When you think of feral hogs, most people think of problems that happen in the South. These hogs are an invasive species not native to North America, but they've exploded in population. You would think that these feral hogs from the South couldn't survive the Minnesota climate, but you would be wrong.

Why Feral Hogs Are So Bad

Feral hogs destroy farmers' crops, reproduce rapidly, and cause the economy millions of dollars of losses each year. They also are bad for ecosystems as they can overrun areas damaging other wildlife.

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'Super Pigs" are a problem in Canada.

Yes, super pigs are feral hogs that come from wild boars crossbreeding with domestic pigs. They have shown to be able to handle the colder climates and even thrive. It's been a major issue in Canada. According to an article earlier this year from MPR, those pigs are heading closer to the US Border. That has officials in Minnesota concerned.

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Over 700,000 square miles of Canada now, which is bigger than most countries according to NBC.

Report any feral hogs you see.

It's important to report any feral hogs that you encounter to the Minnesota DNR. They don't have a management plan in place yet to search for these animals, so it's up to the public to let them know if they see them.

Feral hogs are intelligent animals.

Pigs are pretty smart animals. They may be the fourth smartest mammals, and they learn and teach their offspring how to survive. They can adapt and reproduce quickly. The populations are very difficult to control, and even recreational hunting hasn't made a dent in their population growth.

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

Gallery Credit: Hannah Lang

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