Hi, park enthusiasts. I'm your host, D'Lia Diambra. The case I'm going to tell you about today

takes place in the Mark Twain National Forest and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways,

both of which are in Missouri. According to the U.S. Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest

touches 29 different counties and covers a whopping 1.5 million acres.

If you visit, you can kayak, camp, river float, ride, ride, ride, or walk the park's more than

750 miles of trails. From what I read about the National Forest and Ozark National Scenic

Riverways,

they both seem like great places to take a day trip if you live in an area within driving distance.

One of the largest predators found in these parts is the black bear,

followed by a variety of venomous snakes.

And lastly, a pesky nuisance animal known as the feral hog.

Yeah, you heard me right.

I said hog, as an oink-oink.

These critters are perhaps the most harmful type of wildlife to that area because they constantly are rooting around tearing up native plants.

They abound in large numbers, and some can weigh as much as 300 to 400 pounds.

The precious ecosystems they destroy are dwindling far quicker than wildlife conservationists would like,

and the economic and environmental damage they cause in the United States every year is estimated

to be about $1.5 billion.

In May of 2020, though, it wasn't the feral hogs that fractured the sanctity and solitude of Ozark

National Scenic Riverways or Mark Twain National Forest. It was a human predator, a man who took

a mother away from her children and the peace of mind out of many people's lives.

This is Park Predators.

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