Hogzilla

Hogzilla is the name given to a wild hog hybrid that was shot and killed in Alapaha, Georgia, United States, on June 17, 2004 by Chris Griffin on Ken Holyoak's farm and hunting reserve. [cite news|last=Dewan|first=Shaila |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/19/MNGNRBS0E71.DTL
title=DNA tests to reveal if possible record-size boar is a pig in a poke|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|date=2005-03-19|accessdate=2007-06-12] It was alleged to be 12 feet (3.6 meters) long and to weigh 1,000 pounds (450 kg). Originally it was considered a hoax.cite news|last=|first= |url=http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Technology/story?id=599913 |title=The Mystery of Hogzilla Solved|publisher=ABC News|date=2005-03-21 |author=ABC GMA |accessdate=2007-06-12]

The animal's remains were exhumed in early 2005 and studied by scientists from the National Geographic Society for a documentary. In March 2005, these scientists confirmed that Hogzilla actually weighed 800 pounds (360 kg) and was between 7.5 and 8 feet (2.25 and 2.4 meters) long, diminishing the previous claim. DNA testing was performed, revealing that Hogzilla was a hybrid of wild boar and domestic swine (Hampshire breed). However, compared to most wild boars and domestics, Hogzilla is still quite a large and extraordinary specimen.Cite web|url=http://www.natgeotv-int.com/pages/images/programmes/hogzillapic.jpg|title=Image of "Hogzilla"|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=September 1|publisher=natgeotv-int.com|author=National Geographic Television|format=.jpg]

According to the examiners, Hogzilla's tusks measured nearly 18 (46 cm) and 16 inches (41 cm), which was a new record for North America.

Dispute with National Geographic Society

Ken Holyoak, the man upon whose farm the boar was shot and killed, has disputed the findings made by the "National Geographic Society" documentary. Holyoak said that Hogzilla weighed 1,000 pounds (450 kg) when he weighed it on his farm scales, and that he personally measured the hog's length at 12 feet (3.6 meters) while it dangled by the straps from a backhoe. It is possible he measured from end of hoof to nose (while suspended with gravity stretching the animal) rather than from end of tail to nose (as a creature might be measured while alive and in a standing position), which might account for some of the discrepancy between his measurements and those of National Geographic.

"As with any organic being after death, tissues will decompose and the body will atrophy, making actual measurements change over time,” Holyoak said. “Have you ever seen a raisin after it was a grape?”Nancy Donnelly, the producer of the National Geographic documentary, stated that the scientists who made the measurement had already accounted for "shrinkage" when they stated their estimates.

In popular culture

Hogzilla movie

In 2007 independent film company Lithium Productions announced plans to make a movie about Hogzilla, titled "The Legend of Hogzilla", enlisting Chris Griffin to help create the film. [cite news |first=Jana |last=Cone |title=Hammin' it up for Hogzilla |url=http://www.tiftongazette.com/homepage/local_story_128225051.html |work=The Tifton Gazette|publisher=South Georgia Media Group|date=2007-05-08 |accessdate=2008-01-21] Producer Rick Trimm held auditions for extras on May 8, 2007 in Tifton, Georgia. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Legendary 'Hogzilla' to Hit Big Screen |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042800468.html |work=washingtonpost.com |publisher=The Washington Post Company |date=2007-04-28 |accessdate=2008-01-21]

Hogzilla is a boss in Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2.

Investigations

A recent phenomenon has started prior to the incident concerning Hogzilla; people from most of the southern United States have reportedly shot and killed large hogs similar in size to Hogzilla, or even larger. The History Channel television series "MonsterQuest" has recently done an investigation on these reports. The "MonsterQuest" team originally proposed that these huge hogs were relict giant extinct pigs called "entelodonts". However, the team later concluded that these alleged giant hogs, dubbed "Mega Hogs", are usually either domestic pigs obese from captivity, or huge wild boars. However, they did not rule out the possibility of an entirely new species of giant wild hog.

ee also

*List of pigs

*Monster Pig

References