Hogzilla

In June 2004, a hunting guide in Georgia shot an enormous feral hog that defied belief. Photographs showed a creature of prehistoric proportions. Skeptics dismissed it as a hoax until scientists exhumed the body and confirmed its extraordinary size.

The Kill

Chris Griffin, a hunting guide, shot a massive feral hog on Ken Holyoak’s fish farm in Alapaha, Georgia. The animal was so large that Griffin initially thought it was impossible. Photographs were taken before the body was buried.

The Photographs

The images showed a hog of apparent monstrous size, leading to immediate skepticism. The animal appeared to be twelve feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds. Internet commentators declared the photos fake.

The Exhumation

National Geographic sponsored an investigation. In March 2005, Dr. Oz Katz and a team exhumed Hogzilla’s remains. Scientific examination revealed the hog was between seven and eight feet long and weighed around 800 pounds.

The Reality

While smaller than claimed, Hogzilla was still extraordinarily large, one of the biggest wild pigs ever documented. DNA analysis showed it was a hybrid between wild boar and domestic pig, which explained its unusual size.

The Legacy

Hogzilla spawned a documentary and inspired monster pig hunting throughout the South. Subsequent claims of even larger pigs followed, though most were debunked or unverified.

Assessment

Hogzilla demonstrates how genuine anomalies can be exaggerated through photographs and storytelling while still being remarkable. The verified 800-pound hybrid hog was extraordinary even if not twelve feet long.