Observations of this hawk species preying on feral piglets on Ossabaw Island off of the Georgia coast have been reported on three occasions. Red-tailed Hawk – Although typically a predator of small birds and mammals, the red-tailed hawk will prey on small feral piglets given the right circumstances. Given the circumstances, predation of feral hogs by this avian scavenger would be a possible but extremely rare event. The piglet was small and, by its lethargic behavior, did not appear to be completely healthy. Using stabbing strikes with their beaks, the trio was then able to kill their victim, which they then consumed. In one reported account in an open rangeland area of south Florida, three adult turkey vultures were observed to fly in, surround, and stop a feral piglet’s escape with their outstretched wings. Turkey Vulture – Primarily a scavenger, this vulture species is also opportunistic in its foraging habits. The overall impact of alligator predation on a feral hog population would be minimal. In other instances, alligator have been observed to rush, catch, and then drown feral hogs that were standing near the water’s edge. In fact, the open water capture and drowning of feral hogs is probably the most common manner in which this type of predation occurs. Alligators have been known to take a variety of sizes of feral hogs, even being able to catch and kill very large hogs that are swimming across open water. However, alligator predation on this invasive species has been described as being either opportunistic or limited. The following are species accounts of what is known about the various native and non-native natural predators in the United States that have been either documented or are thought to have the potential to prey on feral hogs.Īmerican Alligator – The predation of feral hogs by alligators has been well documented in both the scientific and popular literature. Further, most of this predation is directed toward the younger age classes within a feral hog population. For the most part, predation by natural species is thought to represent only a minor role in the mortality of feral hogs throughout their range. However, man is still unquestionably the primary and most significant predator of non-native feral hogs. Feral hogs (also called wild hog Sus scrofa) are preyed on by several natural (that is, nonhuman) species of carnivores and omnivores in the United States.
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