I’ve heard stories and read articles about South Carolina’s wild pigs, especially about how destructive they can be and how their population has exploded since the 1980s. Depending on the source they may be referred to as hogs or boars. This is the first one I’ve seen and in quite an unexpected spot: a canal at the edge of an old rice field where I’ve often photographed egrets, herons and alligators.
There is still a little snow around the edges of the ponds, some of the non-moving water is frozen over and the dense grass areas have ice in them. This may have been the best watering spot he could find, even with the mud.
He sauntered away–I’m not sure he could have run if he needed to, being up to his knees in that mud.
Click on any photo for larger view.
I was standing there and I’m impressed. Great shots.
What an adorable creature!
I hear they’re fearless and vicious up close.
Hard to imagine of this little guy!
Seek peace,
Paz
I think the mud bath may have been doing him good and this one didn’t look like much of a threat, although there was that canal and a few alligators between us! Unfortunately they have become a destructive and costly nuisance, from digging up urban yards to rooting up crops.
In Europe too there is an explosion of wild hogs, they look different than yours but they are even bigger I think, they ruin a lot of gardens I hear. So far they are not in our area (yet) but when we were in France last year we saw the damage they could do !
I think this was a young one, but I don’t know how big they get and I didn’t expect one to look like this. Most of the photos I’ve seen they are black. I hope they stay away from your gardens!
They might have a bad reputation but this fellow is pretty cute. Nice photos!
Much cuter than I had expected when thinking about a wild pig. Thanks, Belinda!
wow! what an unexpected find!
It sure was. I’ll be looking for them all the time now!
What an awesome find and captures, Ellen! It is fun to photograph all wildlife. 🙂 He’s a cutie!
Thanks, it is a treat to see something so unexpected!