Ontario using thermal-imaging drones to track invasive wild pigs
Fish and Wildlife deploy high-tech surveillance to hunt down feral and Eurasian wild boar populations that threaten local ecosystems and spread disease.
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Invasive wild pigs are becoming a serious problem across Ontario, and the province is deploying high-tech surveillance to combat them.
Ontario Fish and Wildlife has begun using drones equipped with thermal imaging — "Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems" — to track wild pig sightings and detect animals in dense cover. "Ontario is using these devices to help us detect pigs in dense cover, making surveillance more effective than ever," the agency stated.
The province classifies wild pigs broadly to include feral domesticated pigs, invasive Eurasian wild boar, and hybrid hogs. According to Fish and Wildlife, these animals can devastate local wildlife and ecosystems. Their habit of digging into soil, wallowing in mud, preying on native species, and reproducing rapidly means even a small population can become a serious ecological threat.
Wild pig populations also pose significant health hazards, spreading diseases to livestock, pets, and humans. African Swine Fever — not yet detected in North America — is a particularly concerning disease that can be transmitted by wild pigs.
Local hunters have lobbied the province on social media to incentivize the search for invasive hogs, arguing they could manage the populations more cost-effectively than government programs.
