Hi guys,

What effect, if any, has the explosion in feral hog numbers had on the native javelina in Texas?

Do they have a similar diet and, if so, does the larger feral hog displace javelina? And do the feral hogs inter-breed with javelina thereby posing a threat to that species?

I wouldn't think they would cross breed as a javelina is a collared peccary, not a pig. However, at closing time after a few drinks, who knows what a pig would do?

The feral hog population hasn't bothered any of the javelina populations at all, on any of the ranches I've been on.

They both eat corn at feeders, but the majority of their diets are a lot different. Javelina eat a lot of cactus, roots, & mesquite beans. Feral pigs eat roots & beans too but are omnivores, so they have a much broader diet than javelina. Big boar hogs will run javelina and deer off of a corn feeder, but they'll just feed off somewhere else. They still stay in the area though, not displaced. They're not really in competition for food from what I've seen. I was on a lease 2 yrs ago with very high deer, pig, and javelina populations. The ranch was actually known as the Javelina Ranch. It was pretty normal to sit in a stand and watch deer feeding in one area, javelina feeding in and around the deer, and then have the pigs come in and feed in another area. They comingled pretty well, normally. There is also an area 15-20 minutes from where I live here, that has always had high numbers of javelina and pigs living in the same pretty small area.

As far as cross breeding, the answer is no. It is physically impossible for pigs to breed/reproduce with javelina in the wild.

Breed or reproduce......

reproduce lol

Remember Cody’s llama and the goats.....

LMAO, I sure do.

Interesting. Thank you.

You bet. This is just my experience though. It may be different in other areas that have different types of or less native browse/cactus/beans/tubers that javelina eat.