Scientists Warn , Invasive Feral Pigs , Pose a Threat to the US.<br />'Quartz' reports that wild hogs <br />from Canada are on the verge <br />of invading the United States. .<br />According to recent research, invasive wild pigs <br />have a "high potential" of crossing the Canadian <br />border and establishing new populations.<br />With no natural predators in states like <br />North Dakota or Montana, the animals <br />are able to quickly increase in numbers. .<br />This rapid population growth can cause voracious <br />consumption of native vegetation, small wildlife <br />and farmed crops in the region.<br />Feral pigs are also known to carry a number <br />of potentially dangerous germs capable of <br />jumping to pets or even the occasional human.<br />'Quartz' reports that the feral pigs that have invaded <br />parts of the southern U.S. are typically a combination <br />of escaped domestic pigs and wild boars from Eurasia. .<br />In the 1980s and 90s, Canadian hunters <br />deliberately introduced wild boars to be <br />used as livestock and controlled game. .<br />Pigs that were released, or escaped, were able <br />to mate with domestic pigs, producing what <br />scientists often refer to as "super" pigs. .<br />These "super" swine are larger, hardier <br />and more resistant to the cold. .<br />We went from having a general <br />concern about pigs crossing the <br />U.S./Canada border to having very <br />detailed maps showing where they’re <br />most likely to move and establish <br />populations. This can be used <br />to target control efforts, Ryan Brook, study author and professor <br />at the University of Saskatchewan, to 'Quartz'
