Are Wild Pigs in Hawaii Dangerous?

Wild pigs are among the significant attractions on Hawaii Island, which attracts many hunters, but are wild pigs in Hawaii dangerous? Each year, Hawaii alone suffers a loss of $1.5 billion to wild pigs’ attacks.

Today wild pigs are a big threat in Hawaii since they no longer fear people and are found in almost Hawaii’s Main Island. They extend from the wild areas to the urban areas making them dangerous on the roads, contributing to many accidents in Hawaii. In this article, we will look at the dangers that wild pigs pose in Hawaii and measures to protect you from wild pigs’ attacks.

What Are the Dangers of Hawaiian Wild Pigs 

Female vs. Male Wild Pigs: Which are More Dangerous?

There is no single category of wild pigs that attacks people. Both males and females pigs are known to attack without provocation. There have been documented cases of Wild pigs’ attacks when they are in a herd or solitary. 

Do Hawaiian Pigs Pose a Danger to People?

Human Attacks

These wild pigs are extremely dangerous to people, especially when traveling alone and on foot.  When you see these animals traveling in herds and especially when the females have young ones, they should be avoided as much as possible.  Wild pigs with piglets are dangerous since they can easily turn violent when protecting the young ones.  Worse is when a piglet is wounded. 

There have been over one hundred documented cases of human beings being attacked by wild pigs in the United States between 2012 and 1825. Most of the fatal attacks have happened without provocation. In every five attacks, three of them were from wild pigs that had been attacked by hunters. This shows us that hunters should be more careful when they go out hunting. They should avoid unnecessary wounding of pigs since this may end up being catastrophic. 

Worse is that some of the attacks have led to deaths.  In November 2019, Christine, a 59 years old woman, was attacked and killed by a herd of wild pigs a few feet away from her workplace’s front door. A statement released to the media by Sheriff Brian of the Chambers County stated that a herd of wild pigs attacked the woman at between 6 and 6: 30 am when it was still dark, and she died of blood loss.

Do Hawaii Wild Pigs Attack Children?

In Hawaii, the cases of wild pigs’ attacks on children are rare and uncommon. Majority of the recorded attacks victims are adult males walking alone on foot. But children should always be kept safe from these wild creatures since they can turn violent anytime. 

Wild Pigs Transmit Diseases to Humans

These wild pigs are not only dangerous because of their aggression. Bites and injuries from the tusks are dangerous, and they can cause substantial infections.  They are carriers of diseases that can be passed to human beings such as hepatitis E, influenza A, and tuberculosis.  

Brucellosis is the most common one. This disease is infectious and can be a dangerous debilitation in people. Here is a list of many other diseases you can get from wild pigs.

Dangers of Hawaiian Wild Pigs to Other Animals

Wild pigs in Hawaii are known to be omnivorous.  85% to 90% of their diet is from vegetation, while the remaining percentage is meat. 

They feed on small animals such as tortoises, wild turkey, and even feed on other reptiles and birds’ eggs. They start giving birth and multiple litters of piglets yearly at just six months into their gestation period. This poses a great danger to the ecosystem by depriving food for other animals and creating an imbalance; therefore, denying a food source.

Dangers of the Wild Pigs to Hawaiian Rainforest

Not only are the animals a threat to people but also the Hawaiian rainforest. Wild pigs are known to be an invasive species, and they have caused massive destruction to the native plants leading to their extinction.  This has resulted in massive soil erosion.

Measures to Protect Yourself from Wild Pigs Attacks in Hawaii 

Due to the high population of wild pigs and the dangers they pose, the government has strategies to prevent the wild pigs from posing additional threats to both the people and the environment. The measures are as follows:

Fencing

The Hawaii conservation and alliance analyze the locations, then go out in the field and build fences to ensure they contain the animals in the areas.  They also make sure they do maintenance to minimize the attacks on the human being.

Hunting

Both the government and non-governmental organizations have come up with hunting strategies. They have rules that allow their hunters to respond to cases of wild pigs in the residential and public areas. Though this is not the best way, it is useful in reducing their numbers, reducing the threat that the wild pigs pose to people, and helping the damaged forest recover from the predators. 

Snaring

The third and most popular strategy is snaring or hog trapping. There are different types of snares designs but what is mostly preferred by Hawaiian national park managers is foot trapping. 

A snare consists of a loop laid on the footpath where the wild pigs pass through the loop. The loop is secured on an object or a heavy drag and has some sliding lock device that allows the loop to hold on the animal’s foot without closing.

Conclusion

Many people love to go to Hawaii to hunt wild pig or to see them. Though wild pigs are a source of food for many hunters, they can pose a significant danger to the people and the environment, and the entire food chain. 

In Hawaii, the animals have been recorded to have attacked people and eaten other small animals. Therefore, it is right to conclude that wild pigs in Hawaii are dangerous, and people should be very cautious when in areas that are highly populated with pigs.