Wild Pig Invasion: OHE thread from Dec 2005
Wild pig invasion
From: Patrick Rorie <prorie@K12.HI.US>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:22:15 -1000
List: Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts (OHE-L)
(Pig hunter) Cory Vidinha warned that pigs are dangerous in the wild and if one were to attack, the best escape is to climb a tree.
“They are like any other wild animal,” he said. “They won’t attack you just to attack you, but if they are cornered or threatened, they will tear you up.”
Wildlife biologist and DLNR state hunting coordinator Ed Johnson is quoted as saying…
Pigs can have one or two litters a year, with up to 10 piglets per litter,”
Read the entire story at: https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Dec/19/ln/FP512190350.html
Re: wild pig invasion
From: Art Isbell <arti@HAWAII.RR.COM>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:10:00 -1000
On Dec 19, 2005, at 2:22 PM, Patrick Rorie wrote:
"If a large sow or boar is caught, he will take it for food, making kalua pig, sausage or smoked meat. If the pig is young or pregnant, he will take it back into the mountains away from homes and release it."
That's disgusting!! No pigs should be released back into the wild after being caught, especially pregnant sows!! This is an indication that the primary goal of pig hunters is to maximize the numbers of pigs available for hunting, not to help eradicate pigs to prevent further degradation of the environment.
Several weeks ago, Inger and I hiked the disappearing trail on Aina Koa ridge (it's being overgrown due to lack of use and clearing). A huge blowdown blocks the trail maybe 2/3 the way to the summit. Between that blowdown and the summit is more pig damage than I have ever seen on a trail. Large areas of uluhe are roto-tilled bare along the ridge top. The disappearing human trail has become a very muddy roto-tilled pig trail. Rains will erode these barren areas causing significant damage.
I wish there were pig food laced with birth control hormones that could be spread throughout pig terrain until no more pigs are being born and all of them die of old age. Short of that sort of control mechanism, I'm pretty pessimistic about the future of our forest lands.
Aloha,
Art
Re: wild pig invasion
From: waianae steve <crider2@HAWAII.RR.COM>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:17:14 -1000
Duhhhhhhhhh, of course pig hunters are not out to eradicate the pigs. Duhhhhhhhhhhh. As a matter of fact I know some that raised half breed pigs and turned them loose in areas where there were no pigs so that future hunters would have something to hunt! Of course I'll never tell who this was :-).
Re: wild pig invasion
From: Tom Rau <dai-uy@HAWAII.RR.COM>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 17:02:56 -1000
Pigs are the number one threat to Hawaii's native and endangered species. A little discussion of the problem:
http://www.rarehawaii.org/
http://www.rarehawaii.org/pigpage/pigs.htm
http://www.rarehawaii.org/overview/malaria.htm
http://www.rarehawaii.org/health/health.htm
http://www.rarehawaii.org/pigpage/Feralpigorigin.htm
http://starbulletin.com/2002/03/25/news/index2.html
What to do in Hawaiʻi:
http://www.rarehawaii.org/pigpage/animalcontrol.htm
In some places, Australia for example, poisoning is used.
http://www.feral.org.au/species/pig.asp
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1360108.htm
Why not in Hawaii? It's worth thinking about. We poison rats and mice that do probably far less damage and are less of a threat to endangered species.
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