The Saskatchewan government is taking steps to stop the spread of the swine flu disease by cracking down on the invasive population of feral pigs on the prairies.
The province is now imposing a moratorium on new wild boar farms, meaning no new wild pig farms can operate. Farms had until January 1 to apply for a license at no cost.
Restrictions are also being imposed on existing wild boar farms. Farmers should add additional surveillance, conduct annual inspections, keep up-to-date records, and ensure there are adequate fences on their property.
Ryan Brook, a wildlife researcher at the University of Saskatchewan and director of the Canadian Wild Hog Research Project, said the restrictions are a good initiative, but they are being imposed too late.
Wild boars that escape for 40 years
“I think it would be incredibly naive to think that this will help in any way,” Brook said. “We’re 45 years behind schedule. This started in 1980 and we needed legislation then.”
He said wild boars have been escaping from farms for more than 40 years.
Until last year there were approximately 15 wild boar farms in the province.
“It’s like eradicating mosquitoes right now,” Brook said.
Although pigs are known for their popularity among hunters, invasive animals can cause a significant amount of damage. Not only does the creature populate quickly and spread disease, but the feral pig population is known to destroy farmers’ crops.
In the past, wild boars were intentionally crossed with pink domestic pigs to create a larger, longer animal with an improved reproductive rate. Wild boars can weigh up to 300 pounds and have barrel-shaped bodies with dark hair.
Pink domestic pigs that have escaped into the wild can also freely mate with wild boars.
“Saskatchewan could easily support a million feral pigs and we could, and certainly will at some point, have more feral pigs than people in Saskatchewan,” Brook said.
Wild boars were introduced to the grasslands in the 1980s for meat. After the wild boar market dwindled, some escaped and others were released into the wild.
Farmers question whether regulations are necessary
Wild boars roam the woods on Kelly Readman’s farm near North Battleford.
“The epidemic they have been causing is absolutely false,” Readman said.
Readman believes new regulations are not necessarily necessary. He said his farm already has proper fencing, a license and regular inspections.
“You can survey the entire province and ask how many people have seen a wild boar or hit a wild boar,” Readman said. “You’ll get a pretty solid answer: Nobody sees anything, very, very few.”
Sightings of feral pigs have been limited in the province, according to Brook. He said it’s because the creatures are nocturnal and good at hiding.
Despite limited sightings, most feral pig illnesses have been reported in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. South of the border, there are an estimated six million hogs running loose, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In 2015, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) launched the wild boar control program. If anyone sees a wild boar wandering outside an enclosed area, they should report it to the SCIC.
“This program provides a way for landowners and rural municipalities to remove feral hogs, which pose a threat to the environment, agricultural operations and other animals,” the provincial government said in a statement to CBC.
Producers should report any pigs that escape from captivity to their local game farm investigator.
