The Feral Pig
Invasive Species
Why should we help?
Feral pigs exhibit wide variation in color and size. Their hair is coarse with long bristles. The average female weighs between 77–330 pounds. The average wild boar weighs from 130-440 pounds. The elongated snout is flattened on the end, and is tough and flexible. The males have four tusks that grow continually and can be extremely sharp. The upper tusks are as much as 3-5 inches long, and usually are worn or broken from use. There diet consists of plants with palmetto and acorns being what they most prefer.
Feral swine are aggressive animals that can be extremely destructive to fields, fences, and facilities. Their wallows can affect ponds and wetlands, muddying the water and destroying aquatic vegetation. They can strip a field of crops in one night and pose a threat to ground-nesting birds and some endangered species. Feral swine also can transmit diseases and parasites, such as pseudorabies, brucellosis, and tuberculosis, to livestock and people.