They root through farmland, tear up native landscapes, spread disease, and multiply rapidly. Wild pigs are fast becoming one of Manitoba’s most destructive and difficult invasive species — and experts say the time to act is now.
Dr. Wayne Lees, coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, recently shared his expertise on the Real Ag Radio podcast, warning that wild pigs pose serious threats across environmental, agricultural, and public health sectors.
“Wild pigs are what we define as any pig outside of a fence or outside of human control,” Lees explained. “That includes escaped domestic pigs and pot-bellied pigs that have escaped and are living on the landscape. But the most serious issue is with what we call Eurasian wild boar — very hairy, lean pigs with long snouts. These are the ones that have survived in the wild and continue to multiply.”
These animals have proven highly adaptable to Manitoba’s cold winters and can devastate the environment. “They’ll disrupt nesting birds, eat small mammals and reptiles, and consume acorns that deprive other animals of food sources,” Lees said. “They really do change the landscape.”
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