Eradication of Manitoba's wild pigs 'just not realistic' expert warns, but new funding will help
A Canadian expert warns eradicating an ever-increasing population of wild pigs in Manitoba likely won't be possible, but new money from the provincial and federal governments will help in the fight to get the invasive species under control.
Ecological train wrecks – that's how Ryan Brook describes Manitoba's exploding population of wild pigs.
"They are, to be clear, the worst invasive large mammal on the planet as far as we're concerned here on the prairies," Brook, a University of Saskatchewan professor and expert on wild pigs, told CTV News.
He's been studying wild pig populations for the past 15 years. He said it’s a growing problem across Canada's prairie provinces – particularly in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, though Brook said it’s hard to determine exactly how many there are.
He said wild pigs pose a significant threat to agriculture – as they can contaminate water sources with E.coli, they can carry up to 89 diseases that can be spread to farm livestock, and wreak havoc on native ecosystems.
That's why the Province of Manitoba and the federal government have announced $2.6 million over four years for Manitoba's Squeal on Pigs campaign, run by Manitoba Pork.
$2.6M from feds, province to help in fight against wild pigs
The funding agreement, which lasts until 2028, provides money to increase public awareness and study the problem further.
"I think we have a situation that we need to apprehend," Manitoba's Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn told CTV News. "We need to do a further study on how much the wild boar scenario's population continues to grow."
Along with studying, Manitoba Pork tells CTV News, the money will be used to increase surveillance capacity, expand the capacity to capture and remove pigs, and support the national work to eradicate wild pigs.
Eradication 'just not realistic' expert warns
While the funding is welcome news for Brook, he said it comes about 10 years too late. While it will still help, he said the idea of eradicating wild pigs completely is 'unlikely' in his lifetime.
"We have to make our peace with the fact that eradication in Manitoba is not happening. We're past that point now, where it's just not realistic," he said.
As for why – he said the wild pigs reproduce alarmingly fast.
"During the time we've been talking, there's been at least one litter of pigs born in Saskatchewan, and probably another one in Manitoba," he said. "This high reproductive rate makes it very, very challenging to get rid of them."
Where did Manitoba's wild pigs come from?
Brook said Manitoba has no native wild pigs.
The problem started back in the 1980s, when producers brought wild boar to Canada from Europe to be raised as meat.
"Then in 2001, the market essentially peaked for wild boar sales and then collapsed pretty hard after that, and not too far after that you could barely give these things away," Brook said.
This led to pigs escaping or being let go by producers – sometimes more than 100 at a time.
He said Manitoba's flood of the century also made the problem worse.
"In the flood of the century, as you may remember not that long ago in Manitoba, a lot of pigs just floated out. Pigs are incredibly good swimmers," he said. "The pigs literally just swam over the top of their fence and away they went."
What to do if you spot a wild pig?
Brooks said he does believe the new funding will help bring down the wild pig population. But he said it will require several different tactics: ground trapping, helicopter capture, and tagging pigs with GPS.
Hunting the pigs can actually end up making the problem worse, according to the provincial government. It causes the populations to disperse over a wider area, changing their movement patterns and making it harder to control them.
Anyone who sees a wild pig is asked to report it online or call 1-833-776-8744. More information can be found on the Squeal on Pigs website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.