Feral PigsFeral HogsFeral SwineWild PigsWild HogsWild SwineWild BoarRussian BoarEuropean BoarEurasian BoarRazorbacks

Genus spp.: Sus scrofa Family: SuidaeNon-native, invasive, exotic animal

NOT WILDLIFE, Classed as “Vermin”

   

Morphotypes of Sus scrofa

     

  Eurasian   Feral  

  Wild Boar   Domestic Swine  

  S. s. spp. (9)   S. s. domesticus   

No. of DiploidChromosomes 36   38  

Piglets striped  Solid, belted,

spotted  

    Fertile    

    Hybrids    

    Sus scrofa spp    

Chromosomes   37    

Piglets  Striped, spotted, belted,

solid    

         

Feral Pigs or Swine

- Piglets: banded, spotted, belted & black (most common)

- Adults: black, brown, red, spotted but generally not “grizzled” looking

- Tails frequently curled.

“Wild Boar & Eurasian Hybrids”- Striped piglets- Grizzle-haired adults- tails straight, not curled- In Indiana (Photo 4/07 Law. Co.).

All pelage colors possible but generally the younger animals brownish, eventually becoming darker

or blackish & grizzled as they get older.

Lawrence Co. 4/2007

Wild boar in Warrick Co. 2003 Wild boar, Martin Co (Shoals) 2002

Sub adult, Jackson Co. 1997

Grizzled hair, extended snouts, small hams (wt. forward), & striped young

Law. Co. 2001 Law/Jackson. Co. 1999

< 90º

> 90º

= 90º

Angle of Occipital wall

< 90º

Wild Boar Domestic

Feral

Depth of Dorsal Profile

Lawrence Co. Yg boar 1996 Lawrence Co. Sow 2007

Elongated facial profile, grizzle pelage; skull from 2007 sow above

Agricultural Concerns

- Row Crop depredation:Corn: pre-emergent, seedling, mature corn in fallSoybeans: can’t digest, trails and trampling.Wheat: spring grubbing/rooting

- Pastures and hayfields; grubbing & rooting activity- Damage to silage bunkers, round bales- Rooting/grubbing on pond dams & WRP levees

- Depredation on newborn calves, lambs, goats

- Damage to trees, especially young trees (e.g., CRP plantings).- Damage to fencing.

- Potential disease source for livestock and humans.

Domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs) of feral swine

• Pseudorabies• Swine brucellosis• Bovine tuberculosis • Influenza• Tularemia• West Nile virus

Feral Swine : Management and Disease Surveillance

Domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs) of feral swine

• E. coli• Salmonella• Trichinosis• Streptococcus• Ticks, fleas, lice• Internal parasites • Toxoplasmosis and Trichinosis

Feral Swine : Management and Disease Surveillance

Domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs) of feral swine

• Classical swine fever• African swine fever• PRRS• Anthrax• Foot and mouth disease • Porcine circovirus

Feral Swine : Management and Disease Surveillance

Human health issues related to handling infected hogs.

Some herds in Florida have a 50% Brucellosis infection rate.

Feral swine disease surveillance

• Locally based surveillance with national goals.

• Classical Swine Fever is the focus

• Development of DNA Profiles of source populations.

Feral Swine : Management and Disease Surveillance

Native Wildlife Impacts

- Ground nesting birds and mammals (nests, dens, young)(e.g., quail, turkey, grouse, songbirds, & rabbits)

- Herptofauna & invertebratese.g., Copper-belly water snakes, box turtles, Crawfish frog, smooth green snake, Eastern spade-foot toad, etc.

- Competition for foods (e.g., mast, grubs, invertebrates)

- Habitat degradation, vegetation disturbance (e.g., wetlands, prairie fields, forest understory.

- Will eat mushrooms and tubers/rhizomes of wild flowers.

Water Quality Issues

- Increased erosion, nutrient load, turbidity, bacterial & pathogen load in water sources (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli in CA irrigation sources led to national spinach recall).

Currently have wild hogs in the immediate watershed of John Hay Lake, water supply for Salem, IN.

Cultural & Heritage Issues

- Destruction to small rural cemeteries, Indian burial grounds, landscaping, septic fields, nature preserves, & historical sites.

- Destruction to ball fields, golf courses (especially greens), grass airfields, vehicle accidents, & landfills.

Wallows in summer often associated with creek beds, sloughs, low, cooler areas; fecal matter and increased turbidity in streams

Sassafras

Bark stripping on cedar

Tusk marking on cedar

Spring and SummerPasture and Hay field

Grubbing

Extensive hay and pasture field damage, disrupted soil wads prevent mechanical haying; losses high on alfalfa and clover fields.

Interior corn field damage often not notice until harvest, just a few pigs can wallow down 1-2 acre areas in a short time. Especially high damage loss on popcorn & sweet corn.

“Poor Man’s Grizzly Bear”

Current land sale promotion in Lawrence/Jackson Couties.

Increasing hunter desires for more feral hogs

Growing Economic & Recreation

vested interests

Known captive sources of wild boar, Lawrence and Jackson Co.Photo taken 2.24.09; ≥ 4 hogs visible from roadway

In Indiana

“shooter” hogs for sale to release on your own land;From web advertisement

Wild boar piglets for sale/trade that were either collected from shot sow or raised from adults in backyard pens

Feral SwineEstimated Status 2009

Red

Known breedingEstablished populations

2004

Since 2004

Orange

Incidental Reports, Unknown statusEarly 1990’s

Mid 1990’s

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