A European Informational Website
learn more
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.[1]
Its 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. 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. [2]
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.
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 measurements had already accounted for "shrinkage" when they stated their estimates.
Since the discovery of Hogzilla, the small town of Alapaha, which lies about 180 miles south of Atlanta, Georgia, has seen a surge in visitors , comparable to that generated by other purported anomalies of nature such as Bigfoot. Alapaha has accepted the legend of this odd hog into its community. Recent fall festivals have focused on the animal, including a parade featuring a Hogzilla princess, children in pink pig outfits and a float carrying a Hogzilla replica.
Local news media 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 neighborhood 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. [3]
Another boar called Monster Pig was killed just outside Delta, Alabama. The boar was shot by 11-year-old Jamison Stone using a .50 caliber revolver. The hog weighed approximately 1,051 pounds and measured 9 feet 4 inches from snout to tail.[4]
An independent film maker, Lithium Productions, is planning on creating a movie about Hogzilla[5] titled The Legend of Hogzilla. They have enlisted Chris Griffin, the hunter who shot the hog, to help create the movie. [6] Casting calls were made for extras on May 8, 2007 to be auditioned in Tifton, Georgia.[7]