Hogzilla
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hogzilla is the name given to a wild hog that was shot and killed in Alapaha, Georgia, United States, on 17 June 2004 by Chris Griffin on Ken Holyoak's farm and hunting reserve. It was alleged to be 12 feet (3.6 meters) long and to weigh 1,000 pounds (455 kg).
Its remains were exhumed in early 2005 and studied by scientists from the National Geographic 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 validity of the previous claim. Hogzilla was part domestic (Hampshire breed) and part wild boar. However, compared to most wild boars and domestics, Hogzilla is still quite a large and incredible specimen.
According to the examiners, Hogzilla's tusks measured nearly 23 cm (9 inches), and nearly 41 cm (16 inches), which was a new record for North America.
[edit] Dispute with National Geographic
Ken Holyoak, the man upon whose farm the boar was shot and killed, has disputed the findings made by the National Geographic documentary. Holyoak said that Hogzilla weighed 1,000 pounds (400kg) 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.
"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 measurements had already accounted for "shrinkage" when they stated their estimates.
[edit] Effects of Hogzilla upon Alapaha
Since the discovery of Hogzilla, the small town of Alapaha, which lies about 180 miles south of Atlanta, Georgia, has seen an insurgence of pop culture interest in their town that might be compared to the hype created by other purported anomalies of nature such as Bigfoot.
Alapaha, however, has accepted the legend of this odd hog into its community. It went whole hog (so to speak) with a Hogzilla theme for its fall festival, including a parade featuring a Hogzilla princess, children in pink pig outfits and a float carrying a Hogzilla replica.
