Michigan feral pigs and the increased threat of Pseudorabies

As many of you know,I have taken a keen interest in, and have been conducting research on, the recent feral pig issues.
Though most probably escaped from local game ranches and pig farms, it is also presumed some of the wayward swine are making their way up from southern states in an effort to seek out more abundant food sources and take up residence in territory previously uninhabited by their kind.

Washtenaw(the county I myself reside in) is apparently one of the hot spots in Michigan for encounters with wild pigs.
MLive.com posted an article in September 2008 which covers the story of George Albercook, a Washtenaw county resident who had spotted one of the creatures and was able to snap a quick photo with his cell phone.
The story in its entirety,can be seen below,along with George's picture of the boar :

Washtenaw County residents report sightings of wild boars

One of the mounting concerns with recent wild boar explosions,is that of whether they are a catalyst in the recent spread of H1N1,better known as "Swine flu".
While there has been no direct connection to H1N1,feral hogs are known to carry at least 13 different diseases,including anthrax, and tubercullosis.
Now, a new threat seems to be on the rise as the invaders make their way across the land. It is that of the disease called"Pseudorabies",which is another name given to the porcine herpesvirus1. The name pseudorabies comes from the rabies-like symptoms it was noted to cause in rabbits who had contracted the disease.

It is estimated that there are already some 4,000 feral pigs in Michigan alone.
Most of the feral population consists of a hybrid cross of domestic European pig(established here by human settlers) and Russian wild boar(most likely escapees from game farms),neither of which are native to the American continent.

The continuing question remains "What do we do about this?"
Since we obviously created this seemingly problematic situation,where then do we start to fix it so that panic and fear do not consume us as a population and cause "frenzied killing",as my dear friend Esther so eloquently and perfectly put it.

In closing,I would like to leave you with a little reminder....
The pigs themselves are not to blame,they are only doing what nature designed and intended them to do.

Note : If you would be interested in becoming a state chapter rep/contact for the North American Fortean Society,please let us know by visiting our state chapters page and sending us an email along with your contact info :
NAFS state chapters

Enjoy your afternoon and have a howling good evening,Haven fans!

Ta ta for now!
Your Mistress of the Mysterious,
Raven M.

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