The Saskatchewan government is taking measures to stop the spread of swine flue disease, cracking down on the invasive wild pig population on the Prairies.
The province is now placing a moratorium on new wild boar farms, which means no new wild pig farms are able to operate. Farms had until Jan. 1 to apply for a licence at no cost.
Restrictions are also being imposed on existing wild boar farms. Farmers are required to add additional surveillance, follow through with annual inspections, keep records up to date and ensure proper fencing is in place on their property.
Ryan Brook, a wildlife researcher at the University of Saskatchewan and director of the Canadian Wild Pig Research Project, said the restrictions are a good initiative, but they’re being imposed far too late.
Boars escaping for 40 years
“I think it would be incredibly naive to think that this is going to help in any way,” Brook said. “We’re 45 years late. This started in 1980 and we needed legislation then.”
He said boars have been escaping farms for over 40 years.
As of last year, there were approximately 15 wild boar farms in the province.
“It’s like eradicating mosquitoes at this point,” Brook said.
Although the pigs are known for their popularity among hunters, the invasive animals can cause a significant amount of damage. Not only does the creature populate rapidly and carry diseases, the wild pig population is notorious for destroying the crops of farmers.
University of Saskatchewan researcher Ryan Brook says wild boars populate easily and destroy crops. (Ryan Brook)
In the past, wild boars have been purposely crossbred with pink domestic pigs to make a bigger and longer animal with an enhanced reproductive rate. Wild boars can weigh up to 300 pounds and have barrel-like bodies with dark hair.
Pink domestic pigs that have escaped into the wild can also freely mate with wild boars.
“Saskatchewan could easily host a million wild pigs and we could — and certainly may at some point — have more wild pigs than people in Saskatchewan,” Brook said.
Boars were introduced to the prairies in the 1980s for the use of their meat. After the market for boars died down, some escaped and others were released into the wild.
Farmers question if regulations are necessary
Wild boars roam the woods on Kelly Readman’s farm near North Battleford.
“The epidemic that they’ve been putting out is absolutely false,” Readman said.
Readman believes the new regulations are not necessarily needed. He said his farm already has proper fencing, a licence and regular inspections.
“You can poll the entire province and ask how many people have seen a boar or hit a boar,” Readman said. “You’ll get a pretty solid answer that nobody’s seeing anything, very, very few.”
Kelly Readman, a wild pig farmer, says the new regulations for wild pig farms imposed by the provincial government aren’t necessarily needed. (Submitted by Ryan Brook)
Feral pig sightings have been limited in the province, according to Brook. He said it’s because the creatures are nocturnal and good at hiding.
Despite limited sightings, the majority of feral swine disease has been reported in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. South of the border, there are six million pigs estimated to be on the loose, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In 2015, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) launched the feral wild boar control program. If anyone spots a wild boar roaming outside of an enclosed area, they should report the sighting to the SCIC.
“This program provides a way for landowners and rural municipalities to remove wild boars, which pose a threat to the environment, farm operations and to other livestock,” the provincial government said in a statement to CBC.
Producers are required to report any pigs who escape captivity to their local game farm investigator.