Feral Hogs: A Menace to Human Society

Fast Facts About Hogs

There are 36 states and 4 Canadian provinces which currently have hog issues.

The hog population is estimated to be 2,000,000 plus!

Nationally the hog population is estimated to be nearly 4,000,000 plus.

They annualy cause over 52 million dollars of damage.

Natural life expectancy of feral hogs: 6 to 8 years

They can reach over 600lbs in weight.

Once a swine reaches sexual maturity, it can be responsible for over 1,000 piglets in 5 years.

There are anywhere between 500,000 to 1,000,000 sows currently in Texas,

these sows produce 6-8 piglets per litter, twice per year! That's a LOT!

Works Cited

 

• Works Cited 
• · TPWD, . "Feral Hogs." Texas Parks and Wildlife. TPWD, n.d. Web. 21 May 2012. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/nuisance/feral_hogs/. 
• · . "Animal Welfare Approved." Animal Welfare Approved. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2012. http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/. 
• · . "The Facts on Wild Feral Hogs." Texas Boars. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2012. http://www.texasboars.com/articles/facts.html. 
• · Tony and Susie Moskal, local Trophy Club residents

Think Hogs Aren't a Problem for You? Think Again!

Even if you don't own land or engage in farming and therefore think the hogs aren't an issue to you, you're completely wrong. Yes, hogs pose many serious threats to ecosystems, crops, land, and livestock, but they also pose a serious threat to the lives of humans. The massive, beastly hogs pictured above were all found and killed right here in Texas, and even more disturbing, they were found right outside of communities and along the borders of human society. These hunters were very lucky to have taken them down without being seriously injured or killed. Even smaller sized hogs can weigh from up to 300-400 lbs, and can charge at up to 15 mph. Not many people will even be able to outrun a hog, and even if you can temporarily get away you won't be able to mainting full sprinting speeds for long. As these hogs continue to overpopulate and invade human society, thousands of people are being hurt or killed by them, and these numbers grow exponentially every day. Also, the simple presence of the hogs is a threat to human life because they can carry diseases which, if passed on to a human, will make quick work of them. Something must promptley be done about the hog invasion, or else there may be drastic consequences.

Solutions to the Hog Issue

Many different solutions are being proposed everyday for the hog problem. Some of them are very radical and unrealistic, while others are practical and are being used commonly throughout Texas. More radical ideas include massive hog hunts, extreme poisoning, and the creation of a virus that only affects hogs. These ideas, while far out, are actually helpful because they are inspiring more realistic approaches, including the making of a feeder which only hogs can use that would deliver poison bait to them. This feeder, pictured above, was developed by the United States Department of Agriculture and is currently being tested and distributed around the country. Hopefully with its help, the hog problem may finally be solved. The only issue with this plan is that many people are not very willing to place the feeders on their land. They are worried that the feeders won't properly get rid of the hogs, or that they will hurt more than just the hogs. When asked, Arlington Animal Services manager Jay Sabatucci said, “I don’t think we will ever be comfortable with it.”

How Anyone Can Help

Non-Profit organizations such as Animal Welfare Approved work to solve issues such as the invasion of feral hogs not only effectively but humanely and ethically. Even if you're not a hunter, you can help win the war on hogs by becoming involved with organizations such as Animal Welfare Approved and donating to their causes. If you are a hunter, you can go out and kill as many hogs as you can as well as place traps on major hog trails to help reduce their numbers. Also, if you're a student, you can join governament organizations such as the FFA at your school to help promote awareness and action against the hogs and other environmental and agricultural issues in your area.

Invasive Hogs Cause Some Serious Damage

All across North Texas hogs are destroying property and crops, as well as ecosystems. This is even ocurring right here in Trophy Club, only a few hundred yards from most of our homes. Hogs currently cause an annual total of 52 million dollars of destruction in Texas alone, and this number continues to grow as the hogs population rises. Hogs are also a serious issue in mostly every southern state, and they are slowly creeping their way into the entity of the United States.

North Texas Food Webs

This is what a normal North Texas food web should look like, and did look like 60 years ago. Now, imagine how it would look when hogs were introduced. They would literally destroy all of the grass, taking away main food sources for rabbits, grasshoppers, and deer. The present version of the food web would probably look a little like this... (Below)

 60 years later, this food web will be destroyed if hogs come, forcing some animals to die and the rest to move on to other areas. The hogs are invasive and need to be stopped. Not to mention how they destroy land and crops, causing millions of dollars of damage, and can be harmful to humans and livestock by spreading diseases and even in some cases by charging and attacking them.

Feral Hogs: An Ever Growing Problem

The issue of feral hogs has always been present in Texas, but in recent years it has transformed from a public issue into an emergency. There are currently around 2 million feral hogs inhabiting Texas, and everyday their numbers continue to rise. For a while they remained out in the country, not brave enough to venture into human society, but now they are beginning to become bolder and are finding their ways into urban areas.