When is a pig not a pig? When it’s the worst invasive species anywhere. Whether wild boar, razorback, or wild pig, feral swine top the list of ecological worries across most of the US, and much of the world. What makes feral pigs so scary and so very hard to control, and are they coming to a backyard near you?

We also look through the eyes of a very special escapee from a very particular ship, centuries ago.

Peggy Anesi, Educator on Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension, joins us and reveals the shocking way feral swine get to Illinois and why she never eats wild pork, plus a tale of mysterious pawprints in the snow.

Listen to “Apocalypse Pork: Feral Pigs,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com

• How feral pigs arrived and spread
• Are feral swine in your backyard?
• Rototillers and the rise of the machines
• The search for the perfect book cover pig
• The pros and cons of eating invasive species
• Why pig diseases matter to you
• Always carry a pocketknife in cougar country
• Kids in the woods
• Free range pigs vs feral pigs
• Dangers of feral pigs and how to stay safe
• Conquistadors and pigs
• Bears vs mountain lions vs wolves
• Includes the original story, “First Step”