Wild Pigs in Kentucky

An Invasive Species - Understanding the Concerns

Threats generated from wild pigs are generally classified into biological, economic, and health-related concerns.  Biologically, wild pigs pose serious threats as they simply outcompete native wildlife for available food and space resources.  As a result, it is not uncommon for native game species such as white-tailed deer and wild turkeys to be displaced as pig numbers increase.  Likewise, the destructive feeding strategy of rooting by pigs slows regeneration of seedling plant species, such as red and white oaks, which are important seasonal food items to many native game species.

Economically, threats posed by wild pigs should generate serious concern to ALL landowners.  In particular, financial losses due to crop depredation by pigs will increase as pig numbers continue to grow.  In western Kentucky, the KDFWR has already identified some areas in which farmers no longer plant corn due to continued damage suffered by pigs.  In the Google Earth image captured below, extensive corn field damage due to pigs can be seen in a satellite image!   

From a general health perspective wild pigs are one of, if not the, most active carriers of wildlife-related diseases in the U.S.  Biologists have identified at least 45 different parasites and diseases that are transmissible by wild pigs and these threats extend far beyond native wildlife.  In particular, wild pigs are common carriers of pseudorabies and swine brucellosis, a viral and bacterial infection that results in reproductive failure in domestic swine.  As a result, the potential for just one transmission of either disease from a wild to domestic animal could have serious economic impacts on domestic swine production.  Likewise, swine brucellosis is also transmissible is humans with transmission generally a result of handling the reproductive tract of an infected female.  In Kentucky, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has already confirmed the presence of both pseudorabies and swine brucellosis from wild pigs in Kentucky. 

Photo by Dave Baker

Collectively, the biological, economical, and disease-related threats associated with wild pigs pose one of the most serious management issues in recent history for the KDFWR.