As If Feral Hogs Weren’t Bad Enough, They Likely Help Spread Invasive Plants

It’s no mystery to what kind of damage feral pigs can create on a landscape. Their incessant rooting for food ultimately disturbs native ecosystems and rips up crops, and they’re often able to outcompete native wildlife species for resources. As if that weren’t bad enough, new research from a team of biologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison [Sara Hotchkiss Lab in Botany] offers some insight into just how much damage feral pigs on the Big Island are causing to Hawaii’s already fragile ecosystem.