Camp Critter Wildlife Rescue, the only licensed wildlife rehabilitation center in Oglethorpe County, recently took in two baby wild pigs.
The piglets were found next to their deceased mother by a couple in Waynesboro, Georgia. The couple contacted several places, including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which advised they be left where they were found.
“The mom, from what it was described to me, was the domestic, and I think she was bred with a wild boar,” said Nikki Hughes, who runs Camp Critter.
Hughes said the decision to keep and raise the pigs may be controversial, as wild pigs are seen as a nuisance animal throughout Georgia.
“I’m not quite sure if they’re going to stay or if, you know, we’re going to rehome them,” Hughes said. “They’re not an animal to go to just anybody.”
An estimated 600,000 feral swine were in Georgia in 2023, according to previous reporting by The Oglethorpe Echo.
“Feral hogs are an invasive species that can cause extensive damage to native flora and fauna, agricultural crops, livestock, forest regeneration, and the environment,” according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported an annual estimate of $1.5 billion in damage and cost of feral swine control in 2020.
Despite this, Hughes said she remains committed to the livelihood of the pigs and is hopeful they can become pets.
“I get that with the adult (pigs), that they cannot be necessarily domesticated, but the babies didn’t ask to be born their species, and they shouldn’t have to be killed for it,” Hughes said.
The pigs are scheduled to be neutered at the end of the month. Donations toward the procedure can be made by calling Wilkes County Veterinary Services at 706-678-2929.
While the orphaned pigs cannot be released, the goal for the other rescued animals is to eventually return them to the wild. Hughes maintains her passion across species, hoping to obtain more property to care for even more animals.
“I love doing what I do now,” she said. “I would love for this to grow.”