Wild pigs continue to pose a threat to rural Manitoba as they contaminate water sources, damage natural habitats and farm crops, and can spread up to 89 different diseases to commercial and small-scale livestock.
Squeal on Pigs MB was launched through the Manitoba Invasive Swine Eradication Project, a partnership between the Government of Canada, Province of Manitoba, and Manitoba Pork, to get a better understanding of the wild pig population in the province, and to concentrate eradication efforts in the right areas.
"It's much more common to see signs of pigs than the pigs themselves, as most of these animals tend to be nocturnal, shares project lead, Dr. Wayne Lees. "Therefore, it's fairly infrequent for people to see them out in daylight."
"What really points to the presence of pigs are signs like rooting in pastures," he explains. "When pigs start to root in a pasture, it looks like a rototiller went through it. If you see a patch of wild grass or a pasture that looks like it's been plowed or rototilled, it's a very good sign that pigs are there."
"If people visit our website every three months, they'll see updated maps showing where pig sightings have been reported across the province," adds Dr. Lees.
Spruce Woods is still the hotspot for wild pigs but Manitobans have seen them across the province. "I wouldn't say that the pigs have been moving so much as people have become more aware of how to report them. This awareness is a crucial tool for us to start our whole process," he says.
It certainly takes a team effort to erradicate wild pigs from the Manitoba landscape, but Dr. Lees says it's still possible. Last year alone, over 200 were caught. And that's the key, he says, to catch them rather than trying to shoot them.
"We really appreciate when folks let us know if they see the pigs or signs of them because it helps us understand if it's just one group in that area or several groups. That gives us a heads-up to investigate further."
Further investigation could include setting up game cams in the area, or doing drone flyovers with heat sensors, as well as DNA testing in water sources in the area for wild pig evidence.
Wild pigs can get spooked fairly easy so if a landowner shoots one or two, he probably will scatter the rest of the herd which could push them further into new territory or deeper into the bush and out of sight. The best thing to catch an entire family, or sounder, is to call the Squeal on Pigs team to trap them.
"We're not a government organization, so we work on the basis of collaboration. We work with landowners, the public, and communities who want to eradicate wild pigs from their area. We help provide them with the tools and expertise to do that," shares Dr. Lees.
For the complete 2024 Squeal on Pigs Report click HERE!
Please listen to more with Dr. Wayne Lees below!