![]() Knowing where wild pigs are, and where they are moving to, will be helpful in eradication efforts. Indicate when, where, and how many wild pigs were observed. If you see wild pigs, or signs that they have been on your property, report the siting to your local conservation office. Individuals can play an important role too. We need to move beyond passive efforts, such as unrestricted hunting, that have been shown to disperse the pigs and make the problem worse. We can start by investing the time and funds needed to track, monitor, and effectively identify the locations where groups of wild pigs (or sounders) are living. Second, we need to commit federal, provincial, and industry resources to targeted eradication programming. An effective wild pig eradication program should be coordinated across the region. What needs to be done? All Western provinces have programming aimed at addressing the wild pig problem, but each jurisdiction is approaching the issue a little differently. We must do whatever we can to stop wild pigs from becoming a disease holding tank in Canada. Wild herds can also be repositories for diseases like PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome), PED (porcine epidemic diarrhea), and other infectious illnesses. Exports of German pork have been disrupted, and it will take significant time before Germany is declared ASF free and the negative hit on their farmers is lifted. The disease has now made the jump to domestic pigs. Since September 2020, over 1,500 wild boar in Germany have died because of African Swine Fever (ASF). Did you know that a wild pig sow becomes sexually mature in less than a year and can produce two litters annually? It does not take a mathematical whiz to see the potential for exponential growth. Not because they are cute, but because they are prolific breeders that will eat just about anything. Wild pigs in Western Canada are a lot like those rabbits in Australia. They escaped, were deliberately released when prices declined, and not only survived winter, but they seemed to thrive on it. Why did no one stop to question the introduction of a wild foreign species into Canada? In hindsight it was not the best of ideas, but at the time, it was genuinely believed that wild pigs would be confined by modern fencing and if they did escape, they would never survive the harsh prairie winter. Included in the diversity basket was European wild boar. The time saw ostrich, deer, elk, and many more diversified farms spring up across the prairies. Diversification was embraced as a policy tool aimed at pulling the industry back from the financial brink. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Canadian farmers were suffering through a significant income crisis. Western Canada is currently in the middle of a similar alien invasion. ![]() Eradication needed to happen before they became entrenched. What do dandelions, Zebra Mussels, and the Australian rabbit have in common? There is little hope of eliminating them from their adopted environments. They damage habitat, destroy crops, and have contributed to the decline of native plants and animals. ![]() Within fifty years, wild rabbits had spread throughout the continent and now number over two-hundred million. In 1859 a wealthy Australian had thirteen rabbits sent over because he wanted to hunt. One of the most striking examples of the damage done by an invasive species, and one that provides lessons for today, is the European wild rabbit in Australia. ![]() The little mollusk damages power plants, devours the food of local fish, and renders beaches unusable. Zebra Mussels were discovered in the Great Lakes in 1998 and have since spread like wildfire, including to other regions of the country. They are not from here either, rather the species is native to the Black Sea region. European settlers brought dandelions here in the mid-1600s to enhance their gardens. ![]() Take, for example, the common dandelion, which is not native to North America. No, not green creatures from Area 51, but by plants and animals that don’t belong here. ![]()
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