For the first time, wild pig researchers have mapped the animals’ range across Canada and found the invasive swine are expanding at a rapid rate.
Wild pigs are now Canada’s most prolific invasive mammal, according to what the University of Saskatchewan says is the first-ever published survey of their distribution in Canada — and they’re causing an “ecological disaster,” researchers say.
“They’ll root up the vegetation like a rototiller,” said researcher Ruth Aschim. “They’re rolling around in the water, defecating in it.”
“There is crop damage, disease transmission, even automobile crashes with these pigs.”
The wild pigs are the legacy of a failed attempt to diversify meat production with wild boars.
The porcine pests were imported from Europe in the 1980s and 1990s for livestock or “penned game” for hunters.
Many boars escaped their pens and mated with pigs, said Aschim, and they’re now causing damage wherever they go.
From B.C. to Quebec
The wild pigs are rooting and wallowing from B.C. to Quebec.
While most are in the Prairies, there are pockets in Ontario, Quebec, northeastern B.C., the B.C. Interior, and possibly even the Vancouver suburb of Langley.
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There’s A Recipe For That:
(1) Wild Boar Schweinebraten (Roast Pork), With Wild Game Expert David Draper
(2) 8 Delicious Wild Boar Recipes
(4) Slow Cooker Wild Boar and Pulled Pork Sliders
(5) Braised Wild Boar with Sauerkraut and Bacon
