HOUSTON – Wild boars from Russia are invading Texas and causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damage.
Tuesday night on KPRC Channel 2 News at 10 p.m., we take a closer look at wild boars. You can see a sneak preview in the video player above.
There are many myths about wild boars. We bust those myths below:
Myth: Wild Russian boars/feral hogs can bite through barbed wire. Reality: According to Derrick Banks with the Fort Bend Extension Office, Russian boars/feral hogs don't bite through barbed wire, they simply use their powerful snouts to lift it up to push their way under it.
Myth: You can't eat the meat. Reality: You can, but it's not likely to taste like the pork chops or ribs you get at the supermarket. Many hunters can and do eat the meat. It's also shipped to European markets where it is considered a delicacy. However, according to the USDA, we can't barbecue our way out of this problem because not enough are feral swine are hunted to curb their numbers much less eradicate them.
Myth: Recreational hunting alone is enough to control feral hog populations. Reality: According to Texas A & M Agrilife Extension, studies show hunting removes an average of 24 percent of an area's feral hog a population. Because these critters have such high birth rates just to maintain a population with no growth would require removing 60 percent to 70 percent from any given area.
Myth: Feral swine are 100 percent nocturnal. Reality: Feral swine are very adaptable to their environment. They are often nocturnal especially in summer when it’s hot, but they will switch to foraging in broad daylight especially in cool weather or in places where they do not feel threatened.