The U.S. government is facing an increasing bother. Wild pigs, at their worst, can damage crops, spread diseases, attack humans and kill farm animals. And things are getting worse: a study shows that they are likely to double in number over the next 3 years. Why is it so hard to control wild pigs?
Introduced to America in the 16th century, and related to the wild pigs found in Europe, wild pigs can be found in 75% of all states. No single law exists to control them and regulations differ between states: while in Missouri they can only be shot if met by chance, in Texas hunting is actively encouraged; a “pork chopper” law allows Texan hunters to shoot wild pigs from helicopters, and some people in Louisiana have even built their own pig—hunting drone(无人机). As well as being popular with hunters, wild pigs are cheaper for game raisers to breed(饲养)than deer. In Michigan and Pennsylvania suggested bans on the private breeding of pigs for hunting have caused quarrels between game raisers and wildlife officials.
Wild pigs' double nature—considered pests by farmers, but valued by hunters—makes it hard to pass laws to control them. Two other factors also contribute. Nearly 70% of land in America is privately owned. And it is difficult for lawmakers to force breeding and hunting laws on private landowners. Secondly, it is hard to define a wild pig.
In some states, laws are being introduced to redefine the term “wild animal” to keep out wild pigs. This is good news for those raising pigs for hunting, but less are to those who consider them pests whose number should be limited. Meanwhile, discussions continue over how to deal with this problem.
People are not permitted to hunt wild pigs freely in ________.
A.Texas | B.Michigan |
C.Missouri | D.Louisiana |
Why do the game raisers prefer raising wild pigs to deer?
A.It's difficult to raise deer. |
B.Wild pigs are in large numbers. |
C.Deer are not popular with hunters. |
D.They can benefit more from wild pigs. |
Which is NOT the reason for the difficulty in controlling wild pigs?
A.The difficulty of passing effective laws. |
B.The high percentage of land owned privately. |
C.The farmers' unwillingness to shoot wild pigs. |
D.The popularity of raising wild pigs in many states. |
What is the best title of the text?
A.Why are wild pigs so hard to control? |
B.Are wild pigs pests or wild animals? |
C.Wild pigs—an increasing danger in the US. |
D.How to deal with the problem of wild pigs? |