New map showing locations of invasive pigs in Manitoba

A new report is shedding light on the location of wild pigs in Manitoba.

A new report is presenting a clearer picture of how widespread invasive pigs are in Manitoba.

Earlier in the month, Animal Health Canada (AHC) released the “Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Report,” which compiled data from across the country of known and reported wild pigs, as well as efforts to remove them.

The report includes a map that shows the locations where known, established wild pigs have been living continuously for at least one year, as well as the areas in Manitoba with established field activities related to the prevention, management or removal of wild pigs.

The map also shows the locations where “uncontained pigs” have been reported. This involves any type of pig outside an enclosure or not actively under control, including free-roaming domestic and pet pigs and wild boars.

The data, which comes from provincial programs and verified public reports, shows wild pig colonies in places like Spruce Woods Provincial Park and around Lake Manitoba.

CTV News has previously reported that wild pigs are considered an invasive species in Manitoba as they can destroy ecosystems, affect other wildlife, damage crops, and impact domestic swine populations.

The data for the map, which marks the first time AHC and governments have standardized how they track wild pig populations, is current as of 2023. AHC says it will update the map regularly.

- With files from CTV’s Devon McKendrick