Wild hogs kill woman in Texas
Authorities say feral hogs attacked and killed a woman outside a Southeast Texas home where she worked as a caretaker. (Nov. 26)
AP
A growing cause for concern is the difficult to eradicate population of wild hogs that are wandering in Canada, sparking worries over an imminent threat to the United States. This formidable generation of “super pig” is mainly composed of hybrids that merge the survival abilities of wild Eurasian boars and the reproductive capacity of domestic swine, the Associated Press reported.
Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana are already implementing measures to thwart an incursion of the “super pig.”
These untamed swine are running rampant in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, posing a new hazard to indigenous species.
Feral swine: The United States grapples with a $2.5 billion wild hog problem. These states are particularly affected.
Wild hogs are one of the most invasive animals
The feral swine populace has expanded to over three quarters of the U.S. territory since its introduction in the 1500s. According to the Department of Agriculture, their numbers have surged to more than 9 million.
The wild creatures have spread westward and northward, with states such as California, Hawaii, and Michigan reporting sizable feral hog populations.
Ryan Brook, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and an esteemed authority on the matter in Canada, affirmed to the Associated Press that feral swine represent “the most invasive animal on the planet” and “an ecological train wreck.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, feral hogs cause approximately $2.5 billion in agricultural damages each year.
‘Super pigs’ are difficult to eradicate
The wild pigs are intelligent and adaptable, making them adept at surviving harsh Canadian winters. Officials assert that they are omnivorous and will consume anything, including wildlife and crops. They also transmit diseases to hog farms, such as African swine fever. Moreover, they easily devastate land and reproduce rapidly.
Brook divulged to the Associated Press that even when 65% or more of a wild pig population is culled annually, the population continues to rise, with hunters only achieving a success rate of about 2% to 3%.
“The only path forward is you have to be really aggressive and you have to use all the tools in the toolbox,” said Brook.
Managing the feral hog problem
In certain states, the ultimate objective for conservationists is the complete eradication of feral hogs.
The Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership annihilated 9,857 feral hogs in 2021, raising the total number killed since 2016 to more than 54,000.
Public hunting is among the most popular mitigation tactics for feral hogs and has become a prevalent recreational pursuit. However, hogs often relocate in reaction to hunting pressures. Fencing and trapping may be more effective in mitigating wild hog populations, but entail additional maintenance and investment, as per Captain Experiences.
Which states are most impacted by wild hogs?
Florida, Georgia, and Texas record the highest number of feral hog sightings in the U.S, according to data from the University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
In 2023 alone, Texas had 2,425 feral hog reports, followed by 1,377 in Georgia.
Invasive species and climate change: Could these animals be thriving amidst global warming?
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
