February 6, 2017
by John Hopton
Wild pigs were first introduced
to the southern United States in the 1500s to provide early settlers and
explorers with something to eat, and the Eurasian or Russian wild boar was
brought over in the 1900s for sport hunting. Fast forward to 2017, and millions
of feral pigs are wreaking havoc in dozens of states.
Escaped domestic pigs,
descendants of wild boar and hybrids of both make up the more than 5 million
wild swine that are costing an estimated $1.5 billion a year. The sum comes
from the damage they cause as well as the need to control them.
Gail Keirn, a public affairs
specialist at the USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, said:
“Feral swine cause major damage
to property, agriculture (crops and livestock), native species and ecosystems,
and cultural and historic resources. This invasive species also threatens the
health of people, wildlife, pets, and other domestic animals. As feral swine
populations continue to expand across the country, these damages, costs, and
risks will only keep rising.”
Wild pigs breed rapidly and seem
able to adapt to any climate. They eat just about anything while lacking
natural predators.
At home in most counties within
fifty years
As well as moving northward
quickly since 2004, feral pigs spread throughout regions of Canada in the 1980s
and now threaten to expand into the northern US from both above and below.
Experts say the northward
expansion in recent years is likely due to climate change causing milder
northern winters, which are easier to survive than they used to be.
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