The Alberta government has a launched a program aimed at controlling the population of one of the most destructive and rapidly spreading invasive species on the continent.
The Wild Boar Control Program launched on April 1. Having been documented in 28 rural Alberta municipalities, the province said the goal is to eliminate the destructive pest’s threat to crops, livestock and the environment.
“Wild boar at large are a threat to our animals and environment, as well as a vector for diseases like African swine fever,” Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development Nate Horner said in a news release Tuesday morning.
“We are taking action to get rid of this menace and help those affected by it before it gets worse.”
When not being raised as livestock, wild boar are considered to be “at large” in Alberta. They are a provincially-regulated agricultural pest, and landowners are required to control or destroy pests and prevent them from being established on their land, according to the province.
The Wild Boar Control Program includes an expanded trapping and control program, compensation for farmers and two separate bounty programs.
The province said the expanded trapping and control program involves active surveillance in several counties and more active traps across the province.
The province is also implementing a one-year bounty pilot program for hunters, called the Wild Boar at Large Ear Bounty Program. Hunters who turn in wild boar ears will receive $75 per set. The program began on April 1 and runs until March 31, 2023.
The Whole Sounder Trapping Incentive Program has been set up for landowners and trappers. Running from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024, this program encourages the elimination of entire sounders, according to the province.
Government-approved trappers will receive $75 per set of ears per sounder. Landowners who work with approved trappers are eligible for $75 per set of ears.
The province said both programs will be administered by participating municipalities. Both programs will be evaluated as their expiry dates near to determine their effectiveness and next steps.
Wild boars are not native to Alberta. The province said they came to the province in the 1980s and 1990s as livestock. At the time, there were no requirements to contain them. Over the years, some of the boars escaped and established a feral population.
Boars are very adaptable — their long dark hair and wooly underfur help protect them from extreme cold. They build nests to live in during cold weather and are able to travel in deep snow to get food.
People who see wild boars at large are encouraged to report the activity on the provincial government’s website. People are asked to safely take a picture of the animal, note the location and fill in the province’s online reporting form.