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Are you ready for the great Canadian “super pigs” invasion? Because they’re coming, and they aren’t interested in making friends.
According to a new study published in the journal Biological Invasions (yes, that is a real thing), Canada’s wild, feral super pigs have a “high potential” of romping over the Canadian border and make new homes in norther American states like South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota.
Why is that a problem (other than the obvious)? Because, according to the researchers, “Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are among the most prolific invaders on the planet, causing billions of dollars in agricultural and environmental damage annually.”
They will have no natural predators in those states, which means, much like with Pablo Escobar’s hippos, they will propagate unchecked and raise all sorts of havoc.
Vegetation, farm crops and small wildlife could be drastically overrun by these hogs.
“These pigs have high reproductive rates, are very mobile, and have a high capacity to spread,” Dr. Ryan Brook, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and co-author of the recent study, told Field & Stream.
“This study is one of the most important of my career because it highlights the massive risk of wild pigs and how far they can — and likely will — move if something different isn’t done. Canada has been failing really badly at addressing the issue. If something doesn’t change soon, we’re in serious trouble in Canada, and we’re not being good neighbors if we’re letting them run wild into the U.S. as well.”