Most historians agree that the first human contact with the Hawaiian Islands was between 500-700 A.D. These voyagers travelled in double-hulled canoes over thousands of miles of open ocean. When the ancient Polynesians initially arrived in the Hawaiian Island Chain, they had brought along several species of plants and animals to prepare for eventual settlements throughout their journey. Pigs (Pua'a in the Hawaiian language) were included as a valuable source of protein. Therefore, upon arrival, pigs were introduced to these newly discovered lands for the first time.
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To this day, feral pigs continue to thrive in Hawaii's ecosystem and can be found on all main islands except Lana’i. Wild pigs are widely distributed, but found mostly in wet forests and open mountain pastures. They forage for vegetation and worms by rooting in the ground. In certain areas, feral pigs have been responsible for destroying Native Hawaiian vegetation and also spreading weed seeds throughout the islands. To prevent degradation of the local ecosystems (and because the meat is considered a local delicacy), Hawaiian wild pigs are also hunted for their meat. The meat of a wild pig is best smoked or slow-cooked in a Hawaiian-style underground oven or Imu.
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