Beware The Invasion Of The ‘Super Pig’

Pigs are surprisingly smart and, in the proper context, aren’t seen as particularly dangerous to humans. But when we’re talking about massive feral hogs that invade regions of North America where such beasts don’t typically roam, that’s a whole different story.

A new spin on an old story

Of course, wild hogs have worried regions of the U.S. for generations. But in the past, such concerns have typically occurred across Southern states where domestic pigs and wild boars bred a new hybrid species that rapidly reproduced and ran wild, threatening crops, livestock, and humans alike.

Now scientists warn that a different threat is originating along America’s northern border. These Canadian boars are almost assuredly going to begin heading south in the near future, which could mean big trouble for Northern states.

Areas across Montana, Minnesota, and the Dakotas aren’t used to dealing with wild hogs, and these beasts are highly adapted to survival in cold climates. Without any natural predators in the regions of Canada where their population has skyrocketed, they have been allowed to grow very large and are often aggressive toward people and their pets.

If all that wasn’t bad enough, experts say these animals frequently carry germs that pose a risk to humans.

An international incident

Scientists from both the U.S. and Canada have been working on prediction models in an attempt to gauge the threat posed by these so-called “super pigs.”

Since the environment across the northern states is very similar to what these hogs are used to in Canada, the likelihood is high that as their populations grow, the southern invasion will increase. As study author Ryan Book explained, the latest research “highlights the massive risk of wild pigs and how far they can — and likely will — move if something different isn’t done.”

Chris Agee May 30th, 2024

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