Wild pig problem in Alberta

Alberta’s wild pigs (escaped Eurasian wild boar and hybrids) are now a well‑established invasive pest in parts of the province, with government and industry trying to hold the line and still talking about eradication, but the window is narrowing.alberta+1​

How they got established

Wild boar were imported in the 1980s–90s as an “alternative livestock” venture; many escaped or were deliberately released, leading to self‑sustaining feral populations across agricultural and parkland zones. The animals are mostly Eurasian‑type boar and crosses, which have high reproductive rates, broad diets, and thick coats that let them overwinter in Alberta.abinvasives+2​

Current distribution and spread

Mapping by prairie and national research groups shows Alberta as one of the core Canadian hotspots, with established wild pig “sounders” across multiple counties and continued spread since the 1990s. A University of Calgary project is currently working on updated distribution and spread models specifically for Alberta, reflecting concern that populations are expanding into new watersheds and habitats.canadiangeographic+2​

Agricultural and ecological impacts

Wild pigs cause heavy crop losses and pasture damage through rooting, trampling, and direct feeding, particularly in grain and forage systems. They rip up wetlands and riparian areas, contaminate water through wallowing and feces, and compete with or prey on wildlife (including ground‑nesting birds and young livestock), worsening erosion and habitat degradation.naturealberta+3​

Disease and biosecurity risks

These pigs are recognized reservoirs for dozens of pathogens of concern to livestock, wildlife, pets, and people, including brucellosis, Aujeszky’s disease, and—of greatest current concern globally—African swine fever if it ever arrives in Canada. The pork sector and regulators flag that an ASF incursion into a wild pig population could cripple export markets even if domestic barns remain largely biosecure, which is one driver behind eradication rhetoric.albertapork+3​

Management programs and policy

Alberta lists wild boar “at large” as an agricultural pest under the Agricultural Pests Act, and runs a Wild Boar at Large Control Program built around coordinated trapping of whole sounders rather than ad‑hoc hunting. Short‑lived county‑level ear‑bounty and “whole sounder” incentive programs (2022–24) have now ended after very limited measurable success, while the province continues outreach via the “Squeal on Pigs” campaign and compensates documented crop damage through AFSC’s Wildlife Damage Compensation Program.open.alberta+4​

Hunting, bounties, and why they’re controversial

Researchers and invasive‑species managers consistently warn that open hunting and bounties tend to make the problem worse by scattering sounders and teaching pigs to become more nocturnal and trap‑shy, while rarely removing entire groups. As a result, industry groups like Alberta Pork and the Alberta Invasive Species Council have pushed to prioritize professional trapping over general hunting or stand‑alone bounties, arguing that eradication—if still possible—depends on removing whole sounders systematically.albertagrains+3​

Practical notes for a rural landowner

• Wild boar “at large” are legally pests; landowners can kill them on their own land but are urged to report signs first so coordinated trapping is possible.alberta+1​

• Sightings, trail‑cam photos, rooting damage, or tracks can be reported via EDDMapS, 310‑FARM, local municipalities, or the provincial Squeal on Pigs contact channels.abinvasives+1​

• For farms, especially with outdoor pigs or sensitive water sources, recommendations include tightening perimeter fencing, keeping attractants (grain piles, deadstock) controlled, and monitoring wet spots and field edges where pigs are likely to root.albertapork+1​

If you share roughly where in Alberta you are (e.g., Red Deer River mainstem vs Parkland fringe vs Boreal fringe), it’s possible to narrow down current risk and likely movement corridors in your local watersheds.

1. https://www.alberta.ca/about-wild-boar-at-large
2. https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/mapping-the-rapid-spread-of-invasive-feral-pigs-across-canada/
3. https://abinvasives.ca/squeal-on-pigs/
4. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/3939167d-8266-4dfe-88a6-195527f6de6c/resource/3acce27c-8ff4-4bac-8182-894a0cc3b311/download/wildboar-fact-sheet-print.pdf
5. https://naturealberta.ca/wild-boars-on-the-march/
6. https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/?p=231944
7. https://ucalgary.ca/news/ucalgary-student-tracks-albertas-invasive-wild-boar-population
8. https://www.albertagrains.com/the-grain-exchange/quarterly-newsletter/the-grain-exchange-summer-2023/invasive-species-pests-and-predators-albertas-not-so-little-wild-pig-problem
9. https://www.albertapork.com/squeal-on-pigs-program/
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3464720/
11. https://www.prairiehogcountry.com/2025/10/01/canadian-report-maps-wild-pig-threat-and-provincial-response/
12. https://www.alberta.ca/agri-news-wild-boar-control-program-update
13. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-s-squeal-on-pigs-campaign-seeing-success-in-battle-against-wild-boar-1.7148705
14. https://abpdaily.com/issues-insights-influence/wild-pig-distribution-and-eradication-on-the-prairies/
15. https://cwbm.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/4-Villeneuve-et-al.-11-1_2.pdf
16. https://albertametis.com/app/uploads/2022/10/Wild-Pigs-Fact-Sheet.pdf
17. https://www.pigchamp.com/news/benchmark-magazine/articles/ArtMID/2128/ArticleID/287/alberta-begins-wild-boar-bounty-program
18. http://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/brucellosis/fact-sheet
19. https://abinvasives.ca/fact-sheet/wild-boar-at-large/
20. https://animalhealthcanada.ca/news/2025/09/nr-2023-canadian-invasive-wild-pig-report