Officials: Feral Canadian hogs encroaching on Montana border

KALISPELL, Mont. – Wildlife officials say feral hogs from Canada encroaching on Montana’s northern border are a serious concern for farmers and others.

Daily Inter Lake reported Sunday that the U.S. agriculture department’s Wildlife Services division says there have been multiple reports of feral hogs near the border.

An official says eight mature pigs were discovered in Canada directly above Montana’s Lincoln County this summer.

Wildlife Services, the Montana Invasive Species Council, the National Feral Swine Program, and the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department say the pigs could do widespread damage.

Officials say the pigs are “rototillers” that root for food and wallow in farms, fields and forests, leaving terrain unrecognizable.

The pigs may also spread diseases impacting livestock and other animals.

Various state groups are working on prevention and management measures.

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Information from: Daily Inter Lake, http://www.dailyinterlake.com