Editorial Team
The U.S. already has about 6 million feral pigs who’ve invaded at least 35 states. Now, a large group of “super pigs” from our neighbors to the north are expected to cross the border.
The pigs – a cross between wild Eurasian boars and domestic swine – are expected to pop up soon in northern states like Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana, AP News reports.
“Super pigs” are equipped with the size and fertility of domestic pigs while also having the strong environmental resistance of boars. This combination makes it much harder to control their population.
Professor Ryan Brook describes them as “the most invasive animal on the planet” and “an ecological train wreck.”
Brook added that even if 65% of their population was killed, they’d still continue to grow, since they reproduce so quickly and have such strong survival skills.
The pigs cause significant damage by uprooting farmland, disrupting local wildlife, and spreading diseases to domestic pigs. In some U.S. states, they’re already causing billions in damages annually.
They can also reproduce twelve piglets per year (in two separate litters), and their growing population affects the entire food chain, potentially leading to increased numbers of predators like wolves and scavengers like jackals.
The USDA is using aircraft and drones to monitor the border and is exploring various methods for population control, including ground traps, net guns and poison, although these pose risks to native wildlife.
Effective management of these pigs requires a careful study of their habits and a coordinated approach across states, considering both environmental and social factors.
