Feral Pig Eradication Program on Kangaroo Island

Feral pigs are a major pest on Kangaroo Island (KI), causing severe economic and environmental impacts.

During the 2019-20 bushfires, 211,000 hectares of land from the western border of Kangaroo Island were burnt. The fires wiped out most of the feral pigs on the island, creating a unique opportunity to eradicate the small remaining population.

The $2.67 million Feral Pig Eradication Program was established to remove the pest from Kangaroo Island by 2023.

Program outline

Feral pigs cost KI an estimated $1 million annually. Removing feral pigs will eliminate these costs and reduce impacts to:

  • farms and native ecosystems
  • the recovering biodiversity, including many endangered plants and animals.

Action plan

The Action plan for the eradication of feral pigs on Kangaroo Island (PDF 1.7 MB) outlines the:

  • governance
  • budget
  • tools
  • operations for the eradication program.

Eradication confirmation plan

The Program of activities to confirm the eradication of feral pigs from Kangaroo Island (PDF 1.4 MB) outlines the:

  • project structure
  • allocated resources
  • monitoring tools
  • incursion response framework.

Feasibility

Modelling by the Flinders University Global Ecology Laboratory shows the likelihood and feasibility of feral pig eradication under different funding and eradication scenarios.

With enough funding, feral pigs could be eradicated from Kangaroo Island in 2 years.

Learn about the predictions to inform the probability of feral pig eradication on KI (PDF 1.7 MB).

Support for KI landholders

Equipment, bait and training are available to Kangaroo Island landholders at no cost to help you control feral pigs on your property.

Contact the Feral Pig Coordinator to access support or equipment for controlling feral pigs, including:

  • traps and baits to place on your property
  • help destroying pigs on your property
  • feral pig control training
  • advice on controlling feral pigs.

Baiting for feral pigs

Baiting is conducted with minimal risks to domestic dogs, livestock and wildlife. Several baits are available for use:

In summer and autumn, feral pigs have the least access to food, and so are more susceptible to baiting and trapping.

In winter and spring, feral pigs disperse and are less likely to take baits, but they are more likely to move about in the open and their diggings are more obvious.

Reporting feral pigs

Learn how to detect signs of feral pigs.

If you see or suspect feral pigs on your property:

  1. immediately report the sighting of feral pigs
  2. destroy the pigs where possible
  3. report any destroyed pigs.

You can report feral pigs through:

Partnerships

The 3-year program is a partnership between the Department of Primary Industries and Regions and the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board.

Five staff are based on Kangaroo Island, including the Feral Pig Control Coordinator, to provide on-the-ground support to landholders for pig culling activities.

The community-led program is overseen by a Steering Committee, with members from:

  • Kangaroo Island Landscape Board
  • Agriculture Kangaroo Island
  • Livestock SA
  • RSPCA
  • Australian Pork Limited
  • KI Plantation Timbers
  • National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • KI Council
  • PIRSA
  • KI Land for Wildlife

The Kangaroo Island Feral Pig Eradication Program is funded by State and Commonwealth Government Disaster Recovery Arrangements.

Contact

Matt Korcz – Kangaroo Island Feral Pig Coordinator
Email: Matt.Korcz@sa.gov.au
Phone: 0438 117 513

Page last reviewed: 23 Aug 2023

 


Top of page