Over the past two years, research suggests the wild pig situation in western Canada is much more controllable than in other regions. Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, which coordinates Manitoba’s efforts to eradicate wild pigs, is working with groups throughout North America.
Dr. Wayne Lees, coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, reports that data collected during eradication efforts provides new insights. “We are starting to develop our sense of managing the problem in Manitoba.”
Dr. Lees said the other information projections came mainly from the U.S., but findings show the Canadian wild boar situation is very different from the U.S.
“We don’t have nearly the number of pigs they have in the U.S., and our pigs are much harder to find.”
He believes they breed less prolifically than they do in the U.S. The cold weather and probably limited food supply take a toll on the population, and pigs tend to congregate in areas with natural feed, such as acorns and grubs. They will eat crops but can survive quite well in a parkland setting. This makes the situation in Canada much different from the U.S., Europe, Australia, and even Asia.
“This makes us examine our data so that we can better understand how these pigs survive and the population dynamics in terms of age distribution and sex distribution, and this will lead to much better control methods better targeted to our particular situation,” said Dr. Lees.
He wants to understand the behaviour of Eurasian wild boars as they live on the landscape. Understanding their behaviour, movements, and breeding practices is essential to better controlling the population.
Dr. Lees explained the differences between Eurasian wild boar and escaped domestic pigs at home. The primary concern is the so-called Eurasian wild boar, a species imported as a farming venture in the 1980s and 1990s. Even though no more permits are issued to raise them, these animals escaped or were released and survived in the wild. They are highly destructive and pose a considerable risk of carrying diseases such as African Swine Fever. Another group includes escaped domestic pigs, like pot-belly pigs or outdoor farm pigs that have escaped their fencing. These animals tend to be more one-off and are not necessarily breeding in the wild, although some small populations might.
“It’s important to differentiate between these groups because our approach to managing them will differ.”
As the eradication efforts progress, Dr. Lees notes the evolving strategies included reporting sightings and responding to them on a one-off basis. When gathering more information, it is essential to understand the locations and behaviours of wild pigs and develop a plan for managing the Eurasian wild boar problem in Manitoba.
It is important to locate these pigs as they rely on public sightings, drone surveillance, and trail cameras to investigate and set up trapping locations. In areas with fewer sightings, they analyze water samples from streams to detect wild pig DNA, working with St. Louis College and BDX laboratories in Winnipeg, MB, to validate the tests. These tests could be a valuable tool for detecting the presence of wild pigs in the future.
Historical information is exciting but must be more helpful for managing the problem.
“By examining our data, we can develop better-targeted control methods.”
Sharing this information with other provinces dealing with similar situations will help coordinate control efforts better and potentially eliminate the invasive Eurasian boar from the landscape.
For more information, visit
squealonpigsmb.org •
— By Harry Siemens