Posted May 27, 2014
The
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is gearing up with thermal imaging weapons
to kill feral hogs, which cause about $1.5 billion in damages every year to
farm communities and fields, according to an article on Reuters by P.J.
Huffstutter available here. A similar feral
swine article was posted on the blog here. The New Age Online
also published Reuters’ article here and the Washington
Post Online Blog here, and WNCT 9
published a summary article here.
Feral
hogs can weigh more than 400 lbs and have been known to carry off newborn
calves. Also, department officials are worried they may help spread a deadly
pig virus. Therefore, the USDA wants to buy thermal scopes for high-powered
rifles to kill the hogs.
“We're
going to get them, oh yes we are,” said Jason Wilking with USDA's Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which has put out bids for 11 scopes
since April 7.
The
thermal scopes are part of a $20 million nationwide project to battle the feral
swine. The project will also test for the spread of diseases such as swine
influenza, swine brucellosis, and trichinosis, which is a bacteria swine can
carry that can threaten human health.
USDA
scientists also have concerns that the swine may be spreading Porcine Epidemic
Diarrhea virus (PEDv). The disease is not a threat to humans, but it has killed
7 million piglets. However, no evidence has been found to link the feral swine
to the lethal pig disease.
The
thermal scopes, approximately $12,000 each, will allow APHIS to conduct night
attacks to “lethally remove” the swine, according to USDA APHIS spokeswoman,
Carol Bannerman. The scopes can be used as a hand held device to search
darkened areas for the location of animals, or they can be attached to weapons,
sniper-style.
The
USDA is also utilizing a technique called “Judas Pig” where feral sows with
radio transmitters are released back to their herds to zoom in on the herds.
Drones
are another tactic in consideration, but there is no word on whether they will
join the hunt.
For
more information on biosecurity, please visit the National Agricultural Law
Center’s website here.
