"Super Pigs" From Canada Invade U.S. Anew

A group of “super-pigs” is traveling down from Canada to northern US states and could pose a threat to native wildlife.

Photo Insert: Wild pigs have been dubbed easily the worst invasive large mammal on the planet.

These animals are a hybrid between domestic pigs and wild boars, are highly intelligent, and very difficult to get rid of, Rachael Funnell reported for ILF Science.

The US is no stranger to swine-based threats, currently home to around 6 million wild pigs despite them not being native to the region. They were introduced back in the 16th century, and according to Fortune, cause around $2.5 billion in damage annually. With the arrival of super-pigs in the north, that cost could soon increase.

While pigs are nothing new, the arrival of the super-pigs is sparking fresh concern because of their capacity to survive in frozen landscapes. In the past, the cool temperatures of the tip of the US have put pigs off making a home here – but for the super-pig, a deep freeze is no big deal.

This is because of their genetic makeup, which is a recipe made up of parts domestic pig and parts wild boar. They were bred by farmers in Canada, writes Field And Stream.

The Prairie Provinces are where we have the coldest winters in Canada except for the very far north, says Dr. Ryan Brook, who leads the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Wild Pig Research Project.

“Wild pigs are easily the worst invasive large mammal on the planet,” Brook told The Guardian.

“They’re incredibly intelligent. They’re highly elusive and also when there’s any pressure on them, especially if people start hunting them, they become almost completely nocturnal, and they become very elusive – hiding in heavy forest cover, and they disappear into wetlands and they can be very hard to locate.”

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic