Feral pig numbers ‘out of control’

Farmers are asking for more resources to combat an exponential rise in the number of highly destructive feral pigs, with fears for safety and property.
 
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said millions of feral pigs were breeding and rampaging across the countryside, thriving after years of high rainfall, attacking native animals and livestock, and causing massive damage to crops and infrastructure. 
 
The past three years had been a boom time for pigs, Mr Martin said, and while government control efforts had made a slight dent in the overall number of pigs in certain areas, there were too many reports of a booming breeding population to ignore.
 
“From the Western Riverina through the Central West and up into the Northern Tablelands, we’re hearing members tell us they’ve never seen pigs this bad before,” Mr Martin said.
 
“Aerial shooting over the past year saw 80 per cent more pigs culled than the year before, and authorities have distributed 74 tonnes of baits to landholders, but the numbers continue to grow particularly on public land.
 
“It’s clear the pig numbers are growing out of control now, and we need a drastic and sustained increase in resources for everyone involved to get on top of the problem once and for all.” 
 
According to Local Land Services, more than 63,000 feral pigs had been culled as part of co-ordinated aerial and on-ground shooting and baiting in the past 12 months, although Mr Martin said anecdotal reports from farmers meant the actual numbers were likely far higher. He said there were serious concerns about what would happen after June 30, when the state government’s additional pig control funding ended.
 
“Trying to keep the pig numbers down farm-by-farm is a bit like trying to put out half a fire – if you’re not tackling the whole problem methodically, it’ll just keep coming back,” Mr Martin said.
 
“A lack of effective control on public lands is undermining our collective efforts, and we know that’s where the pigs are breeding because we see them coming onto our farms from public lands.
 
“We need more resources and a solid commitment from all parties involved to tackle feral pigs so we can get on top of them and stay on top of them.”