When I was in the field doing research on exotic deer in the Texas Hill Country, I was much more likely to see something a little different rooting around in the dirt on my game cameras – herds of wild pigs, also known as “feral hogs.”
Hogs (or pigs) are not native to the United States; they were introduced into Florida around the same time as Christopher Columbus’ exploration to the Americas. Like with many animals brought to new places, a few escaped their pens and quickly learned how to survive and thrive in the wild as “feral,” which means an animal once owned by people that has gone wild. Even though less than a dozen hogs were most likely brought to Florida hundreds of years ago, scientists guess there are now over 2 million in the state of Texas alone.
As you may be able to tell from the pictures I have included above, feral hogs look a little bit different than the pigs you might have seen on a farm, petting zoo, or even on TV. Unlike their wild relatives, your typical “barnyard pig” has pink skin, light-colored eyes, and generally enjoys being around people.
When I was in college working towards my degree in the Animal Sciences, I worked with these pigs a lot and found that they loved chewing on shoes, getting scratched, and getting baths! Also, even though the babies (piglets) could be loud, they had no problem being held and fed with a bottle.
Author holding a “barnyard” piglet during a lab in college. Photo courtesy of author.
While there are a lot of feral hogs in Texas, not many people tend to like them. That is mainly because these hogs are “omnivores,” they will eat pretty much anything and everything they have access to! Farmers have reported whole fields of food going missing after a few nights of visiting from local hogs. They have also been known to eat food left out for cows and horses, kick up dirt around rivers and turning water muddy, and tangling with household pets in neighborhoods.
A solo feral hog at a feeder for cows. Photo courtesy of author.
Love them or not, feral hogs will most likely be a part of Texas for many more years to come. Many local scientists and ranchers are working together to find ways to control the numbers of feral hogs across the state in a variety of different ways and hopefully will come to a conclusion that will benefit both the people of Texas and the hogs within it.
