Wild pigs, wild costs: the economic consequences of wild pig invasions in the United States

BACKGROUND Wild pigs ( Sus scrofa ), an invasive species in the United States, cause extensive ecological and economic harm, impacting agriculture, forests, ecosystems, water quality, property, and human health and safety. Despite the substantial economic impacts, existing nationwide monetary assessments of wild pig damage are outdated and lack modern scientific rigor. RESULTS By synthesizing data from scientific journals, this study inventories the scope of wild pig damage, highlights gaps in our understanding of the associated costs, and introduces a novel composite approach to visualizing them. Additionally, it provides an updated conservative estimate of the economic costs associated with wild pig damage in the U.S. by combining known costs with reasonable extrapolations. While our analysis indicates a minimum annual cost of US$3.4 billion associated with wild pig invasions in the U.S. — considering agriculture, health, the environment and property — the true economic impact is likely to be far greater and remains largely unknown. CONCLUSION The study underscores the urgent need for standardized damage assessment protocols and increased research investment to accurately quantify the full economic burden of wild pig invasion. These data are critical for informed policy decisions and optimized resource allocation in wild pig management.