The northern states of the United States are preparing for an invasion of “superpigs” – hybrid wild boars and wild boars from Canada, The Guardian reports.
“North America faces a new pig-related threat as the Canadian ‘superpig’, a huge, incredibly intelligent, highly elusive animal that can survive by tunneling through snow in cold climates, prepares to infiltrate the north of the country.” Adam writes The Gabbat.
The U.S. government estimates that approximately 6 million wild boars cause $1.5 billion in damage each year.
“They kill young fawns, they are known as nest robbers, so they prey on turkeys and possibly quail as well,” said Michael Marlowe, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture’s national wild boar damage management program.
In addition, pigs eat farmers’ crops, destroy trees and pollute the water. They can also carry viruses such as the flu and therefore pose a threat to humans.
To date, the number of conventional pigs in the United States has increased by more than 6 million, they live in 34 states.
“Most Invasive Animal”
About the invasion of “super pigs” in the spring of last year warned Officials of the Canadian province of Alberta. By then, wild boars had been spotted outside of their habitat in 28 counties.
Residents are advised to move slowly and not make sudden movements in case of wild boar, while dog owners are advised to keep their dogs on a leash.
Ryan Brook, an agronomist at the University of Saskatchewan, later noted that wild boar and wild boar hybrids, which have lived in the wild for several generations, pose a great danger. It was Brook who called them “superpigs” because of their large size and urged the government to take urgent measures to stop the population growth of these animals, thereby preventing them from becoming regular guests in the backyards of homes and on city streets. .
“They are incredibly mobile. They are very intelligent. They are almost omnivorous. They can survive in a wide variety of habitats. This is the most dangerous invasive animal on the planet, ”the expert stressed.
At the same time, Canadian residents of Barrhead there is warnings from the city’s hazard warning system: three wild boars had to run through the settlements. When they were eventually caught, it turned out that the animals lived on the farm and were able to escape when taken to slaughter.
Hybrids can weigh up to 150 kilograms, they are protected from the cold by a woolly undercoat. They are quite durable and can travel more than 40 kilometers per day.
How did the “super pigs” come about?
In the 1980s, Canadian farmers crossed wild boars and domestic pigs. The resulting individuals yielded more meat and were easier to shoot in hunting grounds, as they did not yet know how to hide.
Soon, many of these super pigs escaped from the farmers and quickly spread all over Canada. Experts did not consider it a danger, as it was believed that such individuals would not be able to survive in the wild, especially in winter. But later it became clear that their large size and fat layer allow them to withstand even a temperature drop of up to minus 50 degrees. “It turned out that being big was a huge advantage for surviving the cold,” Brook said.
Pigs survive extreme weather conditions by tunneling under snow to a depth of 2 meters. They also considered cutting off the cat’s tail with its sharp teeth and using this plant as a thermal insulation layer for their cave.
It’s really hot inside: if you approach such a residence early in the morning, you can see how steam comes out of it.
According to Ryan Brook of the University of Saskatchewan, authorities’ efforts are now aimed at eliminating and preventing harm caused by pigs. There is no question of them being destroyed.
“There was probably a chance of finding and destroying them between 2010 and 2012. But now they are so common and so many that I stopped saying that extinction is possible in 2018 or 2019, ”the Canadian scientist summarized.