Why are wild hogs a nuisance?

Wild pigs are not native to North America, they were brough over by early settlers and explorers as a cheap sustainable food source in the 1500’s. They were allowed to free range feed, and some pigs escaped becoming feral. Then in the 1900s the Eurasian or Russian Boar was introduced for hunting purposes. While few purebred Eurasian boars are left, some pigs still have the genetics from cross breeding between feral domestic pigs and Eurasian pigs in the wild. Wild pigs are also susceptible to parasites as well as infections and are potential carriers of disease. The most problematic disease being brucellosis due to how easy it can be transmitted. Which can be transmitted to other species, infecting both wildlife and domestic livestock and pets, including humans. They are extremely capable of adapting to different types of climates and terrain. They have been sighted in at least 35 states, mostly in the southeast part of the United States and in California but are expanding north as well and have even been spotted in Canada. Texas is estimated to have millions of pigs, making it the state with the highest population in the United States.

Wild pigs are omnivores, meaning that they will eat just about anything that contains a calorie. They are also highly destructive animals, rooting up soil looking for food, creating a landscape with holes and craters all over. This causes an estimated $1.5 billion dollars per year in agricultural damage, although experts claim that, with increasing populations and the pigs spreading into new areas, it is likely almost double that.. Plants make up 90 percent of their diet, mostly eating crops, fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves, stems, and roots. The rest of their diet consists of other small animals such as rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, as well as young deer.

Pigs are prolific breeders. Sows (females) are capable of breeding generally within 6 to 8 months old, and have litters that average 4-8 piglets, with litters reaching up to 12 piglets. Sows are capable of producing 2 litters in as little as 12 to 15 months and have an average lifespan of 4 to 8 years. Wild pigs also have very few predators, with humas being on the top, followed by alligators, mountain lions, black bears, and coyotes. These factors cause an exponential increase in population every year, which leaves us struggling to keep the population in check.