Canadian province to use drones to control wild boars

(MENAFN- Asia Times)

With the wild boar population on the rise in Alberta, Canada, provincial officials have been taking a different approach to controlling the numbers.

Perry Abramenko, an inspector with the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry department, said there had been reports of the wild boar population expanding and more are being seen, the Calgary Herald reported.

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While many assume hunters help to limit their numbers, they end up playing a role in the animals' spread from their usual hotspots. Abramenko explained that hunting usually involves only removing one boar at a time and the animals are smart enough to be aware of hunters and will disperse to other areas.

Abramenko's team is using camera-equipped drones to track down boars and their herds. He uses an app on his phone to send a command to the camera, which then sends a signal to close gates that have been set to trap the boars.

The boars that are caught are humanely put down and tested for any disease or parasites. As of now, the new measure has caught 18 boars.

Boars are not native to Canada. They were brought to the country in the 1980s to be hunted for sport, but in 2008 they were officially labeled as a pest.

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