Look: B.C. residents asked to be on the lookout for hybrid pigs

March 5 (UPI) -- Residents in a British Columbia community are being asked to report any sightings of feral pigs resulting from escaped domesticated pigs breeding with wild boars.

The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society said in a news release that some domesticated pigs are believed to have escaped into the wild during last summer's wildfires, leading to an increase in the local feral pig population.

The group said feral pigs include wild boars, escaped domesticated pigs and "hybrid offspring of the two."

"The varied genetics of feral pigs gives rise to a wide range of appearances. They are light reddish brown to white to black in coloring and have coarse, dark hair on their bodies," the news release said.

The CSISS said British Columbia does not have established populations of feral pigs, but they are known to roam the wild in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Members of the public are being asked to report any feral pig sightings, as they are considered to be invasive animals that could pose a danger to local species.

The animals "threaten wildlife through predation and decrease biodiversity by out-competing with native species," the CSISS said.

"Disruptive rooting and wallowing behaviors increase erosion in aquatic environments. They cause major economic losses through crop and infrastructure damage, and transmit diseases to humans, livestock and wildlife."

Local residents are being asked not to hunt the pigs, as this could cause them to become more fearful of humans and disperse more widely across the area.