The Pig Bomb

[ltdann]

The Discovery Channel had a show on last night, called the Pig Bomb. I only caught a few minutes of it, but I gathered it was about the exploding swine population and that the new breed of pigs were tougher, bigger and meaner.

Anyone see that or maybe provide a bit of information on it?

 

[Akash]

I saw the program as well, not the whole thing though. From what I gathered was that the population is growing out of control and at this rate they will affect more farming lands as such.

The second half of the show concentrated on the mix between "American Wild Pig" and the "Eurasian Wild Boar". Supposedly, the eurasian boars are much bigger (350-400 lbs) and taller as well 3.5 meters (dont quote me on that) and much more meaner as to attacking people/dogs/cattle etc. Whereas the American wild pig are much more thinner and dont weigh as much (200-300 lbs) and less tall.

But what the researchers are finding out that now the American ones getting cross-bred in the wild with the eurasian ones and producing stronger/bigger/meaner boars, which in affect is more like to spread and go beyond control. What interested me the most is that in some states the wardens are actuallly hunting them at night (with heat seeking scope or night vision) :confused-yellow::confused-yellow::confused-yellow:.

Well I dont know the whole story but overall I think this is what they were trying to portray: 1) Growing out of contrrol and 2) Breeding with Eurasian (russian) boars and getting meaner/bigger/more adaptable.

If someone has more knowledge on this please feel free to chime in.

 

[ltdann]

That's odd, didn't think that "eurasian" boars were that common in the US.

 

[myfriendis410]

I watched it. They concentrated on the population in Georgia as an example and showed a town down there simply overrun with hogs. A couple of snuffy tentpegs out hunting with strike and catch dogs and some face time with a geneticist.

Apparently, rich landowners have been importing Eurasian hogs into the U.S. and releasing them into the wild to interbreed with ferals. The result is a more robust population, breeds more, more tolerant of cold, more aggressive and larger. Some pretty cool footage too. Made my trigger finger itch.

 

[MJB]

I didn't see pig bomb but natgeo had a similar program a while ago and the info on the feral the Eurasian and the hybrid is good stuff to learn they change so fast that it's amazing.

 

[Speckmisser]

"Pig Bomb" is a term coined by one of the top feral hog researchers in the country to describe the rapid expansion of the swine population. Estimates have them in all 50 states w/in 10 years... and that's fairly believable.

As far as eurasian/domestic/feral crosses, I have no doubt it's happening. In a lot of states, like Ohio and PA, the hogs are primarily escapees from local preserves and are pure euro stock. The interbreeding and growth of a "new species", however, is still pretty speculative stuff. Don't believe all the hype... consider your sources.

For folks who are interested in the real story, and the ongoing research, the Boar Hunter Magazine (http://www.boarhuntermagazine.com/) has been pretty good about providing the info as it's coming in with pretty objective coverage. I can't remember who does the article series, but he's right on top of the research as it's coming down the pike...

It's not a cheap subscription, but it's a decent magazine with some excellent information.

Anyway, for my part... well, it's time for bed. Lots of hogs in TX, but not as many as there were last week at this time. :devil:

 

[bodega]

3.5 meters tall? That's like almost 11 feet! We're doomed!

 

[boar slayer]

all pigs on this continent where stock brought over from europe and every one has roots to the euraisan boar they were domesticated and geneticaly engineered through selective breeding to become the farm hogs we know today hampshire, birkshire , duroc etc as far as weight the domestic hogs get the largest 600 plus pounds this is where any size increase would come from. pure eurasian boar get to 350 to 400 lbs and size approx 3.5 feet at the shoulder any pig bigger would have domestic genes in it . yes they will cross breed but only a monster hybrid could come from a domestic cross. I have from 30 to 120 eurasian hogs on my ranch at any time they do not grow fast at all 18 months to get to 150 lbs with all the food they want on 600 acres of oak covered terrain two months ago one was taken that was 4 years old had been on the ranch 3years and was 215lbs. a duroc hog at the same age would be at least 500lbs . the pigs in the pic are about 120 lbs