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Wild Pigs | Wild Pig Overview | Wild Pig Damage Assessment | Wild Pig Damage Management | Wild Pig Resources | Wild Pig Acknowledgments | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
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Identification
Figure 1. Feral hog (left) and European wild boar (right). Both are the species Sus scrofa.
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa, Fig. 1) include both feral hogs (domestic swine that have escaped captivity) and wild boar, native to Eurasia but introduced to North America to interbreed with feral hogs. Like domestic hogs, they may be any color. Their size and conformation depend on the breed, degree of hybridization with wild boar, and level of nutrition during their growing period.
Wild boar have longer legs and larger heads with longer snouts than feral hogs. The color of young boar is generally reddish brown with black longitudinal “watermelon” stripes. As the young develop, the stripes begin to disappear and the red changes to brown and finally to black. Both the male feral hog and wild boar have continuously growing tusks. Wild boar and feral hogs hybridize freely; therefore, the term wild pig is appropriate as a generic term for these animals
General Biology, Reproduction, and Behavior
Wild pigs are intelligent animals and readily adapt to changing conditions. They may modify their response to humans fairly rapidly if it benefits their survival. Wild boars have a greater capacity to invade colder and more mountainous terrain than do other wild pigs. Feral hogs feed during daylight hours or at night, but if hunting pressure becomes too great during the day, they will remain in heavy cover at that time and feed at night. In periods of hot weather, wild pigs remain in the shade in wallows during the day and feed at night.
The wild pig is the most prolific large wild mammal in North America. Given adequate nutrition, a wild pig population can double in just 4 months. Feral hogs may begin to breed before 6 months of age, if they have a high-quality diet. Sows can produce 2 litters per year and young may be born at any time of the year. Wild boar usually do not breed until 18 months of age and commonly have only 1 litter per year unless forage conditions are excellent. Like domestic animals, the litter size depends upon the sow’s age, nutritional intake, and the time of year. Litter sizes of feral hogs in northern California average 5 to 6 per sow (Barrett 1978). Wild boar usually have litter sizes of 4 to 5 but may have as many as 13 (Pine and Gerdes 1973).
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Wild Pigs | Wild Pig Overview | Wild Pig Damage Assessment | Wild Pig Damage Management | Wild Pig Resources | Wild Pig Acknowledgments | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
Range
Christopher Columbus first introduced members of the family Suidae into North America in 1493 in the West Indies (Towne and Wentworth 1950). The first documented introduction to the United States was in Florida by de Soto in 1593. More introductions followed in Georgia and the Carolinas, which established free-ranging populations in the Southeast. Free-ranging practices continued until they became illegal in the mid-twentieth century. Populations of unclaimed hogs increased and spread throughout the Southeast. Domestic hogs were released in California in 1769 and free-ranging practices there also resulted in a feral hog population. European wild boar were released at Hooper Bald, North Carolina, in 1912, and from there introduced to California in 1925.
Wild pigs are found throughout the southeastern United States from Texas east to Florida and north to Virginia; and in California, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The local introduction of these animals for hunting purposes occurred in North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and California. The National Park Service reports feral hogs in 13 National Park Service areas. They occur in many state parks as well (Mayer and Brisbin 1991). Feral hogs are also found in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and several other South Pacific Islands.
Habitat
A variety of habitats, from tidal marshes to mountain ranges, are suitable for wild pigs. They prefer cover of dense brush or marsh vegetation. They are generally restricted to areas below snowline and above freezing temperatures during the winter. Wild pigs frequent livestock-producing areas. They prefer mast-producing hardwood forests but will frequent conifer forests as well. In remote areas or where human activities are minimal, they may use open range or pastures, particularly at night. During periods of hot weather, wild pigs spend a good deal of time wallowing in ponds, springs, or streams, usually in or adjacent to cover.
Food Habits
Types of food vary greatly depending on the location and time of year. Wild pigs will eat anything from grain to carrion. They may feed on under-ground vegetation during periods of wet weather or in areas near streams and underground springs. Acorns or other mast, when available, make up a good portion of their diet. Wild pigs gather in oak forests when acorns fall, and their movements will generally not be as great during this period. In the winters of poor mast years, wild pigs greatly increase their range and consume greater quantities of underground plant material, herbaceous plants, and invertebrates (Singer 1981). Stomach analyses indicate that wild hogs ingest flesh from vertebrates, but the extent to which animals are taken as prey or carrion is not known. Wild pigs are capable of preying on lambs (Pavlov et al. 1981), as well as goat kids, calves, and exotic game.
Reginald H. Barrett. Department of Science, Policy, and Management. University of California Berkeley, California 94720
Grant H. Birmingham. USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services. (retired) Modesto, California 95353
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