The Invasive Species Council of BC (ISCBC) is launching a campaign encouraging the province to act on invasive pigs before their presence becomes a real problem.
The campaign, called Squeal on Pigs, uses humour to draw attention to the fact that pigs can spread diseases as well as cause serious damage to ecosystems, farmland and infrastructure when roaming in places they are not meant to be.
“We’ve seen the damage invasive pigs can cause in other provinces, and we have a real opportunity in B.C. to prevent that from happening here,” said Gail Wallin, executive director of ISCBC in a June 25 media release.
Invasive pigs are any pigs which are not in captivity or under a person’s control, according to an ISCBC factsheet. ISCBC said there are well-established populations of invasive pigs in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while there are none known to be established in B.C. as of yet. There have been reports from most B.C. regions, however, and Wallin said early reporting makes all the difference in preventing their population from establishing in the province.
The release said the public should keep an especially close watch for sightings or signs of invasive pigs in the Peace, east Chilcotin, and west of Kamloops where potential sightings have recently been reported.
Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heat MacDonald said the Squeal on Pigs campaign is among 44 projects across the country funded by the government's African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program to increase public awareness of the issue and prevent it from growing.
“An outbreak of African swine fever in wild pigs would pose a serious threat to Canada’s pork sector,” said MacDonald, naming a disease which has not been detected in Canada but could be difficult to contain in future outbreaks if pigs are roaming unchecked through the wild.
To help prevent this damage and disease, B.C.'s laws require all pigs be securely fenced in, noted the release. ISCBC's website recommends pigs be double-fenced to prevent their escape and contact with invasive pigs. It says anything edible or compos table, including manure, can be an attractant to invasive pigs who can tear down or jump over fences to breed.
The Squeal on Pigs Campaign features photos of pigs rummaging through areas such as kitchen cupboards to drive home what kind of impact pigs can have when they are in places they shouldn't be.
"You don’t expect to find pigs in your kitchen. You shouldn’t find them roaming wild in B.C. either. Invasive pigs are no joke, and the province has a rare chance to act before they become a real problem," reads the release. ISCBC said invasive pigs are the most destructive large mammal in Canada.
The campaign reminds people that their observations matter, whether they are on the land day by day or happen to be out on a weekend hike. It is also encouraging people to learn about what to look for and how to report on signs of invasive pigs so the province can be proactive and prevent the establishment of a population in B.C.
Adults can be up to 2.4 metres long and one metre tall, weigh 35 to 200 kilograms, have a large wedge-shaped head, long ears, and their colours range from black to reddish-brown as well as white or pink. Piglets are born with stripes or spots which fade over time.
Signs of invasive pigs include tracks which look similar to deer tracks, evidence of digging or wallowing in soil and mud as well evidence of rubbing on trees or other hard surfaces.
A diagram comparing pig and deer tracks can be found on page eight of the invasive pigs fact sheet.
Sightings of invasive pigs or signs of their presence can be reported on the online ISCBC reporting form, or use the province's online reporting tool.
It is best to include photos in your report as well as the date, location and details of what you saw.
To learn more about what invasive pigs look like, why they are a danger, and how to protect your own pigs, take a look at the ISCBC brochure for pig owners or the Squeal on Pigs campaign webpage.
