Wild Pigs
There are two types of pure wild swine in the US: feral hogs and the Eurasian Wild Boar.
At first, the Eurasian Wild Boar was imported to the US from Eurasia for meat. It was released into the wild to provide game for hunters. They also might have been accidentally released. Since 1986, there have been at least two pure wild boar importations into the US. There were no documented releases of these hogs, but it almost definitely happened due to the big game it used to be.
Wild pigs cause many damage to crops, property, and food. They also compete with other animals, throwing off the food chain. According to agrilife.org, wild pigs eat "oak mast, soft mast, succulent grasses and forbs, fungi, roots and tubers, cacti, and animal matter. They dig a lot, destroying vegetation. 50 plant species were trampled and destroyed in the Smoky Mountains. They are also possible of carrying diseases like hog chlorea, brucellosis, trichinosis, foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, and pseudorabies.
It is very hard to tell the difference between feral hogs and Eurasian Wild Boar. Scientists have done many DNA testing, but have found no evidence of how they are different. The two breeds have also crossbred, which makes it trickier for them to figure it out. For now, the problem stays a mystery.
Sources: agrilife.org, invasivespeciesinfo.org
Pictures: weebly.com
At first, the Eurasian Wild Boar was imported to the US from Eurasia for meat. It was released into the wild to provide game for hunters. They also might have been accidentally released. Since 1986, there have been at least two pure wild boar importations into the US. There were no documented releases of these hogs, but it almost definitely happened due to the big game it used to be.
Wild pigs cause many damage to crops, property, and food. They also compete with other animals, throwing off the food chain. According to agrilife.org, wild pigs eat "oak mast, soft mast, succulent grasses and forbs, fungi, roots and tubers, cacti, and animal matter. They dig a lot, destroying vegetation. 50 plant species were trampled and destroyed in the Smoky Mountains. They are also possible of carrying diseases like hog chlorea, brucellosis, trichinosis, foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, and pseudorabies.
It is very hard to tell the difference between feral hogs and Eurasian Wild Boar. Scientists have done many DNA testing, but have found no evidence of how they are different. The two breeds have also crossbred, which makes it trickier for them to figure it out. For now, the problem stays a mystery.
Sources: agrilife.org, invasivespeciesinfo.org
Pictures: weebly.com