The "superpig" is an intelligent and huge animal that has managed to survive the Canadian winter and is now migrating south and inhabiting northern US states, contrary to the predictions of experts. The animals are capable of digging tunnels under the snow, making warm snow caves for themselves, The Guardian says.
"Wild pigs are easily the worst invasive large mammal on the planet," said Ryan Brook, who leads the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian wild pig research project. "They’re incredibly intelligent... highly elusive... when there’s any pressure on them, especially if people start hunting them, they become almost completely nocturnal... they disappear into wetlands and they can be very hard to locate."
Michael Marlow, assistant programme manager for the Department of Agriculture's national feral swine damage management programme pointed out that pigs damage the environment. They eat crops, destroy trees and other animals, pollute water and pose a threat to human health and safety.
"We see direct competition for our native species for food. However, pigs are also accomplished predators. They’ll opportunistically come upon a hidden animal, and the males have long tusks, so they’re very capable of running and grabbing one with their mouth. They’ll kill young fawns, they’re known to be nest predators, so they impact turkeys and potentially quail," stated Marlow.
The giant size of the pigs (a 300 kilogram specimen, roughly 661 pounds, was recorded) allowed them to survive their first winters in the wild and breed despite expert assurances.
In some areas, their proliferation has led to an entire pig hunting industry.
Pigs are able to change their habits and adapt to new environments. For example, if people actively hunt them, the animals will switch to a nocturnal lifestyle and become virtually elusive.
One method experts have been using is to capture one pig and put a collar with a GPS tracker on it to release it into the wild, thereby finding the entire herd (this method was called "Judas Pig"). In Canada, experts say it is already too late to eradicate the pigs.
"Probably as late as maybe 2010 to 2012, there was probably a reasonable chance of finding and removing them. But now, they’re so widespread, and so abundant, that certainly as late as 2018 or 19 I stopped saying that eradication was possible. They’re just so established," Brook said, adding "They’ve definitely moved in, and they’re here to stay."
Authorities estimate that about six million wild or feral pigs cause $1.5bln worth of damage annually.