Researchers have discovered that super feral pigs in Canada are a significant threat to spreading into the northern United States, potentially causing billions of dollars in damage. These pigs, a mixed breed of domestic pigs, boar, and hybrids, were introduced to Canada for meat and recreational hunting in the late 1980s. Ranchers released feral hogs and domestic pigs when the pork market declined in the early 2000s, leading to their successful establishment in the Canadian prairies.
According to Ryan Brook, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, these feral pigs have a high reproductive rate and are mobile, making it easy for them to spread. Their ability to tolerate cold temperatures has earned them the nickname “super pigs.” While southern states already have a significant population of feral pigs, northern states have been relatively free from this invasive species due to control efforts.
However, despite efforts to control their spread within Canada, these pigs may not be fully contained and could easily cross over into the northern United States. They cause major damage to agricultural production and the ecosystem by rooting and digging for food. Their wide-ranging diet includes small mammals, birds, even deer making them an ecological disaster.
To track their movement in Canada researchers fitted GPS collars on 22 pigs and observed their movements for 13 months. The data revealed that these pigs are likely to cross into the US border and establish populations in northern states like Minnesota or Montana. Their preferred habitats such as swamps forests or crops abundant along the boreal grasslands increase their risk of spreading further northwards.
To minimize risks associated with feral pig invasion researchers recommend measures such as planting low-crop crops or erecting fences along borders regions where feral pig populations are closest to US borders; setting traps can also help prevent access
