An expert has warned of an invasion of giant pigs to the US from Canada.
Ryan Brook, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan working on the Canadian Wild Pig Research Project, told Daily Hive that the super pig, a hybrid of European Wild Boars and domestic pigs, is the worst invasive large mammal on the planet.
“They are highly intelligent, have the razor-sharp tusks and thick fur of a wild boar and the large body size and high reproductive rate of a domestic pig,” said Brook.
It is Invasive Species Week and I’m at the Minnesota Swine Congress about to speak about invasive #wildpigs and the transboundary risks of them moving from Canada into the US. @agbiousask pic.twitter.com/PiyKGatHYb
— Ryan Brook 🇨🇦 Chairman of the Boar 🐗🇨🇦 (@RyanKBrook) February 21, 2023
They can have two litters a year, making about six young per litter, so their populations can rapidly expand. And they can grow up to 600 lb in size.
“They will eat just about anything from eggs, birds, insects, plant roots, plants, agricultural crops, baby lambs and deer, adult deer, and frogs,” said Brook.
According to Brook, the animals were first brought to Canada in the 1980s as part of efforts to diversify agriculture. But the animals escaped and were set free, reproducing in the wild and expanding exponentially. Now, they can be found across one million square kilometres in Canada, mostly in the prairies and some in BC, Ontario, and Quebec.
“Being large, furry, and smart helps them survive 40 below temperatures, and they tunnel into snow banks to stay warm,” said Brook.
TYT Newsroom
