The Swine it Podcast Show Canada - #28 - One Health, One Goal: Wild Pig Control Strategies

Wild pig populations are on the rise across North America, prompting concern about their impact on the environment, agriculture, and disease transmission to domesticated pigs. In this episode, Dr. Wayne Lees covers the unique situation in western Canada, where the increasing numbers of wild pigs have found a suitable habitat, causing immense damage to the local ecosystem. He unveils the significant underlying issues with wild pigs beyond what we see and paints a real picture of the extensive harm these animals are causing to the environment and other species.

What you’ll learn:

     ○ One Health Approach

     ○ Wild pigs risks to the environment and to animals and humans’ health

     ○ History of Eurasian wild boars in agriculture

     ○ Implementing control measures for wild pig population

     ○ Surveillance: importance and methods

     ○ Wild pig behavior and control methods

     ○ Challenges in wild pig control and importance of collaborations

Meet the guest:

Dr. Wayne Lees

Experience:

     ○ Current: Program Coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba 

     ○ Past: Senior Consultant; Chair at Oak Lake Regional Community Development Board and Chief Veterinary Officer at the Province of Manitoba

Background

     ○ M.Sc., Veterinary Epidemiology (University of Guelph)

    ○ D.V.M. (University of Saskatchewan)

Let’s connect on social media: Linkedin