'Public sightings are vital for us': Alberta forestry prepared to trap and eradicate wild boars near Edmonton

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Alberta forestry officials say they are prepared to trap and eradicate wild boars west and east of Edmonton — an animal that tosses soil over and destructs landscapes in its paths.

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Parks Canada recently said there are wild boars occupying Elk Island National Park but there has yet to be any confirmed reports of them within city limits, said Perry Abramenko, inspector and pest specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. Abramenko says the heaviest population of the invasive species are in Woodlands County and Lac Ste. Anne County.

“We’re presently working with the resource managers at Elk Island Park to capture any wild boar that are in, or around the park,” said Abramenko.

These wild pigs, which Abramenko says range from 50 to more than 200 pounds as adults, were brought in by producers in the late 1980s and early ’90s to diversify their livestock and have evolved in cold climates from Siberia to northern Europe, so they are adapted to cold winter climates like Edmonton’s.

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The animal has a cartilage disk on its snout which they typically use when they’re feeding. They will dig up soil and look for worms and other food sources. Abramenko said the pigs can digest just about any organic matter and live off of it.

If wild boars were to enter the city’s river valley, this is the type of damage that be evident straight away. When it comes to crop damage, Abramenko said wild boars will go into the middle of the crop and trample it down, and because they start in the middle, a lot of producers won’t realize they have a wild boar infestation until they go to harvest it.

There is also a situation where wild boar could impact food supply in Canada.

“Wherever this virus called African swine fever has emerged in Europe and Asia, wherever that virus has occurred and lately that’s been in Dominican Republic and Haiti, it has been spread by wild pigs,” he said, adding the pigs could spread other diseases as well. “That’s a huge risk right there, because if African swine fever ever got into Canada, it would be a real serious blow to our pork industry.”

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Trapping the boar

When it comes to eradicating the species, hunting the animal does not help, Abramenko explains. When hunted, the boar will scatter and infest new areas where there is no risk from humans. They will go nocturnal and become in tune to human presence.

Abramenko says they have completed research with the United States Department of Agriculture and run a pilot project to determine the best way to trap the wild boar.

“We’ve determined that if we’re going to be successful with eradication, that whole-sounder removal is necessary,” said Abramenko. “A sounder is a group of wild boars primarily composed of adults with usually two different age groups of juveniles.”

Abramenko said once they are aware of a site where wild boar are present, they set up cameras and put down a sort of tree bait. Once they capture the sounder and they see the animals routinely approach the bait, they install a trap — a gate with a large opening  — which they can close remotely with an app on their phone to trap the herd inside. Then the boars are humanely euthanized, said Abramenko.

While wild boar haven’t made their way within city limits yet, Abramenko said anyone who spots one of these pigs should email af.wildboar@gov.ab.ca . or call 310-3276 to report it to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

“Public sightings are vital for us,” he said.

ktaniguchi@postmedia.com

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