Dangerous feral hogs that destroy lawns and eat plastic are growing across the US, and states can’t kill them fast enough

Pigs didn’t arrive in North America until the 1500s, so they’re not a native species. By the mid-1600s, they were already a nuisance, destroying property and menacing children, according to one New England colonist in 1658.

In the centuries since, not much has slowed the wild pig population from expanding. A single sow can have as many as 10 piglets, sometimes twice a year. The feral hogs’ genes are often a mix of wild boar and domestic pig.

Even formerly domestic pigs can quickly adapt to life in the wild. “For whatever reason, domestic pigs go wilder quicker than any other species of domestic livestock that we have,” Mayer said.

Out in the wild, these omnivorous animals don’t rely on humans to feed them. And they’re not picky. Mayer has seen feral hogs forage at landfills and feed on diapers, rubber bands, and plastic. In 2019, Louisiana researchers found dozens of native species, from acorns to salamanders to turtles, in their stomachs.

While they’re often a bit leaner than their domesticated relatives, the feral pigs can still get to be 250 pounds, according to the USDA. This means as they move about in urban and suburban areas, they can cause traffic accidents, Mayer said.

Deadly interactions between humans and pigs are very rare in the US. Worldwide, though, Mayer found that feral hogs killed 172 people between 2000 and 2019.

Most of the attacks are defensive, he said, and happen when, “for whatever reason, they feel threatened.” The hogs have sharp teeth and tusks and can run fast.

“This is going to be potentially another tool in the toolbox,” Mayer said, “but the people in the US never have really warmed up to the use of poisons for any kind of wildlife.” It’s a move many have opposed in the past because of its potential effects on wildlife that eat poisoned animals, Texas Monthly reported in 2023.

Mayer said another factor that makes controlling wild hogs difficult is that the entire country is a mosaic of different methods. And not everyone wants them gone, he said.

“You’ve got some people that love them, some people that hate them,” he said, “and because of that, I don’t think we’re ever going to get rid of them.”