Holland&Holland wrote:So there were wild pigs in America prior to European expansion?
Yes.
The current domestic pig is typically considered a descendant or subspecies of the wild pig of Europe. So, the feral domestic pigs currently found in America are originally from wild stock. They were brought here by some of the first European explorers and further introduced by settlers. They mostly are not "wild" pigs as they are escaped or released domestic pig which is why they are correctly called feral and not wild. This is a well known and published concept.
There are a few pigs that are the offspring of "Russian" or more correctly European boars which are considered to be truly wild animals and not feral. They were imported for hunting preserves and were escapees from them. They do look like truly wild pigs with their more or less dull coloring, long tusks, longer hair, and other characteristics. The so called "Arkansas Razorback" would be a good stereotype of this animal. Their genes are thought to have been diluted by breeding into feral populations so truly wild pigs are no longer likely in this country.
When "feral" becomes "wild" is a moving target. Lay people tend to think of anything not having a proven ownership running around freely as being "wild" while those with a more scientific bent considers a creature to be feral until obvious regular signs of domestication have been bred out and the animal returns to its original general appearance.
It isn't a new concept, I first heard of it in 4-H and understand it in 9th grade biology class 40 years ago. My grandfather even knew the basic definitions though he tended to confuse feral and domestic rather than feral and wild.