pigs can transmit diseases to humans. They carry over 30 diseases and parasites. So whether or not they roll in mud, they can’t be considered clean creatures.
Feral pigs, who are omnivores with excellent senses of smell and hearing, root around in search of food such earthworms, roots, acorns. (No slop for them, so they have to fend for themselves.) With their long snouts, they are capable of plowing soil to depths of between 2 to 8 inches. As a result, they cause soil erosion, destroy crops, and degrade water quality. Feral pigs are responsible for $2.5 billion (that’s billion with a “B”) in agricultural damages annually. Further, almost 300 native plants and animal species in the US are in rapid decline because of feral swine with many species already deemed at risk.
Where Did Feral Pigs Come From?
While feral pigs may be wild, they are not wildlife. Instead, they are characterized as an invasive, non-native, destructive species. (And, as noted above, they are BIG.) Reportedly these pigs were introduced into the US in the 1500s when they were brought to the US by early explorers and settlers as a source of food. Since then, they have expanded over 3/4 of the country and risen to a population of over 9 million according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Why the wild pig population explosion? Feral pigs are prolific breeders. One sow, or female pig, can birth 2 litters of about 6 piglets each year. This fertility allows for a population grown of about 168%. (Anyone working on piggy birth control?)
At least 35 states report the presence of a feral hog population. California, Hawaii, and Michigan purportedly have the largest number. (Perhaps the swine are surfers since California and Hawaii are popular havens for them.) Florida (Oh, joy–my state of residence.), Texas, and Georgia provide the largest number of swine incident reports. Sounds like the hogs there are going hog wild!
These swine clearly enjoy the Sunshine State of Florida where they can be found in all 67 counties of the state. The critters have been located in Florida for hundreds of years, having possibly been introduced to the area by Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. (Thanks a lot, DeSoto!)
What’s The Answer To The Pig Problem?
The number one solution offered for dealing with the soaring swine population is public hunting. In 2021 the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership killed just under 10,000 wild pigs. In some states, the total elimination of feral swine is the end goal. To help locate the troublesome critters, Montana set up a “squeal on the pigs” hotline urging the public to report pig sightings.
But hunting initiatives won’t totally solve the problem. Feral pigs are highly adaptable animals and can relocate in response to pressure on their population caused by hunting. Fencing and trapping have been determined to be more effective in dealing with the swine, but that option requires much more upkeep and investment.
The Threatened Invasion From The North
But while American feral pigs are currently posing problems in this country, invading wild pigs from Canada could greatly compound the problem. The threat exists that “super pigs” could head south into the US. Why are the pigs “super pigs”? Cross breeding between different pigs species has led to the creation of a super swine form. Could it be the Frankenstein of pigs?
A huge issue is the super swine’s prolific piglet production. It’s been reported that even if 65% of the Canadian wild pigs were killed each year, their population would still increase due to super breeding. Yikes! And we thought rabbits were bad.
The current pig problem should clue man into the fact that he isn’t the only species to inhabit the earth. He shares space with animals, and in this particular case, very large and destructive creatures. We can’t ignore the fact animals live here too. Species must not allowed to become extinct, but we must not allow species such as the feral pig to ruin the land we both live on. Our beautiful country isn’t a pearl to cast before feral swine.
WONDER-ing Woman:
According to the USDA map above, are there feral pigs in your state? Were you aware of their existence? Wouldn’t devising some form of piggy birth control be more humane than slaughtering thousands (maybe millions) of pigs? Can you imagine explorers arriving in what’s now the US with pigs on board their ships?