Feral swine may be referred to by different names such as wild boar, Eurasian wild boar, wild hogs, and wild pigs. But they are all members of the same biological species – Sus scrofa.  

Pigs were first introduced to North America by Spanish explorers in the early 16th century. Most were allowed to range freely throughout forest, marsh, and field and were harvested for meat. In the early 20th Century, the introduction of the Eurasian wild boar for sport hunting resulted in interbreeding with the free-ranging domestic pigs already present. Soon, the pig populations increased rapidly and caused economic and ecological damage across the Southeast.

As a result, free range farming practices were outlawed. Unclaimed free range populations spread across the United States, and illegal translocation of feral swine for recreation continues, leading to the feral swine problem we face today.

The high reproductive potential, habitat generalization, wide ranging diet and low mortality rates all contribute to the growth of the issue.