PREVIEW

Scientists Warn Invasive Feral Pigs Pose a Threat to the US. 'Quartz' reports that wild hogs from Canada are on the verge of invading the United States. According to recent research, invasive wild pigs have a "high potential" of crossing the Canadian border and establishing new populations. With no natural predators in states like North Dakota or Montana, the animals are able to quickly increase in numbers. This rapid population growth can cause voracious consumption of native vegetation, small wildlife and farmed crops in the region. Feral pigs are also known to carry a number of potentially dangerous germs capable of jumping to pets or even the occasional human. 'Quartz' reports that the feral pigs that have invaded parts of the southern U.S. are typically a combination of escaped domestic pigs and wild boars from Eurasia. In the 1980s and 90s, Canadian hunters deliberately introduced wild boars to be used as livestock and controlled game. Pigs that were released, or escaped, were able to mate with domestic pigs, producing what scientists often refer to as "super" pigs. These "super" swine are larger, hardier and more resistant to the cold. "We went from having a general concern about pigs crossing the U.S./Canada border to having very detailed maps showing where they're most likely to move and establish populations. This can be used to target control efforts.", Ryan Brook, study author and professor at the University of Saskatchewan, to ‘Quartz’. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT