Feral Hogs Cause Chaos on Texas Highway

0:00It's April 17th. This is Dallas News Today, powered by AI, I'm Cory with the story. This week on Interstate 45 near Dallas, drivers face the wild back up when several feral hogs got hit by cars right in the road. Crews had to clear the mess, turning a quick drive into hours of gridlock. These invasive pigs are showing up more often across North Texas, wandering into unexpected spots. Dogs trace their roots to explorers who brought pigs to the Americas over 500 years ago. Some escape farms mixed with wild boars and spread fast. You spot them mostly near creeks, woods, and open fields where food and water are easy to find. Texas battles one of the biggest populations in the US, with over 2.6 million hogs tearing up farms, yards, and crops. They breed year round and cost about $871 million in damage every year. They've even injured people, like a 13-year-old girl attacked on her property last year. Experts warn these hogs turn aggressive in groups, so never approach or feed them.

1:03Back away slowly, report sightings to wildlife officials, and on private land, hunting or trapping is legal to thin the herds. Efforts continue, but controlling them stays tough, so drivers keep eyes peeled at night in rural stretches to dodge the next hog roadblock.