How best to care for a wild pig?

[Stranger_On_A_Train]

@Dr.Strangelove

Legally, who owns the pig in this case?

I’d say to find someone to kill the pig for you and have your own Kālua pig luau. But I know nothing about porcine salvage law in Hawaii.

It the pig is on the property of the poster (which the o.p. appears to suggest) and the law permits harvesting the pig without permit, it seems likely that it is the property of the o.p. The trapper may have a claim of civil interference if she manipulates the trap but since she has made a presumably good faith attempt to contact the trapper without success she can make the argument for necessity of action, both to remove a nuisance and out of concern formthe animal’s well being (e.g. unexperienced tastiness).

As for sympathy to the animal, feral (not “wild”) pigs are not native to the islands. They can be quite destructive to flora, fauna, and property as well as a potential hazard to people (unusual but sows are quite protective of litters). The animal was trapped specifically because of its nuisence potential and should be taken as intended. Wildlife (or in this case, feral) populations of animals have to be managed for the well being of ecosystems as well as protecting people and property.

Stranger

[CairoCarol]

Update - Sam appeared! It turns out he wanted to come deal on Sunday, but couldn’t buy bullets. So he showed up today and quickly and cleanly shot and removed the pig. He has re-set the trap, but now I have his number so I can call him directly if there is another capture.

Regarding who owns the pig - without consulting any legal code, I’d say that since we (not me personally, but a tenant on the property) asked Sam to come as a favor and trap pigs, interfering with that process should only be done as a last resort.

Technically speaking, I could probably request some of the meat he smokes. According to my son, who was listening to the conversation, he did sort of offer me some when he came out to set the trap last week (I missed it but the way I recall the conversation, it is likely my son is right).

However, there is a HUGE amount of work between setting a trap and ending up with delicious kalua pig, none of which I am doing. So I told Sam I’d be happy to buy some meat from him. He told me his auntie is getting married in a while and he’s trying to prepare as much pig as possible for the festivities, so I told him no worries if he doesn’t have any meat to spare now. If he has enough later, I’ll take some then.

We have each other’s phone numbers, so I can call him if there is another pig in the trap, and he can call me if he has some delicious kalua pig for me.

Now, the pig wasn’t a pet so I suppose the photo rule does not apply, but hey, what the heck:

The pig, in the cage, our splendid nature behind her, and you can see how she has totally uprooted the soil within the cage.

Bonus photo for people who are extremely thorough SDMB readers with good memories: here’s another shot that shows the Buddha statue, the mysterious disappearance of which I mentioned in another thread.

[Siam_Sam]

Just to be clear, I am not the Sam who appeared and shot the pig.

RIP, Piggy. We hardly knew ye.

[cochrane]

That’s one mean looking piggy. Definitely better off barbecued.

[steatopygia]

Thanks for the update and bonus pics. FWIW that cage was much bigger than I was envisioning.

I did read the disappearing statue thread but didn’t make the connection.

Ah, the old “couldn’t buy bullets” excuse. If I had a nickel…

[DPRK]

Is there a way to manage a feral pig population on an island besides shooting them? Like releasing some pumas or something?

How are they there in the first place?

[cochrane]

@DPRK

Is there a way to manage a feral pig population on an island besides shooting them? Like releasing some pumas or something?

How are they there in the first place?

It’s believed they were brought to the islands by Polynesians who settled in Hawaii around 800 years ago. They were not penned, but allowed to roam free and shared by several families.

http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/dna-says-pig-history-s-hogwash-research-links-animal-s-hawaii-arrival-polynesians

[CairoCarol]

…And another pig just got caught! A bigger one, this time. She’s still nursing, I think - her udders are very visible. Her three babies are hanging out around the cage. That’s sad.

[cornflakes]

It is sad; if it only meant less destruction. It’s great to hear how things are working out between you and your neighbors though.

[Nava]

@CairoCarol

Also, I guess I should give an update, or lack thereof: the pig is still in the cage, and we’re on day 3 so I am getting pretty exasperated. She seems healthy although she had the nerve not to devour the entire sweet potato I cut into large chunks for her this morning. Ungrateful swine! It was a beautiful purple sweet potato - a nice big one, fantastic for cooking into a number of delicious dishes. Oh well, I have more. And she ate some of it, just not all of it at once. I guess it’s a good thing if she isn’t starving.

That’s how pigs eat, normally; they don’t gorge. Gorging is a carnivore problem. It means she was actually fine, if a bit lacking for space.

[Machine_Elf]

@DPRK

Like releasing some pumas or something?

Or dogs?

Or bees?

Or dogs with bees in their mouths, and when they bark they shoot bees at you?

[muldoonthief]

@CairoCarol

…And another pig just got caught! A bigger one, this time. She’s still nursing, I think - her udders are very visible. Her three babies are hanging out around the cage. That’s sad.

If life gives you lemons…

[skdo23]

@CairoCarol

…And another pig just got caught! A bigger one, this time. She’s still nursing, I think - her udders are very visible. Her three babies are hanging out around the cage. That’s sad.

Destructive or not, you are committing animal abuse towards those piglets. If you were truly sincere when you said “that’s sad” you would’ve sprung the trap instead of pretending to feel sorry for them on the internet.

[Nava]

@skdo23

Destructive or not, you are committing animal abuse towards those piglets. If you were truly sincere when you said “that’s sad” you would’ve sprung the trap instead of pretending to feel sorry for them on the internet.

Uh? The trap is already sprung. It’s full of hog.

[iiandyiiii]

@Nava

Uh? The trap is already sprung. It’s full of hog.

[Homer]Mmm, full of hog…[/Homer]

[kopek]

@Machine_Elf

Or dogs?

Or bees?

Or dogs with bees in their mouths, and when they bark they shoot bees at you?

Sharks with laser beams? Sharktopus? Pirhanacondas? Or just turn Roger Corman loose in the wild?

[Colibri]

@skdo23

Destructive or not, you are committing animal abuse towards those piglets. If you were truly sincere when you said “that’s sad” you would’ve sprung the trap instead of pretending to feel sorry for them on the internet.

Again, that’s nonsense. The purpose of trapping the pigs is to control the population. The most humane way to do this is to get the pig trapper back as soon as possible to catch or kill the piglets along with the mother.

I worked with the New Zealand Wildlife Service for 3 years and saw the destruction that introduced wildlife such as cats, stoats, deer, pigs, and other species can do. They have caused the extinction of large numbers of island species including many birds (including some in Hawaii). Unfortunately people often feel more sympathy for these pest species than the native wildlife they are killing off.

[skdo23]

@Nava

Uh? The trap is already sprung. It’s full of hog.

@Colibri

Again, that’s nonsense. The purpose of trapping the pigs is to control the population. The most humane way to do this is to get the pig trapper back as soon as possible to catch or kill the piglets along with the mother.

I worked with the New Zealand Wildlife Service for 3 years and saw the destruction that introduced wildlife such as cats, stoats, deer, pigs, and other species can do. They have caused the extinction of large numbers of island species including many birds (including some in Hawaii). Unfortunately people often feel more sympathy for these pest species than the native wildlife they are killing off.

Ok if two fellow Dopers that I respect, including one with firsthand experience, think I went too far with my earlier post then I probably did. My apologies to the OP, but please tell me you are also feeding the piglets.

[skdo23]

@Machine_Elf

Or dogs?

Or bees?

Or dogs with bees in their mouths, and when they bark they shoot bees at you?

Or badgers maybe. I’m not sure though as FOX took down WhatBadgersEat.com years ago.

[Colibri]

@skdo23

Ok if two fellow Dopers that I respect, including one with firsthand experience, think I went too far with my earlier post then I probably did. My apologies to the OP, but please tell me you are also feeding the piglets.

I think it’s fine to be as humane as possible when the control of pest animals is needed. The trapped sow and the piglets should certainly be fed and given water if possible until the pig trapper returns.

However, I think it’s important not to lose sight of a couple of things:

First, almost all animals in the wild suffer painful and distressing deaths. They may be eaten alive, or if not will die of disease or starvation when they get too old to find food. These pigs may be hungry or frightened for a few hours or days, but they will ultimately suffer less than a normal death in the wild.

Second, pest animals cause the death of many other animals. These pigs are likely consuming birds’ nests or eating food that may be needed by other animals, some of them endangered. Preserving the life of a pig is dooming many other animals.