An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Wildlife
Habitat
Agriculture
Forests
Ecosystem
Wetlands
Wild pigs prey on eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds, such as turkey, quail, grouse, woodcock, and various songbirds.
Wild pigs are especially fond of acorns, which many species rely on as a major food source in the fall. They raid acorn caches of squirrels, leaving them without a source of food in the winter.
Much to the dismay of our sportsmen and women, wild pigs displace white-tailed deer and wild turkey, negatively affecting hunter harvest. Deer and turkey cannot compete with wild pigs. When pigs are present, deer and turkey leave the area.
Wild pigs also prey on amphibians and reptiles, many of which are declining worldwide due to various strains of deadly fungal diseases.
Habitat loss and degradation is a major cause for decline for many wildlife species. Wild pig rooting and trampling behavior disrupts native plant communities and furthers the spread of invasive species.
Wild pigs destroy forests by pulling up tree seedlings, eating acorns, and rooting up plants. They create wallows and degrade wetlands through siltation and fecal deposition.
Wild pigs are considered "ecosystem engineers" due to their ability to change their environment. They damage native ecosystems including wetlands, forests, and prairies. They cause a decrease in biological diversity and facilitate the spread of invasive species.
Wild pigs alter the water quality of wetlands through fecal deposition and wallowing. The increase in turbidity and siltation creates unfavorable conditions for many aquatic species.
Wild pigs cause extensive damage to agricultural crops, food plots, and hayfields. They can destroy many acres overnight, devastating agricultural producers. They can transmit diseases to livestock, kill young livestock, and contaminate livestock feed. Their rooting behavior can also create holes or ruts in fields that damage farm equipment, cause soil erosion, and lead to stream sedimentation. Wild pigs cause over $1.5 billion in ag damage in the U.S. every year.