Family Finds Wild Pig Swimming 2 Miles Away From the Coast… Yes, a Pig!

Imagine taking a fun boat ride with your family and running into a wild pig swimming 2 miles away from the coast. No, not on the beach, but in the water! This is exactly what happened to a family in Hawaii while taking a trip to Chinamanʻs Hat island off of Oahu. While enjoying a nice and warm day, they spotted something splashing in the water. At a closer look, it was a wild pig, about two miles offshore! At first, they thought it was a dog.

Thankfully, the family that spotted this wild animal immediately took action and tried to get it out of the water. It took them nearly forty-five minutes to coax the small wild hog into the boat. They were able to pull the boar on the boat with a rope around its torso.

June Mellor, and her family, tried to nurse the frightened and tired boar. They tried to give it water, but all it wanted to do was sleep, likely exhausted from the long swim. Miracle, the boar, was released into a wild area of Kaneohe as soon as they returned to land. According to the family, Miracle perked up when she touched the grass and in no time took off. It’s a mystery as to how and why the wild boar was so far out into the ocean.

Are Wild Boars Common in Hawaii

As interesting as it is to see a wild pig swimming 2 miles off the coast of Hawaii, these large animals are not native and instead, destructive. Still, wild and feral hogs are common in Hawaii. Wild boars, also sometimes called wild hogs or wild pigs, have a long history in Hawaii.

These animals were first brought to the islands by ancient Polynesians. They were likely the first people to migrate to Hawaii. With them, they brought many different types of plants and animals, including the wild boar. Although first contained, this didn’t last long as the wild population grew and escaped. This wasn’t the end though for the introduction of wild boars. Europeans in the 1700s, specifically Captain Cook and his crew, brought over European breeds. Now, experts estimate there are about 400,000 wild boars in the tropical state.

Can Wild Boars Swim Well?

Although it’s unlikely you’ll be lucky enough to see a wild pig swimming 2 miles off the coast of Hawaii, these animals are excellent swimmers. Some populations are known to travel between islands by swimming for miles. They have a lot of stamina and may even swim for hours. Wild hogs have been documented in the Bahamas swimming in clear water, sometimes with tourists. Not only are wild boars powerful swimmers, but also fast runners. They can run up to 30 mph.