Ontario uses fancy drones with thermal cameras to hunt down invasive pigs
Invasive wild pigs are becoming a real problem in Ontario, and the province is resorting to some high-tech solutions in an effort to curb the spread of these feral hogs.
Ontario Fish and Wildlife is now using drones equipped with thermal cameras to track invasive wild pigs. It's the type of surveillance tech you'd typically associate with law enforcement, and offers a glimpse into how seriously the province treats this porcine threat.
The provincial agency announced that it has begun using "Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) equipped with thermal imaging to help us follow up on reported wild pig sightings."
"Ontario is using these devices [to] help us detect pigs in dense cover, making surveillance more effective than ever," stated Ontario Fish and Wildlife.
The province has a somewhat broad classification for wild pigs, which includes feral domesticated pigs, invasive Eurasian wild boar, and hybrid hogs with both domesticated and wild lineage.
According to the province, these animals can have devastating impacts on local wildlife and ecosystems. With habits of preying on native species and digging into soil for snacks, wallowing in mud, and their rapid reproduction rates, all it takes is a few pigs to create a serious ecological threat.
The animals also pose significant health hazards, with the province warning that wild pig populations can spread diseases to livestock, pets and humans. Though not yet detected in North America, African Swine Fever is one particularly concerning disease that can be spread by wild pigs.
While the pig-spotting drone program is a key step in curbing invasive populations, several local hunters chimed in on the province's social media posts, lobbying the provincial government to incentivize the search for invasive hogs.
"I mean you can incentivize us hunters with financial stuff and will take care of them for the fraction of the [cost]," said one Instagram user.
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