Scientists Warn , Invasive Feral Pigs , Pose a Threat to the US.
'Quartz' reports that wild hogs
from Canada are on the verge
of invading the United States. .
According to recent research, invasive wild pigs
have a "high potential" of crossing the Canadian
border and establishing new populations.
With no natural predators in states like
North Dakota or Montana, the animals
are able to quickly increase in numbers. .
This rapid population growth can cause voracious
consumption of native vegetation, small wildlife
and farmed crops in the region.
Feral pigs are also known to carry a number
of potentially dangerous germs capable of
jumping to pets or even the occasional human.
'Quartz' reports that the feral pigs that have invaded
parts of the southern U.S. are typically a combination
of escaped domestic pigs and wild boars from Eurasia. .
In the 1980s and 90s, Canadian hunters
deliberately introduced wild boars to be
used as livestock and controlled game. .
Pigs that were released, or escaped, were able
to mate with domestic pigs, producing what
scientists often refer to as "super" pigs. .
These "super" swine are larger, hardier
and more resistant to the cold. .
We went from having a general
concern about pigs crossing the
U.S./Canada border to having very
detailed maps showing where they’re
most likely to move and establish
populations. This can be used
to target control efforts, Ryan Brook, study author and professor
at the University of Saskatchewan, to 'Quartz'