Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – The Alberta Invasive Species Council says its Squeal on Pigs awareness initiative continues to be a big success.

Invasive Species Technician Paige Kuczmarski says the Wild Boar Control program, which started in 2018, has resulted in landowners and individuals filing reports of wild boars or signs of the animals.

Since the inception of that program in 2018, they have captured around 458 wild boars using corral traps.

“That’s all due to those reports received from landowners and through that campaign. So, it was a pretty big success that we were excited about.”

She says their campaign included a variety of tactics, including events, billboards, media interviews, hats and t-shirts, amongst other things.

“The goal with those T-shirts and hats was that people that got the information from us ended up being walking, talking billboards for us as well.”

Kuczmarski says the campaign was successful in getting the message across about the impacts wild boar have on the landscape and agriculture.

Wild boars can carry up to 39 diseases impacting wildlife, humans, and livestock.

For more information on the program, click here.