Environment
Collared feral hogs turn traitor to their herds
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By MICHAEL KRANSZ
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan’s feral swine problem just got a biblical solution. Over the past year, a number of feral swine have been collared with radio trackers and released back into the wild for research, said Dwayne Etter, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife specialist spearheading the eradication efforts. But in winter 2016 these swine will unknowingly lead armed parties to their herd’s position, earning them the title of “Judas hogs,” Etter said. While the hogs won’t earn 30 pieces of silver, they will be left alive for research until the following spring, he said. Until then, research efforts include recruiting more hogs via collaring and examining the behavior of several preliminary Judas hogs after their herds are killed off and they’re left alone, he said.