Hogzilla
Giant pig killed in 2004
Hogzilla (a portmanteau of hog and Godzilla) was a notably large male hybrid of wild hog and domestic pig that was shot and killed by Chris Griffin in Alapaha, Georgia, United States, on June 17, 2004, on Ken Holyoak's fish farm and hunting reserve. It was alleged to be 12 feet (3.7 m) long and weighed over 1,000 pounds (450 kg). It was originally widely considered a hoax or urban legend.
As the name implies, the hybrid animal was of a monstrous size, reported to be 12 feet long from snout to tail, calling to mind the legendary movie monster.
The animal's remains were exhumed in early 2005 and studied by forensic scientists for an episode of Explorer for the National Geographic Channel. In March 2005, these scientists confirmed that Hogzilla actually weighed 800 pounds (360 kg) and was between 6.9 feet (2.1 m) and 8.6 feet (2.6 m) long, diminishing the previous claim. DNA testing was performed, revealing that Hogzilla was a hybrid of wild boar and domestic pig (Hampshire breed). However, compared to most wild boars and domestics, Hogzilla was still an unusually large specimen. Hogzilla's tusks measured nearly 28 inches (71 cm) and 19 inches (48 cm).
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Hogzilla”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Hogzilla.jpg by Unknown author, Fair use
Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.
