Imported as hunting livestock in the 1980s and 1990s, Eurasian boar mated with domestic pigs in Canada and have thrived. They’re heading south, too. Add the wild hogs that short-sighted, hunting enthusiasts transport from the southern U.S. and a likely invasion of the most destructive invasive species known is coming. State and federal agencies are monitoring the U.S./Canadian border.
Source: New York Times, December 16, 2019. Link. (paywall) “If an animal disease like African swine fever or hoof-and-mouth gets into these animals, it will be almost impossible to stop,” said Dr. William Karesh, a veterinarian who works for EcoHealth Alliance, an organization that studies animal disease. “It will shut down our livestock industry.”
Source: Great Falls Tribune, November 25, 2019. Link. “We have reports of swine on the northern border with potential incursions into Montana as they come down through drainages.”
INSIGHTS: Those working in northern states and southern provinces can use this article as a foundation for encouraging others to learn more. Other sources of information include: Georgia Department of Natural Resource <link>, Missouri Department of Conservation <link>, Mississippi State University <link> and the Noble Research Institute <link>