Wild Boar

Whether called wild pigs, feral hogs, or wild boars, these opportunistic and invasive omnivores live in groups called sounders. Removing whole sounders is the most effective management method, but requires follow-up trapping and hunting due to their incredible reproductive potential.

Feral swine can carry foreign animal diseases like African Swine Fever. While ASF has never been found in domestic or feral swine in the United States, there is no treatment or vaccine for it. That’s why surveillance is very important. Help protect U.S. pigs by immediately reporting sick or dead feral swine.

WHAT TO DO: If you find a sick or dead feral swine with no obvious injury or cause of death, report it right away. Call the USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services program in your State at 1-866-4-USDA-WS. Don’t wait! Quick detection is essential to preventing the spread of ASF.

Feral swine have recently invaded parts of the Northwest. They have been invading southwestern and central Oregon since 2004 and were first detected in Washington in 2016. Idaho has not seen significant numbers of feral swine, however migrating pigs may pose a threat. The population growth potential of feral swine is closely associated with food availability, which is becoming more abundant year-round due to warmer winter conditions that are linked to climate change. Projected increases in extreme events and average summer temperatures in the region are not expected to negatively impact the success of feral pigs. In response, timely population control measures are necessary to avoid damage to crops, forests, and rangelands.

Feral swine (wild pigs, boars or feral hogs) are a destructive, invasive species that are prevalent in the U.S. and Canada. Federal, State, Provincial, local and territorial agencies are working together to manage the threat and damage caused by feral swine and to mitigate their impact.