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Posts tagged with wild pigs. View all posts

23 Apr

African Swine Fever Negatively Impacts Global Pork Production

Diseases affecting wild and domestic swine (Sus scrofa) play a significant role in the success of the global pork industry. Supply chains have faced substantial challenges in recent years due to African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild pigs. This virus is transmitted by direct contact with infected animals or indirect contact with contaminated objects. Symptoms in swine are characterized by high fevers, hemorrhages, and high mortality rates, reaching up to 100% in some cases. Fortunately, humans cannot contract ASF and no cases have been confirmed in the United States through the rigorous monitoring and surveillance protocols enacted by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). However, the disease has still taken a substantial toll on global pork production and trade.

By Josh Helcel Shelby McCay Abigail Holmes Jim Cathey wild pigs Read more...
2 Apr

Podcast Ep. #5: Life Skills and Wild Pig Management with Jay Long

Managing species of all kinds from endangered to invasive, we were honored to have NRI’s Jay Long for Episode #5 of The Land Steward Podcast, “Life Skills and Wild Pig Management”. In true spirit, this episode is full of relatable challenges and prescriptive solutions that you can use today—what a great time to be a land steward.

By Brittany Wegner Abigail Holmes James Long wild pigs, Land Steward Podcast, podcast, wildlife management Read more...
3 Apr

Separating Fact from Fiction: The Threat of Canada's "Super Pigs"

Recent reports from popular articles  and Canadian news outlets have made sensational claims about wild swine (Sus scrofa), suggesting that a new breed of “super pigs” is expanding their range to the United States. Accounts generally allege that this new breed, weighing ~600 lbs, now exists through natural selection within existing wild pig populations or hybridization between feral swine and Eurasian boar. Are these accounts accurate, or is the media exaggerating a small number of reports? Without concrete scientific date, we can only examine the legitimacy of a new, larger breed of ‘super pig’ by stepping through some questions and scenarios:

By Josh Helcel wild pigs Read more...
6 Dec

Feral Swine Trap Loan Program Available to Landowners in Clay, Hardeman, Wichita and Wilbarger Counties

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is working with the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association (TWDMA), Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI), and four local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) to help address the issues that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems, and the health of humans and animals.

By Josh Helcel wild pigs, trapping Read more...
11 Mar

Activity Patterns and Behavioral Modifications of Feral Swine in North America and Eurasian Boar in Europe

One means of understanding wild pig biology and behavior is turning to their not-so-distant relatives, the Eurasian boar. Read more to see how we examine the differences between North American feral swine and Eurasian boar research focused on the activity patterns and behavioral modifications of these animals in response to both human control efforts and environmental influences.

By wild pigs, ecology, wildlife management, hunting, trapping, wildlife research Read more...
9 Sep

Landowner loop: D.I.Y. game feeder corral trap for wild pigs

Conservation biology and land management are research cornerstones at NRI, and we're fortunate to be able to build sound-science resources for private and public entities across the U.S. But it's no surprise when working lands comprise more than 82% of Texas's land area that our largest end-users are private landowners, working heuristically to solve natural resource challenges. 

By Brittany Wegner wild pigs, research, extension, PLS Lesson Read more...
3 Jan

Wild Pig and Human Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have gained quite a reputation for being aggressive towards humans and companion animals.  A quick Google or YouTube search can easily lead one to believe these animals routinely grow to enormous sizes and will readily attack and eat humans or pets when given an opportunity.  The truth about human and wild pig interactions, however, is not nearly that sensational.  This article will explore research conducted on human-wild pig interactions, and will attempt to separate the facts from the substantial lore surrounding this topic.

By Josh Helcel Jim Cathey wild pigs Read more...
2 Jan

The Origin of the Wild Pig Species

Nearly 160 years ago Charles Darwin published his “On the Origin of Species,” a work that would become the cornerstone of evolutionary biology. The book's 502 pages outlined the scientific theory of natural selection and species diversity through evolution across successive generations. If you’ve ever wondered where wild pigs (Sus scrofa) came from, why there are so many different names for them and how man has influenced nearly everything about them, well then what follows may be worth your minutes.

By Josh Helcel wild pigs Read more...
28 Nov

Wild Pigs and Mast Crops

Wild pigs are considered opportunistic omnivores – meaning they will consume both plant and animal food sources available to them throughout the year. The vast majority of a wild pigs diet consists of plant materials, and an important, seasonal food source for wild pigs are mast crops (acorns, fruits or beans). Common mast producing species in Texas include oaks, hickories, honey mesquite, prickly pear cactus and persimmon. This article will highlight the research that has been conducted on wild pig competition with native wildlife for mast, the effects mast has on wild pig population trends and how wild pigs’ consumption of mast can influence forest composition.

By Shelby McCay wild pigs Read more...

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