New government funding will help make it easier for Manitobans to squeal on wild pigs in the province.
On Wednesday, the governments of Canada and Manitoba announced that they are providing $2.6 million to Manitoba Pork’s ‘Squeal on Pigs’ campaign, which aims to manage the wild pig population in the province by identifying where they are.
“Left unchecked, wild pigs pose a threat to the health of people and animals, and this program takes critical proactive measures to protect Manitobans and the province’s pork industry,” said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshynin in a news release.
“This important initiative also addresses challenges caused by wild pigs to pastures, forages, crops and other parts of Manitoba’s agriculture sector.”
‘Squeal on Pigs’ helps to spread awareness of the issue of invasive wild pigs in Manitoba and gives Manitobans the resources to spot wild pigs and file a report.
According to the campaign, wild pigs can contaminate water sources, damage natural habitats, and trample crops.
As part of this initiative, Manitobans are asked to report evidence of wild pig sightings. However, residents should not hunt wild pigs on their own, as hunting disperses the pig populations over wider areas.
The money for the campaign will come through the Sustainable Agriculture Partnership.