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 (450 kg). Originally it was considered a hoax.http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/images/hogzilla.jpg
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 extraordinary specimen. http://www.natgeotv-int.com/pages/images/programmes/hogzillapic.jpg
According to the examiners, Hogzilla's tusks measured nearly 18 inches (46 cm), and nearly 16 inches (41 cm), which was a new record for North America.
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[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 (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.
"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. It is a domestic pig
[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.
[edit] 2007: Boar shot reported to rival Hogzilla
Local newsmedia reported that on January 5th, 2007 a 1,100 pound (500 kg) hog was shot in Fayetteville, near Atlanta, Georgia. The shooter was William Corsey, who hung the specimen from a tree in his yard. Neighbors reported that the animal had been seen in the neighboorhood several times over the preceding days. Corsey said he hauled it to a truck weigh station, where he says the hog weighed in at 1,100 pounds. A spokesperson from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said that large boars and feral hogs were common in South Georgia, but that no records are kept on them. The media latched on to the notion that this animal rivals the size of Hogzilla. [1]
