Squeal on Pigs, Manitoba says wild pig populations have steadily declined since the program began in 2022. The group credits aggressive surveillance, trapping, and public reporting for the drop.
Camera grids, landowner interviews, field scouting, and outreach show reductions year over year. As pigs become harder to find, the focus has shifted to teaching people how to recognize rooting and other signs.
The hotline 1.833.PIG.SPOT and
squealonpigsmb.org remain vital tools for connecting with landowners.
Trapping has driven much of the success. The landowner-based program lets staff confirm wild pig presence, install cameras, and set corral traps when needed. Most traps are monitored by landowners, with staff providing support. In remote areas, Squeal on Pigs uses specialized net traps. Field teams also deploy thermal drones, which work well in forests during winter and in cornfields in summer. Owning drones allows repeat flights at lower cost than hiring consultants.
Seasonal cycles matter. In winter, as food sources vanish, pigs are easier to trap. Last winter, Squeal on Pigs added new technicians near Spruce Woods Provincial Park and tested new removal techniques. Through this, they eliminated more than 100 pigs, leaving very few by spring. Plans are in place to ramp up again this winter.
Public involvement continues to play a key role. The online reporting form allows quick submission of suspected signs, from rooting and scat to direct sightings. Field technicians verify reports and educate landowners about wild pigs and other wildlife. By July 31, 2025, 51 confirmed wild pig reports had been logged, most during harvest when rooting is easier to spot.
Disease risk remains a major concern. The program highlights the danger of wild pigs acting as reservoirs for foreign animal diseases, particularly African Swine Fever (ASF). Surveillance for ASF in Manitoba began in 2024, alongside education for producers on bio-security
Looking ahead, Manitoba will include a wild pig chapter in its emergency response plan for ASF. The work involves Animal Health Canada and other provinces, since wild pigs ignore boundaries.
The group says progress reflects a balance of technology, landowner engagement, and national cooperation. Declining numbers show coordinated action works, but vigilance must continue.

In Alberta, the big question is how many pigs remain. Charlotte Shipp, Industry Programs Manager with Alberta Pork, said there is still no reliable number. “We have set up monitoring grids with cameras in active areas and partnered with the University of Calgary to study population demographics. As we track eradication activities, we expect a clearer picture in a couple of years,” she said.
Public reporting is essential in Alberta. Agriculture and Irrigation receives and responds to reports, while Alberta Pork helped launch the pilot project. “Members of the public play a big role. The Squeal on Pigs campaign encourages people to report sightings, rooting, or evidence of animal abuse. They can call 310-FARM or email wildboar@gov.ab.ca, ideally with photos,” Shipp said.
She underscored the disease threat. “From an industry perspective, this is very serious. ASF is the top concern, but wild pigs can also host foot and mouth disease, brucellosis, and others. These animals act as reservoirs that could cause significant harm to livestock production,” she said.
Alberta has scaled up eradication. Six specialists now work full-time across the province. “Our goal is to eradicate wild boar, but first we need better population data. At the same time, we are strengthening collaboration with other provinces,” Shipp said.
She credited Manitoba for leading early efforts and Saskatchewan for sharing long experience. “This is a Western Canadian issue. Wild boar don’t respect provincial boundaries, so we need to work together,” she said.

Mark Ferguson, General Manager of Sask Pork, said Saskatchewan continues to see only a limited number of wild pigs. “It is difficult to estimate the population size given how reclusive these animals are, but we believe trapping has reduced numbers,” he said.
An aerial survey this past winter targeted known wild boar habitats. “Surveyors observed about 160 individual animals in the blocks surveyed. That’s our best estimate right now,” Ferguson said. The survey received funding through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s ASF Industry Preparedness Program.
Saskatchewan has a long history of control. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation runs the Feral Wild Boar Control Program, with trappers removing over 100 pigs annually. Since 2017, SCIC has removed more than 1,000 pigs. “We’ve made significant reductions,” Ferguson said.
The province also placed a moratorium on new wild boar farms in January 2025. Existing farms must be licensed and inspected. Declaring wild pigs a regulated pest gives control officers additional powers.
Reports remain steady. “We receive 10 to 15 verified reports a year,” Ferguson said. Many show up as escaped domestic pigs, but the hotline 1.833.PIG.SPOT remains key.
The industry takes disease risk seriously. “ASF and other reportable diseases are a concern, but so are common production diseases like PRRS and PED. The only real solution is complete eradication,” Ferguson said.
He added that Saskatchewan’s priority remains total removal. “We will continue to work closely with SCIC and the Ministry of Agriculture and support the vital work on this file,” he said.
Across the prairies, provinces are sharing expertise and tightening surveillance. Programs differ, but all agree on one point: We must eliminate wild pigs. With strong collaboration and public reporting, that goal looks increasingly within reach. •
— By Harry Siemens

Canada’s Invasive Wild Pig Strategy was developed in response to the significant threat that invasive wild pig populations pose to Canada’s environment, agriculture industry, natural habitats, and native
species. This strategy is designed with the overarching goal of eradication of invasive wild pigs from Canada.

VISION
Eradication of invasive wild pig
populations in Canada in order to
eliminate their impacts on ecological,
agricultural, cultural and social assets.

MISSION
Provide program and policy guidance
to support a collaborative, regionally based network focused on the
eradication of invasive wild pigs.