Ontario working to trap group of wild boars with potential to 'spread rapidly' if not contained
The Ontario government is working to “trap and remove” a sounder of wild boars roaming east of Toronto that have the ability to “spread rapidly” if not contained.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry told CTV News Toronto on Monday that they were first alerted to the boars in Pickering on Nov. 5 and responded to the area the next day.
“Since then, we have received several additional sightings of this same group of wild pigs,” spokesperson Morgan Kerekes said.
The boars are believed to be Eurasian wild boars — a species invasive to Ontario.
“Wild pigs are not native to Ontario and can have a negative impact on native wildlife and ecosystems,” Kerekes advised. “They have high reproductive potential which means that populations can increase in number and spread rapidly, making their impacts more severe.”
According to the Ministry, such impacts include preying upon native plants and wildlife, competing with native wildlife for food, water, and space, damaging the ground with their tusks, impacting water quality, spreading disease and aggressive behaviour.
Now, the Ministry is working to “trap and remove” the boars — a strategy they say has been successful in other jurisdictions, such as upstate New York.
The Ministry says that, because the boars are an invasive species, they will likely be euthanized.
Wild boars spotted roaming in Pickering (Courtesy of Mary Delaney)
Pickering resident Mary Delaney said she spotted the boars on Monday morning in her yard.
She says she called the Ministry of Natural Resources before driving up the road to view them once again.
Delaney says there were 14 boars when she spotted them.
The province of Ontario defines a wild pig as “any pig that is not contained or under the physical control of any person or is otherwise roaming freely."
If you spot a wild boar, the Ministry asks that you report the sighting at wildpigs@ontario.ca or 1-833-933-2355.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.