Feral Pigs Feral Hogs Feral Swine Wild Pigs Wild Hogs Wild Swine Wild Boar Russian Boar European Boar Eurasian Boar Razo - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Presentation Transcript

Feral Pigs

Feral Hogs

Feral Swine

Wild Pigs

Wild Hogs

Wild Swine

Wild Boar

Russian Boar

European Boar

Eurasian Boar

Razorbacks

Genus spp.: Sus scrofa Family: Suidae

Non-native, invasive, exotic animal

NOT WILDLIFE, Classed as “Vermin”

Feral Pigs or Swine

Piglets: banded, spotted, belted & black (most common)
- Adults: black, brown, red,
spotted but generally
not “grizzled” looking
- Tails frequently curled.

“Wild Boar & Eurasian Hybrids”

- Striped piglets
Grizzle-haired adults
tails straight, not curled
In Indiana (Photo 4/07 Law. Co.).

All pelage colors possible but generally

the younger animals brownish,

eventually becoming darker

or blackish & grizzled as they get older.

Lawrence Co. 4/2007

Grizzled hair, extended snouts, small hams (wt. forward), & striped young

Wild boar in Warrick Co. 2003

Wild boar, Martin Co (Shoals) 2002

Sub adult, Jackson Co. 1997

Law. Co. 2001

Law/Jackson. Co. 1999

Domestic

Wild Boar

Feral

< 90º

> 90º

< 90º

Angle of Occipital wall

= 90º

Depth of Dorsal Profile

Lawrence Co. Yg boar 1996

Lawrence Co. Sow 2007

Elongated facial profile, grizzle pelage; skull from 2007 sow above

Agricultural Concerns

Row Crop depredation:
Corn: pre-emergent, seedling, mature corn in fall
Soybeans: can’t digest, trails and trampling.
Wheat: spring grubbing/rooting
- Pastures and hayfields; grubbing & rooting activity
Damage to silage bunkers, round bales
Rooting/grubbing on pond dams & WRP levees
- Depredation on newborn calves, lambs, goats
Damage to trees, especially young trees (e.g., CRP plantings).
Damage to fencing.
Potential disease source for livestock and humans.

Feral Swine : Management and Disease Surveillance

Domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs) of feral swine

Pseudorabies
Swine brucellosis
Bovine tuberculosis
Influenza
Tularemia
West Nile virus

E. coli
Salmonella
Trichinosis
Streptococcus
Ticks, fleas, lice
Internal parasites
Toxoplasmosis and Trichinosis

Classical swine fever
African swine fever
PRRS
Anthrax
Foot and mouth disease
Porcine circovirus

Human health issues related to handling infected hogs.

Some herds in Florida have a 50% Brucellosis infection rate.

Feral swine disease surveillance

Locally based surveillance with national goals.
Classical Swine Fever is the focus
Development of DNA Profiles of source populations.

Native Wildlife Impacts

Ground nesting birds and mammals (nests, dens, young)
(e.g., quail, turkey, grouse, songbirds, & rabbits)
Herptofauna & invertebrates
e.g., Copper-belly water snakes, box turtles, Crawfish frog, smooth green snake, Eastern spade-foot toad, etc.
Competition for foods (e.g., mast, grubs, invertebrates)
Habitat degradation, vegetation disturbance (e.g., wetlands, prairie fields, forest understory.

Will eat mushrooms and tubers/rhizomes of wild flowers.

Water Quality Issues

Increased erosion, nutrient load, turbidity, bacterial & pathogen load in water sources (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli in CA irrigation sources led to national spinach recall).
Currently have wild hogs in the immediate watershed of John Hay Lake, water supply for Salem, IN.

Cultural & Heritage Issues

Destruction to small rural cemeteries, Indian burial grounds, landscaping, septic fields, nature preserves, & historical sites.
- Destruction to ball fields, golf courses (especially greens), grass airfields, vehicle accidents, & landfills.

Wallows in summer often associated with creek beds,

sloughs, low, cooler areas; fecal matter and increased turbidity in streams

Sassafras

Tusk marking on cedar

Bark stripping on cedar

Spring and Summer

Pasture and Hay field

Grubbing

Extensive hay and pasture field damage, disrupted soil wads prevent mechanical haying; losses high on alfalfa and clover fields.

Interior corn field damage often not notice until harvest, just a few pigs can wallow down 1-2 acre areas in a short time. Especially high damage loss on popcorn & sweet corn.