SASKATOON – After launching a pig carcass into the South Saskatchewan River in February, Mounties say their research subject has gone missing.
RCMP first launched the project in the fall of 2013, dropping a pig carcass into the North Saskatchewan River.
That pig is also at large.
Tracking devices were attached to both animals to monitor movements, temperature, flow rates and determine a final resting place.
Police were hoping to use the data to assist with missing persons investigations where individuals are presumed drowned.
The second pig, launched in the winter, dropped to the bottom of the river and remained submerged until May 25.
This month, a signal from the tracking device was picked up near the Weldon ferry, about 190 kilometres downstream from Saskatoon.
On June 17, members of the RCMP historical case unit, along with members of the Saskatoon police air services and the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, located the tracking equipment along with the temperature probe that had been attached to the animal.
While the equipment was found, the pig was nowhere in sight.
RCMP Cpl. Tyler Hadland says local scavengers were the likely culprits, dislodging the equipment from the carcass.
Hadland says there will likely be more pig drop missions in the future.
The data retrieved during the most recent mission will be used to assist investigators with future missing persons cases.
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