Feral Swine in the US

November 8, 2017 — 

Feral swine are not native to the Americas. They were first brought to the United States in the 1500s by early explorers and settlers as a source of food. Free-range livestock management practices and escapes from enclosures led to the first establishment of feral swine populations within the United States. In the 1900s, the Eurasian or Russian wild boar was introduced into parts of the United States for the purpose of sport hunting. Today, feral swine are a combination of escaped domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boars, and hybrids of the two. [Source: USDA APHIS]

Feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states. Their population is estimated at over 6 million and is rapidly expanding. Range expansion over the last few decades is due to a variety of factors including their adaptability to a variety of climates and conditions, translocation by humans, and a lack of natural predators.

The website for mapping feral swine populations in the U.S. has moved from under the direction of the University of Georgia's Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) to APHIS Wildlife Services. Below is a link to the 2016 feral swine map. APHIS WS intends to use this site to post all future maps so the data is in one central location.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/operational-activities/feral-swine/sa-fs-history

WS reports they are currently working on updating the 2017 feral swine population map.