Feral swine, often called wild boars, are present in Virginia and pose a significant invasive species challenge. These animals are classified as Sus scrofa, the same species as domestic pigs, but they live in a wild, free-ranging state. Feral swine typically descend from domestic pigs that escaped or were intentionally released, often hybridizing with true Eurasian wild boar. The state legally defines a feral hog as any swine that is wild or for which no proof of ownership can be made.
Status and Distribution in Virginia
Feral swine populations in Virginia are localized and scattered, sitting on the northern edge of the species’ expanding range in the eastern United States. Control of new populations is a high priority. Current estimates suggest the population is relatively small but highly reproductive, inhabiting approximately 10 to 20 counties at any given time.
Historical populations are established in specific areas, including the Tidewater region near Virginia Beach and False Cape State Park. Other areas of concern include Southwest Virginia (Bland and Scott counties) and the central Piedmont region (Orange and Culpeper counties). The sporadic appearance of new, isolated groups is often a result of illegal human translocation for hunting purposes. Feral swine are not highly migratory, so their sudden appearance in new counties points directly to human intervention or escaped livestock.
Damage Caused by Feral Swine
Feral swine cause three distinct types of damage: agricultural, ecological, and biological. Their most visible impact is rooting behavior, where they use their snouts to plow up soil in search of food. This destroys pastures, hayfields, and crops such as corn, peanuts, and wheat. This rooting and wallowing activity creates deep ruts that damage farm equipment and contribute to soil erosion.
Ecologically, feral swine are omnivores that compete directly with native wildlife, such as white-tailed deer and wild turkey, for natural food sources like acorns. They also prey on native species, including ground-nesting bird eggs, snakes, and small mammals. Their destructive foraging and wallowing in wetlands disturb sensitive habitats, facilitating the spread of invasive plant species.
The third issue is disease transmission, as feral swine can harbor and spread over 30 diseases and 40 parasites. These pathogens pose a risk to domestic livestock, pets, and humans. Diseases like swine brucellosis and pseudorabies are of particular concern to the commercial pork industry and livestock producers because they can cause reproductive failure.
State Strategies for Population Control
Virginia classifies the feral hog as a “nuisance species” under the Code of Virginia, removing the typical protections afforded to native wildlife. This designation allows for year-round removal and eliminates bag limits. However, the state strongly discourages recreational hunting as a primary control method because it often scatters the pigs, making them wary and harder to capture.
The official strategy for population control is eradication, a coordinated effort led by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and federal agencies like the USDA Wildlife Services. Feral swine have an extremely high reproductive rate, with a population capable of tripling in just over a year. These agencies focus on high-efficiency methods, primarily using large, specialized corral traps to capture entire family groups, or sounders, at once.
To stabilize the population, an estimated 70% of the animals must be removed annually, requiring sustained professional effort. Citizens are encouraged to report all sightings to the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline, as accurate location data is essential for targeted deployment of trapping teams. The DWR emphasizes that the illegal transport and release of these animals, often for the purpose of creating new sport hunting opportunities, is strictly prohibited.