Wild Boar Identification:
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) include both feral hogs (domestic swine that have escaped captivity) and wild boar, native to Eurasia but introduced to Canada in the 1980s. Like domestic hogs, they may be any color. Their size and conformation depend on the breed, degree of hybridization with wild boar, and level of nutrition during their growing period. Wild boar have longer legs and larger heads with longer snouts than feral hogs. The color of young boar is generally reddish brown with black longitudinal “watermelon” stripes. As the young develop, the stripes begin to disappear and the red changes to brown and finally to black. Both the male feral hog and wild boar have continuously growing tusks. Wild boar and feral hogs hybridize freely; therefore, the term wild pig is appropriate as a generic term for these animals.

Problems Wild Boar may cause:
Wild pigs can cause a variety of damage. The most common complaint is rooting (sometimes called grubbing), resulting in the destruction of crops and pastures. Damage to farm ponds and watering holes for livestock is another common problem. Predation on domestic stock and wildlife has been a lesser problem in Canada. Damage to crops and rangeland by wild pigs is easily identified. Rooting in wet or irrigated soil is generally quite visible, but can vary from an area of several hundred square meters or more to only a few small spots where the ground has been turned over. Rooting destroys pasture, crops, and native plants, and can cause soil erosion. Wallows are easily seen around ponds and streams. Tracks of adult hogs resemble those made by a 200- pound (90-kg) calf. Where ground is soft, dewclaws will show on adult hog tracks. Wild pig depredation on certain forest tree seedlings has been a concern of foresters. Wild pigs have destroyed fragile plant communities. They have been known to damage fences when going into gardens and can do considerable damage to a lawn or golf course in a single night. Predation usually occurs on lambing or calving grounds, and some hogs become highly efficient predators. Depredation to calves and lambs can be difficult to identify because these small animals may be killed and completely consumed, leaving little or no evidence to determine whether they were killed or died of other causes and then were eaten. Determining predation by wild hogs is possible if carcasses are not entirely eaten, because feral hogs follow a characteristic feeding pattern. Always be aware of the potential for disease transmission when feral hogs are associated with domestic livestock. Cholera, swine brucellosis, trichinosis, bovine tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, and pseudorabies are all diseases that may be transmitted to livestock (Wood and Barrett 1979).

Track Identification:
Feral Hog (Left) & European Wild Boar (Right)