Texas’s feral hog population has been causing widespread damage over the last several weeks. (Daniel Koglin/Shutterstock).
Feral hogs have been causing damage in Mesquite for several weeks. Here’s what you need to know about the invasive species.
Feral hogs have been wreaking havoc in Mesquite over the last few weeks. They’re technically considered an invasive species since they cause widespread damage and are difficult to manage or control. For some residents, having to put up with the pigs destroying lawns, gardens, and plants, while also posing a potential risk to their safety, is becoming too big of a burden to bear. Ted Faulkner is one of those locals. He’s lived in Falcons Lair for many years and has repeatedly submitted reports to both the city manager’s office and its animal control unit asking for something more significant to be done about the feral hogs.
Faulkner told CBS News during an interview that he’s concerned about the problem persisting and what will happen if it does. “I’ve warned people in the neighborhood, ‘do not walk out here after dark because you might encounter the hogs, they become frightened, and they might attack.’ That’s the biggest concern is public safety,” Faulkner said. He added, “The assistant city manager is saying they have contacted Texas Parks and Wildlife to see if they can get some assistance, because Mesquite doesn’t have the capability to trap these hogs. How much does it take before someone comes up with a way to control them?”
Coming up with a way to control them is more complicated than it seems. They’re technically considered exotic livestock, which means the hogs can be legally hunted without a license if you’re on private property, but gun laws in more populated neighborhoods are strict. Additionally, anyone who traps a feral hog is then legally responsible for it and must provide it with proper care. Chron also notes that the Texas Animal Health Commission carefully regulates transportation of feral hogs, meaning they can only be brought to authorized holding sites, hunting preserves, and slaughterhouses. All of these things add up to a perfect storm of inaction.
The problem is becoming widespread across Texas
Mesquite isn’t the only place grappling with an influx of feral hogs. San Antonio and Fort Bend County are also seeing more pigs than they usually would, as residents near Salado Creek and the Frost Bank Center have reported several sightings. Jamie Calberg said he’s lived near Salado Creek “for 30 years and never seen hogs before, until they started building hundreds of homes five or six miles downstream from here.” So, what exactly contributes to the population being so high? Feral pigs apparently reproduce at a rapid rate. Gestation periods (AKA the time between conception and birth) only lasts around 115 days, and female pigs can become impregnated within the first six months of their lives.
And, given that feral pigs live off a diet of animal and plant matter, it means they can basically thrive in any environment that provides them with enough food. Texas also has the burden of housing the largest population of wild pigs in all the United States—roughly three million of them are found throughout the Lone Star State. It’s easy to see why the cost of their destruction is so high. Chron reported that about $670 million in agricultural damages are racked up each year because of the feral hogs, plus an additional $200 million for mitigation and control costs.
Related: 8 animal sanctuaries in Texas (+ the cute critters you’ll see at each one)
