Behavior and Biology of Wild Pigs
Pigs possess many biological and behavioral traits that enable them to live just about anywhere and quickly populate new areas.
Wild Pig in Snowy Conditions
Wild Pigs Can Live Almost Anywhere
- Are habitat generalists
- Are highly adaptable
- Can live in many different habitats
- Can tolerate a wide range of climates
- Can live as far away as a day's walk from water
Wild Pigs Eat Almost Anything
- Are opportunistic omnivores
- Eat mostly plant matter
- Also eat invertebrates such as worms, insects, and insect larvae
- Will eat small mammals, newborns of larger mammals, and eggs and young of ground-nesting birds and reptiles
Wild Pigs Can Reproduce Rapidly
- Have a high reproductive potential
- Some individuals sexually mature as early as 6 months of age
- Litter size averages 6 piglets, but ranges from 3-8 piglets
- Females can give birth twice in one year.
A Sow Nursing Piglets
Wild Pigs Have Low Rates of Natural Mortality
- Have few predators in the U.S.
- Most vulnerable to predation when young
- In the U.S., few predators are a threat to wild pigs 40 pounds or greater in size
- Mortality rates from diseases and parasites is unknown
- Mortality is mostly a result of humans: hunting, trapping, car collisions
Tombigbee River near Demopolis, Alabama
RELATED PAGES
RELATED QUESTIONS
- What do wild pigs look like?
- Where did wild pigs come from?
- How do I know if they are on my property?
- What do they eat?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Mayer, John J. and I. Lehr Brisbin. 1991. Wild Pigs in the United States: their history, comparative morphology, and current status. University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- www.extension.org/feral_hogs
- BBC Nature