The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently listed the sporting swine as an invasive species, stepping up the state’s fight against swine gone wild.
Michigan listed sporting swine as an invasive species. Photo: Per0ni (flickr)
By April 2012, sporting and breeding facilities won’t be allowed to have sporting swine because they can get loose and become feral.
Feral swine have a track record for damaging property, eating domestic and wild animals, out-competing native animals for food and spreading diseases like Foot-and-Mouth disease to wildlife, livestock and humans.
Feral swine have been seen in counties throughout Michigan. Photo: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The department encourages sporting facilities to offer hunts to get rid of their sporting swine population. To help control swine that have already gone wild, Michigan allows hunters with any kind of license to hunt swine on public and private land.
Feral pigs have been a Michigan problem for years (echo article) and have been seen in most other Great Lakes states. They even made it to the final four of Echo’s Great Lakes Smackdown.