Wild boar eradication efforts continue across Alberta

Province reports nearly 600 animals removed since 2018

Alberta’s Wild Boar Control Program says efforts to eradicate invasive wild boar from the province are continuing to advance, with nearly 600 animals removed since 2018.

In an update shared through the Alberta Invasive Species Council (AISC), the province reported that 595 wild boar have been removed through trapping efforts since the program began, including 108 animals in 2025 and nine more so far in 2026. 

Tracking progress toward eradication

Wild boar are considered one of the most destructive invasive species affecting agriculture in North America due to their ability to damage crops, pasture, fencing, water systems and native ecosystems. They can also pose disease risks to livestock and wildlife populations.

“The Wild Boar Control Program is taking some big steps towards eradicating wild boar in Alberta with the support of all our amazing partners,” wrote Hannah McKenzie, Wild Boar Specialist with the Alberta government, in the AISC update. 

According to the update, provincial staff and trapping teams are continuing to monitor populations while working with researchers at the University of Calgary to better understand wild boar distribution and population trends across Alberta.

Regulatory changes shaping wild boar management

The province also recently introduced major regulatory changes affecting wild boar management.

Wild boar are now classified as a pest in all circumstances in Alberta. As a result, it is illegal to keep, import, sell, transport or farm wild boar or wild boar hybrids without a permit.

Wild boar hunting and trapping are also now prohibited except under specific permitted circumstances involving landowners, approved pest control operators, or Indigenous harvesters operating under permit authority. Reporting wild boar kills is now mandatory. 

“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,” McKenzie said. 

McKenzie says spring remains an important period for trapping efforts before natural food availability increases and animals become more difficult to capture during summer months.

Over the summer, teams will continue scouting, deploying trail cameras and working with landowners to prepare for winter control efforts.

Producers and rural landowners who observe wild boar or signs of activity are encouraged to report sightings through the province’s reporting channels or through the EDDMapS invasive species reporting app.

More information on Alberta’s Wild Boar Control Program is available at the Government of Alberta website and through the Alberta Invasive Species Council.