Feral swine, the most invasive species in the U.S., have become so bothersome in Virginia that the state government is creating a task force to mount an attack on them.
Darryl Fears of The Washington Post sums up the reasons: "They eat like hogs. Turtle eggs are on the menu, along with the eggs and newly hatched young of wild turkeys and quail that nest on the ground. Buried roots and tubers are dug up for snacks. Acorns and chestnuts that bear the next generation of trees go down their gullets. Farmers lose millions of dollars in yearly revenue to wild pigs that are established in 47 states, including massive populations in Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. They cause an estimated $1.5 billion in damage nationwide each year, prompting some state game officials to shoot them from the air." (Read more)
Here's a map from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing counties where it has found feral swine (click on it for a larger version):
Darryl Fears of The Washington Post sums up the reasons: "They eat like hogs. Turtle eggs are on the menu, along with the eggs and newly hatched young of wild turkeys and quail that nest on the ground. Buried roots and tubers are dug up for snacks. Acorns and chestnuts that bear the next generation of trees go down their gullets. Farmers lose millions of dollars in yearly revenue to wild pigs that are established in 47 states, including massive populations in Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. They cause an estimated $1.5 billion in damage nationwide each year, prompting some state game officials to shoot them from the air." (Read more)
Here's a map from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing counties where it has found feral swine (click on it for a larger version):
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