Canadian 'super pigs' set to spread disease and damage the environment in the US, expert warns

• An expert has warned of an invasion of giant pigs to the US from Canada.
• The highly-intelligent pigs carry diseases, evade predators, and can wreck the environment.

A species of "super pig" from Canada that is migrating to the US could damage the natural environment, invade cities and spread disease, an expert has warned.

In recent years the feral pig population has in the US has begun to swell, with pigs released into the wild for hunting — and the entry of a giant new species of Canadian pig is increasing it further.

These pigs are a cross between wild boars and domestic pigs, and were bred in Canada in the 1980s to diversify agriculture. Some of the pigs, which can grow to over 660 pounds, were set free or escaped, forming communities in the wild.

The size and intelligence of the Canadian pigs has helped them survive the tough Canadian winters, and they can burrow tunnel ls into the snow, evading predators and freezing conditions, according to report.

An expert told Insider the pigs can carry diseases transferable to humans, such as E. coli and hepatitis, and can devastate the environment.

Dr Ryan Brook, an assistant professor in the department of animal and poultry science at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, described them as "the worst invasive large mammal on the planet."

"They are highly intelligent, have the razor sharp tusks and thick fur of a wild boar and the large body size and high reproductive rate of a domestic pig."

He said they cause widspread envirnonmental damage.

"They will eat just about anything from eggs, birds, insects, plant roots, plants, agricultural crops, baby lambs and deer, adult deer, and frogs.

The population has swelled to roam around 620,000 square miles, and is now spilling over into the US.

"They're incredibly intelligent," Brook told the Guardian. "They're highly elusive, and also when there's any pressure on them, especially if people start hunting them, they become almost completely nocturnal."

While pigs are not native to the US, they have been on the continent since being introduced by European settler in the 16th century.

Brook called for a campaign to cut down the size of the Canadian pig population before they cause damage in the US.

"Trapping of entire groups, helicopter capture, ground based removal teams, Judas pigs (GPS satellite tracking collar on a pig that leads you to other pigs), education, and fencing are all good options and indeed success only comes with using all of these together," he said.