Now, a contraceptive for wild boars?

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

According to Popular Science magazine, Texas A&M University professor Duane Kraemer is working on a pig contraceptive that can be administered to wild boars out of a feeder that uses facial recognition software and cameras to differentiate the tusked feral creatures from other less undesirable species such as raccoons.

The vaccine, which causes a female's immune system to block sperm from her eggs, was approved three years ago by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in the wild. The problem with its use has always been how to administer it. Trapping feral pigs – and Texas has about two million of them – is no easy or safe task and use of the vaccine hasn't exactly taken off.

It has taken the development of facial recognition software to make this a possibility for hogs. The vaccine was originally developed by the National Wildlife Research Center in Colorado for injecting white-tailed deer. A single shot renders four of five infertile. Deer are a concern because they run into traffic. Wild boars are estimated to rip up US$400 million worth of crops annually in Texas alone. BP