Manitoba has moved to strengthen its fight against invasive wild pigs by banning the possession, import or breeding of wild boar and their hybrids. The change, which took effect September 22 under the province’s Exotic Wildlife Regulation, removes the animals from the list of species that could previously be kept under permit. Only domestic swine remain legal to own.

The new rule prohibits residents from keeping, transporting, releasing or allowing wild boar to escape into the environment. Officials say the measure supports ongoing eradication work by reducing the chance that captive animals could escape and establish new populations.

Wild pigs have been spreading in parts of the Prairies for years, causing damage to farmland and wetlands while competing with native wildlife. They are known to dig up crops, harm soil and pose a risk to livestock health through disease transmission.

Manitoba’s control strategy includes an extensive monitoring and trapping program that uses cameras, drones and environmental testing to locate animals in remote areas. The province reported that more than 200 wild pigs were removed in 2024, an increase from the previous year.

Officials credit cooperation from farmers and rural landowners for much of the progress, as access to private land has made large-scale trapping possible. The government describes the ban as a necessary step to protect agriculture, ecosystems and trade from the growing threat of wild pigs.