Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are a combination of Eurasian wild boar and escaped/released domestic pigs.
In the US, feral swine likely cause an estimated $1.5 billion in damages and control costs each year. The estimated 6 million feral swine carry several viruses, bacteria, and parasites that pose a threat to livestock, humans, pets, and wildlife.
Due to their close genetic similarity, feral swine can easily transmit deadly diseases to domestic pigs, such as African swine fever (ASF), a foreign disease (FAD). ASF is not present in the U.S. territory, but it would have catastrophic consequences for the swine industry if it were ever diagnosed domestically. Pseudorabies (PRV), on the other hand, is a domestic disease that has existed in the US for 150 years but is currently present only within the feral swine population.