Feral Pigs

A collection of 52 posts

Allan Savory

A South African Solution to Texas’ Feral Hog Problem

This story of a start-up hog farm in South Africa points to how Texas can address its wild pig ‘problem’. Hogs can improve soil by by rooting for food, trampling, eating plants, tilling in seeds with their hooves and leaving behind dung and urine. They do best on rangeland,

"Invasion Biology"

Texas Approves Feral Hog Hunting by Hot Air Balloon

Soon we will have tried every goofy way to control wild pig populations while ignoring the common sense solution: Gather and sell free range pigs into the commercial food chain, like back in the day. NOTE: This post initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on May 25, 2017. Texas lawmakers have

"Invasion Biology"

Reds on Shrimp, Gulls on Reds

On May 21, 2011 we were fly fishing for redfish in the lower Laguna Madre.  Here’s a wonderful photograph of a redfish pod feeding on shrimp, and gulls trailing the redfish to pick up their leavings.   You might wonder why this picture has been entered on a blog dedicated

"Invasion Biology"

Millions of Bees Dead After South Carolina Sprays for Zika Mosquitoes

No pesticide – any chemical used to kill plant or animal ‘pests’ –  is selective. This story should give pause to those who think the ‘feral hog apocalypse’ and routine use of range poison is a good idea. NOTE: This post initially appeared on WashingtonPost.com on September 1, 2016   On Sunday

"Invasion Biology"

New York Today: Prospect Park Goes to the Goats

Even the folks in New York City have figured out that animal impact – in this case ‘exotic’ goats –  can better maintain open space than machinery or chemicals.  This insight puts them ahead of Texas’ mainstream wildlife ‘managers’. NOTE: This post initially appeared on NYTimes.com on May, 2016 To help

Conservation

This Farm Is Trying To Change The Future Of Organic Pork

It is possible to create a humane, self-sustaining, and profitable hog farming system and to make organic pork more widely available. NOTE: post initially appeared on RodalesOrganicLife.com on December 12, 2016 The Rodale Institute’s hog facility has one goal: Show farmers everywhere how to create a humane,

"Invasion Biology"

Kaput Maker Pulls Feral Hog Poison Out of Texas

Those who oppose the idea of drenching Texas ranges with the rat poison Warfarin, are either “lawyers, misinformed or radical environmentalists”. Kaput has been withdrawn by its manufacturer, who in doing so reiterated all these false health claims about free range pigs. There has been no epiphany within Big Wildlife,

"Invasion Biology"

Texas House Orders Study Before Using Poison on Feral Hogs

The ‘feral pig apocalypse’ is a costly bureaucratic poisoning boondoggle that will harm wildlife in incalculable ways. There is an obvious alternative: Let the market solve the problem the bureaucrats created, and let Texas’ leaders lead towards a solution that benefits wildlife, habitat and the economics of land ownership. Feral

Bio-Diversity

Texas Hunters Want to Put the Kibosh on Ag Commissioner’s ‘Feral Hog Apocalypse'

The “feral hog apocalypse” is brought to you by Big Wildlife: The same folks who gave us CWD. NOTE: This post initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on February 22, 2017 State Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s call for a “feral hog apocalypse” has hunters across Texas up in arms about

"Invasion Biology"

Wild Boar Trappers Fear Hog Poison’s Effect on EU Wild Meat Market

The feral pig ‘problem’ is a regulatory issue.  The one bright spot is that the Europeans – whose food safety standards far exceed our own –  love our free range pork.  The brilliant idea to use Warfarin to control pigs will destroy that market, and produce unknown and unintended consequences to other

"Invasion Biology"

Meat Production Helps Offset Wild Pig Problem

When properly prepared, the taste of free-range pork is the same as factory pork. NOTE: article initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on November 6, 2016 SNYDER, Texas (AP) — Sure, feral hogs cause their share of trouble. But if you like bacon and pork chops, Texas’ pig problem has a

"Invasion Biology"

Study Shows Mountain Lions Pose no Human Threat in Big Bend National Park

Studies at Big Bend National Park show that mountain lions avoid humans, are most active early and late in the day, and that female lions are more active than males. This is consistent with our experience and observations at Circle Ranch, where we protect our lions because they and all

Bio-Diversity

Insect Armageddon: "The Fate of the World’s Insects Is Inseparable from Our Own"

Unless we adopt rangeland and agricultural practices that respect biodiversity and reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides, we face catastrophic insect “declines (which) will cascade onto ecosystem functioning and human well-being.” NOTE: This article was initially published to NYTimes.com on October 29, 2017 There is

"Invasion Biology"

Feral Pig Toxicants in Texas

Free-range pigs, according to our wildlife and food quality experts, are unfit to eat because they carry diseases. But do they? Over the last 30 years, the two largest processors of wild pigs in Texas have slaughtered and tested tens of thousands of animals. They have never found a

"Invasion Biology"

U.S. - Mexico Teamwork Where the Rio Grande Is but a Ribbon

The destructive and wasteful application of invasive species biology as promoted by The New York Times. Invasive species biology is based on the assumption that anything done by an “invasive” is by definition bad. According to the invasive species folks, cane is a sneaky invader that has driven out native

Bio-Diversity

As the Pool of Agribusiness Giants Shrinks, Will Innovation Follow?

Stratfor is the most reliable international news and intelligence source now that our newspapers have become little more than mouthpieces for the monopolists who own them. Nevertheless, the idea that the super-concentrated agricultural companies have been innovators over the last decade shows the extent to which even independent thinkers

"Invasion Biology"

Feral Hogs Pegged as One of Top Contaminators of San Antonio River

Since Europeans arrived in Texas, pigs have roamed our river bottoms, fattening on acorns and mast and in so doing, stimulating plants. Before the Civil War, these were gathered seasonally, slaughtered and the meat provided the primary cash crop for Hill Country farmers. At the time of the Civil War,

"Invasion Biology"

A Hint of Danger in the Forest

Proliferation of feral pigs is not limited to Texas. Regulations against selling free-range pigs as food and regulatory red tape that has driven small processors out of business are why we have the feral pig “problem.” Free-ranging pigs have provided humans with nutritious, safe, enviornmentally sustainable meat for

Animal Development

Forget Whole Foods. Go Whole Hog.

The obvious solution to the feral pig “problem” is to put free-range pigs back in the human food chain where they belong, and would be, but for government red tape which benefits the big companies at the expense of the public and wildlife. NOTE: article was originally published on

"Invasion Biology"

Virus Plagues the Pork Industry, and Environmentalists

The major killers of humanity throughout our recent history: smallpox, flu, tuberculosis, malaria, plague, measles and cholera, are infectious diseases that evolved from animal diseases. Because humans lived in close proximity to these confined animals, their diseases transferred to humans. Mad Cow Disease probably transferred to humans because cattle offal,

"Invasion Biology"

Bacon Preservative Tested as Feral Hog Poison

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Tests Wild Pig Poison Dispensers at Kerr Wildlife ‘Management’ Area   NOTE: Post Originally appeared in San Antonio Express News on June 21, 2014   NEW ORLEANS — A preservative used to cure bacon is being tested as poison for the nation’s estimated 5 million feral hogs.

"Invasion Biology"

The Feral Pig "Problem" Part V

The Feral Pig Problem – Part V: Sources and Comments In addition to the specific links included in each installment, which I have not repeated, I have included a list of books below and remarked on what I found important about them. Across the board, they have informed my thinking on

"Invasion Biology"

The Feral Pig “Problem” - Part IV

Part I: Background Part II: A Brief History of Pigs, Pork and People Part III: The Growth of “Efficient” Factory Farms Part IV: Meat Factory Pollution and Public Health *   Meat Factory Pollution and Water Pollution *   Comparative Wholesomeness *   Free Range Pork Compared *   Mad at Our Money: Economic Value of Free Range

"Invasion Biology"

The Feral Pig “Problem” - Part III

Part I: Background Part II: A Brief History of Pigs, Pork and People Part III: The Growth of “Efficient” Factory Farms *  Animal Cruelty *  Big Pig’s Version *  The “Rest of the Story” from Forbes Magazine *  Pig Factories are Filthy  Part IV: Meat Factory Pollution and Public Health Part V: References

"Invasion Biology"

The Feral Pig “Problem” - Part II

Part I: Background Part II: A Brief History of Pigs, Pork and People * Free-Range Pigs in Texas * The Garbage Pig * Pig Prejudice * Big Food and the Garbage Pig Part III: The Growth of “Efficient” Factory Farms Part IV: Meat Factory Pollution and Public Health Part V: References and Comments