Wild Boar Control Program Update

Hannah McKenzie, Wild Boar Specialist, with the Alberta Wild Boar Control Program has provided an update on the Wild Boar Control Program.

"The Wild Boar Control Program is taking some big steps towards eradicating wild boar in Alberta with the support of all our amazing partners.

Since 2018, trappers have removed 595 wild boar, including 108 in 2025 and 9 so far in 2026. While it is hard to know for sure what impact our efforts are having on the wild boar population, observations from trappers and landowners suggest we are moving in the right direction. We have started working with Dr. Mathieu Pruvot and his team at the University of Calgary to develop presence/absence and population models for wild boar which will help tell the story of what is happening using data and scientific methods.

Last year the government changed how it manages wild boar. Wild boar are now a pest in all circumstances, not just when at large. This means it is illegal to keep, import, purchase or otherwise obtain, export, sell or otherwise dispose of, or transport live wild boar or wild boar hybrids without a permit. As a consequence, farming wild boar is no longer allowed. Options were provided to help wild boar owners adjust to these changes including a voluntary exit with compensation through the Wild Boar On-Farm Exit Program or being grandfathered and continuing to farm wild boar under strict conditions. Changes were also made to how wild boar are controlled. It is now illegal to hunt or trap wild boar in Alberta, with exceptions provided for owners and occupants of land, and those assisting them to control wild boar, Indigenous harvesters with a permit, and private pest control operators with a permit. Finally, it is now mandatory to report any wild boar kills. These policy and regulation changes are aligned with other jurisdictions who are having success at controlling and eliminating wild boar, and they have put Alberta squarely on the path towards successfully eradicating wild boar.

With spring around the corner, our trapping teams have just under two months of good trapping conditions left before wild boar have access to an abundance of natural food and become near impossible to trap. Over the summer, teams will prepare for next winter’s control efforts by gathering intelligence through scouting, deploying cameras, and talking to landowners.

For more information, or to report sightings or sign of wild boar, email wildboar@gov.ab.ca , call 310-FARM(2276), visit alberta.ca/wildboar , or report through the EDDMapS app."

For more information on the Wild Boar Control Program click here.