Hogs were brought to Florida by the Conquistadors. Supposedly, Hernando DeSoto introduced the first hogs into North America in 1542. By the time the early pioneers were arriving in South Florida, there were abundant numbers of the descendants of these Spanish swine in the area, and as the following account from 1891 makes clear, they were not beloved by the settlers.

Some portions of South Florida, particularly those regions adjoining the Everglades, are so overrun with wild hogs that even snakes and alligators have sought security in places to which the razorbacks have not yet penetrated.

It would naturally be supposed that the saurians would be only too glad to remain in regions where their prey is so abundant, but the fact is that, however palatable a single hog might be, alligators know that they cannot cope with a sounder of frenzied swine with any assurance of success.

It is even dangerous for armed men to pass through the haunts of the hogs, as the brutes seem to be always on guard and to have eyes, ears and nostrils educated to perfection for their purpose.

They are ready to fight with or without provocation, and being stupid, stubborn, daring and malignant, they would rather die in their tracks than yield an inch of ground to a foe.

(Excerpt from "Florida Razorbacks" by J. M. Murphy in Tales of Old Florida, Frank Oppel and Tony Meisel, editors, p. 469)