Pigs are known to be very intelligent animals, but the United States is now being invaded by a multitude of “super pigs” that are even smarter and wreak havoc.
The “super pigs” come from breeders who crossed domestic pigs and wild boar that later escaped captivity in the 1980s. They are responsible for a whole range of environmental damage as they can eat crops, destroy trees, pollute water and even kill deer.
The Guardian also reports that pigs have the potential to hatch a new flu virus that could be transmitted to humans, which, as we know from the COVID-19 pandemic, can have catastrophic consequences.
Pigs are already terrorizing parts of Canada, particularly in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where their populations have grown rapidly over the past eight years.
The animals are much larger than domestic pigs and can weigh over 300 kg. They can survive cold temperatures by burying themselves up to two meters under snow to keep warm, and are increasingly viewed as an environmental threat in the northern United States.
It is estimated that the US population of approximately 6 million wild boar causes $1.5 billion in damage annually.