Initial reports of a grizzly bear breaking into a barn lead to the discovery of pig scat and tracks. The pigs were later found to be owned by someone in the area. The animals reverted to wild behavior when the owner failed to contain them.
Feral pigs can have significant impacts on Montana’s ecosystems and agricultural productivity. The Department of Livestock is currently working with the animals’ owner, local landowners, Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the federal Department of Agriculture to find and trap the pigs. The agency says all healthy animals trapped will be donated to a not-for-profit in Livingston and harvested for protein.
The state of Montana has a 2015 law prohibiting the existence of feral swine in the state. This is due to the animals’ widespread and negative impacts on local agriculture and wildlife. The department receives roughly 6 reports of feral swine each year. These populations have all resulted from domesticated pigs running wild.
Beyond their impact on the surrounding environment, the pigs can also carry disease that can transmit to livestock, wildlife, pets and people.
Any sightings of wild pigs should be reported to the Montana Department of Livestock at (406) 444-2976.
