Wild Canadian "super pigs" with razor-sharp tusks are threatening the US

Feb 22 2023, 8:56 pm

“Super pigs” threaten to invade the US from Canada, and time is ticking to stop them.

Ryan Brook, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan working on theĀ Canadian Wild Pig Research Project, told Daily Hive that the super pig, a hybrid of European Wild Boars and domestic pigs, is the worst invasive large mammal on the planet.

“They are highly intelligent, have the razor-sharp tusks and thick fur of a wild boar and the large body size and high reproductive rate of a domestic pig,” said Brook.

They can have two litters a year, making about six young per litter, so their populations can rapidly expand. And they can grow up to 600 lb in size.

“They will eat just about anything from eggs, birds, insects, plant roots, plants, agricultural crops, baby lambs and deer, adult deer, and frogs,” said Brook.

Super pigs origin story

pigs

Canadian Wild Pig Research Project (CWPRG/Facebook)

According to Brook, the animals were first brought to Canada in the 1980s as part of efforts to diversify agriculture. But the animals escaped and were set free, reproducing in the wild and expanding exponentially. Now, they can be found across one million square kilometres in Canada, mostly in the prairies and some in BC, Ontario, and Quebec.

“Being large, furry, and smart helps them survive 40 below temperatures, and they tunnel into snow banks to stay warm,” said Brook.

The threat to the US

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are more than six million feral swine in 31 states.

“There is now a very real risk of them moving south into the US, especially Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota and establishing there were there are few or no wild pigs, and possibly carrying disease,” said Brook.

A USDA fact sheet says that feral swine have the potential to degrade wildlife habitats, pose health risks, destroy crops, and cause significant economic losses for producers.

Future of super pigs

According to Brook, it’s too late to eradicate super pigs in Canada.

“Many areas can become and stay wild pig free like BC and Ontario,” he said.

“Trapping of entire groups, helicopter capture, ground-based removal teams, Judas pigs (GPS satellite tracking collar on a pig that leads you to other pigs), education, and fencing are all good options, and indeed success only comes with using all of these together.”

According to Brook, sport hunting is not a solution, exacerbating the problem by breaking up groups and spreading them around the landscape.

In a news report from the University of Saskatchewan, Brook said that other threats by these pigs include the potential for a disease outbreak.

Moving forward, strong leadership and action are needed to ease the threat, at home and in the US, of super pigs.

Sarah AndersonSarah Anderson

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