The Booming "Super Pig" Population in Canada Could Spread to Northern U.S.

Wild pigs may soon become an invasive species challenge in the US, as they have begun to flourish in Canada and may spread to states such as North Dakota, Montana, Michigan, and Minnesota.

Many farmers and ranchers crossbred these wild boars with domestic pigs, resulting in larger "super pigs" that can survive in colder climates, according to Brook. "For surviving in cold winters, one of the rules of ecology is: the bigger the better," he says. "Larger body animals survive the cold better and have better reproduction in those conditions.”

In the early 2000s, the market for farmed boars dropped out in Canada, leading to some animals escaping from their enclosures and others being let free without any buyers.

The wild boar population in Canada has exploded in less than 20 years, primarily in the Prairie Provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta, due to their high reproductive rate and now roam approximately 620,000 square miles.

According to Brook, the ability of wild boars to survive in the coldest winters of the Prairie Provinces of Canada, except for the very far north, by tunneling under the snow, is one of the big surprises of this issue.

Wild boars go into cattail marshes, channel into the soft snow and cut nests in the cattails, where steam can be seen pouring out of the top of the nests on cold early mornings.

For native species, wild hogs feeding on anything, gobbling up tons of goslings and ducklings in the spring, and taking down a whitetail deer, even an adult, is a dire issue, According to Brook, Initially, wild hogs were seen as something that can be hunted, however, it has since become clear that they are a threat not only to whitetail deer, elk, but also waterfowl and causing crop damage.

According to Brook, the issue of wild pigs may soon spread into the Northern United States. He states that occurrences of wild pigs have already been documented less than 10 miles from the U.S. border and that some have likely been in Manitoba going into North Dakota for the last 5 or 6 years.

Brook also notes that there is no physical or biological boundary at the U.S.-Canada border and that there is hardly any fencing to speak of. There is a real risk of wild pigs moving south into the United States.

According to Brook, it is already likely too late to eradicate wild pigs in Canada, as there are no definitive population estimates and it's like trying to eradicate mosquitoes.

Despite the difficulty of eradicating wild pigs, local authorities are taking measures to mitigate their spread, one of which is ground-trapping entire sounders, according to Brook, is one of the most effective control strategies.

His research team has proved that using a "Judas Pig," involving following a GPS-collared pig to help find other pigs, is effective, but recreational hog hunting is not, as it disperses sounders and causes some pigs to go nocturnal, making them harder to locate and remove.

Brook suggests that the most important thing people can do is to alert authorities, report any sightings of wild pigs and participate in programs like the "Squeal on Pigs" program in the U.S. and Canada or report it to local game wardens. Early detection and action are critical, according to Brook.

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