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Feral Pigs Going Hog-Wild in US
Feral pigs are becoming a wild problem in the United States.
The wild hogs can now be found in three-fourths of U.S. states — and their populations are growing in many areas — and are estimated to cause $1.5 billion in damages each year, the Associated Press reports. There are currently more than 5 million wild hogs in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
By all accounts, the animals are quite intelligent. They also sport razor-sharp tusks and can be aggressive toward people and pets. They have a remarkable knack for causing trouble, ranging from eating threatened species like dune lizards and spreading invasive weeds to carrying and transmitting more than 30 different kinds of diseases to humans, livestock and other wildlife, according to the AP. Feral pigs’ habit of digging and rooting around in the ground also tears up gardens and crop fields, and creates holes in roads that serve as hazards for cars and tractors.
$1 million hunt
But the state of New Mexico isn’t letting the pigs get away with those antics. The state recently partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a $1 million project to hunt, trap and kill the animals. The plan is to hit the animals in a single coordinated effort, because the pigs are so smart that they can learn from failed efforts to trap them and avoid the snares in the future.
“They’re much brighter than I am,” Ray Powell, a veterinarian and New Mexico’s land commissioner, told the AP. “If they had the dexterity, they’d be driving vehicles around. I mean these guys are really smart.”
Hunters will also employ a “Judas pig.” After finding and killing a hog family, officials will intentionally leave one pig alive — usually, an adult female. This “Judas pig” will then be outfitted with a tracking collar in order to lead state officials to a new set of pigs, which the surviving hog will seek out, the AP reports.
http://news.yahoo.com/feral-pigs-going-h…22887.html
2013-04-09 13:48:34
Source: http://yeoldefalseflag.com/thread-feral-pigs-going-hog-wild-in-us
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