Canada is grappling with a massive issue: wild hogs that are a hybrid between domestic pigs and wild boars. These creatures have earned the moniker “Super Pigs.” While they don’t wear capes or fly, they possess remarkable adaptations. Unlike their counterparts in the US, Canadian Super Pigs can withstand much colder temperatures but like the hogs in the US, they can also sprint at speeds of up to 30 mph.
"They are the worst invasive large mammal on the planet. Period," Ryan Brook, a wildlife researcher and professor at the University of Saskatchewan who has studied the pigs for over a decade, told Business Insider last year.”
The United States Department of Agriculture classifies Super Pigs as an invasive species. An invasive species is any plant, animal, or insect present in an ecosystem where it is not native and poses economic, environmental, or health risks to humans. In 2023, wild hogs caused a staggering $2.5 billion in damage annually in the US.
USA Today reported that Florida, Georgia, and Texas had the highest feral hog sightings in the US. Texas alone recorded 2,425 feral hog sightings, followed by 1,377 in Georgia. Interestingly, Canadian Super Pigs are migrating to northern US states such as the Dakotas, Montana, and Minnesota, exacerbating the existing damage to agriculture and the environment.
Despite efforts, the feral hog problem remains persistent. Hunting, often considered a mitigation strategy, has limited impact. Hogs quickly learn hunters’ patterns and adapt by either dispersing or employing other evasive behaviors. At a military installation in San Antonio, hunting with food or water attractants is strictly prohibited. Only approved aerosol attractants are allowed as part of a multifaceted effort to control the wild hog population. Many Texas landowners, however, welcome hunters to thin the heard doing serious damage to their property. Contact us, today, to schedule your hunt!
To the Hunt!!!
1. Where Canada's 'super pigs' are most likely to invade the US — and potentially cause millions of dollars in damage (msn.com)
ความคิดเห็น