Wild Pigs – Invasive Species Centre (2024)

Description

Wild pigs can be described as any pig that is “outside of a fence” including domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boar, and hybrids of domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boar. They range in size from3.5-5 ftinlength and can weigh from30to 420lbsas adults (Ontario).

Female wild pigs are known to be smaller than males, with theirsize becoming more apparent as the animal ages.

Wild pigs have a wide range of colours from black to brownish-red to white.They can also be speckled or have a solid colour. Other distinguishing features include long snouts, large tusks,wedge-shaped heads, and coarse hair (Ontario).

Life Cycle

Wild pigscanbreed any time of the year with females producingtwo litters of1-7piglets every 12-15 months.

Femalesmatureas early assixmonths,which can lead towild pig populations doubling everyfourmonths.This means wild pigs have a high reproductive potential,which can lead to rapid spreadand increased impacts on the environment.

Generally,wild pigs liveforfour or five years butcan live up to eightyears.Wilds pigs are primarily nocturnal (Missouri Department of Conservation).

Habitat

Wild pigscan be found in a variety of habitats including forests, agricultural areas, grassy savanna areas, shrublands and marshy swamplands (AnimalDiversity.org).

Some wild pig populationsare located in remote, rugged terrain where water is abundant including seeps, ponds, and streams. When found in these areas, the populations are small and isolated (Missouri Department of Conservation).

Signs and Tracks

Wild pig tracks display similar but distinguishing features between the front and hind tracks. Both tracks are approximately 2 ½ inches long with two hooves. In the front track, their dewclaws sometimes show a small crescent beside and behind the hoof prints whereas in the hind track it sometimes shows dots.

Other distinguishing signs include (Missouri Department of Conservation):

• Toe tips are blunt whichcan help differentiate from other two-hoofedtracks.
• Hooves are shorter in length and more parallel when compared todeer.
• Hind tracks are oftenahead of the fronttracks.
• Wild pigs can have a stride of 18inches.

Distribution

(Photo: EDDMaps)

Wild pigswere first introduced to Canada from Europe beginning in the 1980’s as exotic livestock for meat.Due to human introductions, wildpigs have been expanding globally with populations present on all continents except Antarctica.In Canada, wild pigs have spreadthroughout the country since the late 1980’s.

To date, established populations can be found in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba,with scattered populations in British Columbia,Ontarioand Quebec (University of Saskatchewan).

Ecological Impacts

Wild pigs have numerous negative effects on ecosystems within their non-native range (AnimalDiversity.org):

• In preparation to give birth, femalesuse saplings and other woody plants that they either break off or uproot completelyto build nests. This, along with other rooting behaviour,prevents new treeseedling establishment, reducesseed survival and success, andreduces plantspecies richness.
• Displacesoil and small undergrowth,leading to erosion,soildeterioration, degradation ofnatural areas and impacttowater quality.
• Transmitparasites(i.e., lice, American dog ticks)to humans and other animals.
• Loss ofnative flora and fauna.
• Compete with native wildlife for food, water, and space.
• Use their tusks and snouts to root into the ground to dig for roots, tubers, bulbs, worms, insects,slugs,and snails.
• Damage to crops and pasturelands.

Economic and Social Impacts

Wild pigs can also have economic and social impacts (AnimalDiversity.org; Ontario):

• Increased costs for farmers due to damaged crops, losing or having to treat infected livestock, andneeding tobuildbarriers to keep wild pigs out.
• Aggressive behaviour towardshumans or pets.
• High costs to control wild pigs if they become established in Ontario.

What You Can Do?

If you see a wild pig or have information about a sighting, please report it to:

• iNaturalistOntario Wild Pig Reporting webpage (www.inaturalist.org/projects/ontario-wild-pig-reporting) – download the app on a mobile device or register an account using a desktop computer, or
• Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry’s email account for reporting wild pigs: wildpigs@ontario.ca

If you believe you have seen a wild pig or signs of wild pigs:

• Notethe date, and time of the sighting.
• Note the location (intersecting roads,landmarksor GPS coordinates).
• Take pictures or a video, if possible.
• Note the number of pigs and whether piglets are present.
• If possible, identify whetherit isan isolated sighting orifthe samepighasbeen seen multipletimes.