ABSTRACT
As members of the species S. scrofa, wild pigs in North America share both a conspecific kinship with domestic pigs as well as folklore and mythology of native Eurasian wild boar of the Old World. In the scientific and public literature, individuals of the species are referred to as wild pigs, wild hogs, feral swine, feral pigs and other derivations of this theme. North America and its associated islands are not alone in dealing with ramifications of non-native wild pigs. Wild pigs have a long history of introduction and subsequent establishment throughout non-polar regions of the world. Costs generally outweigh benefits of wild pigs, but this debate is contentious in some regions of North America and can add to management complexities. Wildlife professionals, the non-professional public, and numerous policy makers fortunately realize that wild pig populations are inflicting irreversible harm to some ecosystems in North America. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
