How Feral Hogs Are Endangering Texas Alligator Populations

Who would win: 140 lbs of bacon capable of destroying over 6 feet of vegetation and property in under a minute, or an angry lizard with a bite force of 2000 lbs per square inch?

This is the qualifying round that is taking place around portions of Texas as feral hogs are targeting unattended alligator nests.

Look What the Pig Dragged in

Feral hogs are already considered a nuisance and are classified as an invasive species. Recently, it's been found that these piggies are picking up a new hobby: eating alligator eggs.

Through the use of game cameras, biologists were able to observe that, of the 28 monitored alligator nests, about half were targeted by feral hogs.

Alligator nest survival is already pretty low, with about 1/3 of nests being destroyed by other predators like raccoons (really?). Not to mention that if a nest survives, only 10 of the, on average, 38 babies will survive to adulthood.

The problem isn't even about hogs eating the eggs--not entirely. Just them merely disturbing the nest in any way can affect exposure from weather and other natural elements to the eggs.

Just Gator Things

Alligator populations are estimated to reach up to 500,000 in Texas and are found in just about 120 of the state's 254 counties.

With the human demand for luxury products like the ever-so-hip boots and handbags, unregulated hunting led to a massive shift to near extinction, but thanks to federal protections like the Endangered Species Act of '73, their numbers are back on the rise.

As American Alligator numbers improve, it's important to learn how to share the land, as it were, with these giants. Always be alert to a potential presence, never discard fishing waste in rivers and streams where alligators can be found, and NEVER feed a wild alligator... unless you want to begin your transition into Captain Hook.