Pigs have a long and fascinating history in the United States. The first pigs were brought over on a ship in 1539 by the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto. Today, there are an estimated 5 million pigs residing in the US. Pigs are not native to the US, but have wrought havoc in recent decades: the government estimates the country’s approximately 6 million wild, or feral, pigs cause $1.5bn of damage each year.

Feral pigs are known as “ecological zombies” because they will eat almost anything and can live almost anywhere. They are responsible for a laundry list of environmental damages, ranging from eating innocent farmers’ crops to destroying trees and polluting water. They also pose “a human health and safety risk” as they are capable of carrying viruses, such as flu, which are transmittable to humans.

In 2023, the US faced a new threat from Canadian “super pigs”, a giant, “incredibly intelligent, highly elusive” beast capable of surviving cold climates by tunneling under snow. The emergence of the so-called super pig, a result of cross-breeding domestic pigs with wild boars, only adds to the problems the US faces from the swine invasion.

In conclusion, pigs have a rich history in the United States, but their impact on the environment and human health is a growing concern. Feral pigs are known for their destructive behavior, and the emergence of super pigs only adds to the problem.