In 2022, the Invasive Species Branch was successful in securing project funding from the Federal Funding Agreement - Environment Enhancing National Pest Animal and Weed Management – Tranche 2 – Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program (2022 to 2025). This Commonwealth funding is worth $325,000 over the course of the project. The project aims to reduce the impact of feral pigs on Tasmania’s high-value agricultural and environmental assets on Flinders Island through strategic vertebrate pest management and community engagement. The project will seek to increase landowner and land manager access to contemporary management and control techniques through a structured, coordinated approach.
Feral pigs on Flinders Island observed on a monitoring camera at a Hoggone bait feeding station.
Background
Pigs became feral on Flinders Island in the late 1800’s after being released by sealers and European settlers. The pigs impact crops, infrastructure, habitat, land, and water sources. They can spread weeds such as phytophthora, and diseases as they are a key vector for Japanese encephalitis and toxoplasmosis. Feral pigs also significantly impact biodiversity values on the reserve estates including the Strzelecki National Park and RAMSAR listed wetlands.
There have been multiple records and reports of feral pigs across the island but they are prominently found in the following locations: Strzelecki National Park, along the east coast from Logans Lagoon including Foochow reserve and across the northeast corner to Palana. There are also some records of pig activity on the west coast of the island.
Project aims
This project is not an eradication program, however, it aims to provide tools and techniques to better manage feral pigs on Flinders Island and reduce their impact on natural, cultural, economic and environmental values. The project also aims to engage key stakeholders to support a proactive and strategic vision towards the reduction of pig related biosecurity risks. This will be achieved through targeting strategic areas to promote the protection of vulnerable and threatened species.
Feral Pigs entering a pig trap, whilst other pigs corral around the outside.
Control methods
Management of feral pigs can include population reduction by using several control techniques, reducing damage through enterprise substitution, or fencing. Management of feral pigs and the impact they cause will normally require a number of methods in combination.
Initial control of a population with any method to which a high percentage of the population is susceptible is important. This is normally followed by secondary control methods designed to reduce the population and feral pig impacts further and prevent it building back up.
The preferred primary control methods within the Flinders Island landscape include baiting with Hog-gone® and trapping at designated pig management stations. The secondary control method used is ground shooting at night using night vision scopes and opportunistic shooting during the day.
Pig management stations are best suited to areas of heavy pig activity where livestock and browsing animals have limited access. The management and control of feral pigs using Hog-gone® relies on the provision of free feeding of wheat or barley prior to undertaking any control or management action. Habituation to the free feed stations can take up to 21 days before the number of pigs visiting the site remains constant. It is essential that adequate free feeding is undertaken before control measures are implemented.
Feral pig at the Hoggone feeding station.
The remainder of this project is primarily focused on continuing to refine the range of innovative techniques, technologies, and emerging tools for the detection, surveillance, control and management of feral pigs on Flinders Island. The outcomes of assessing various control, management and monitoring methods will also allow information on the threat and impacts associated with feral pigs on Flinders Island to be collected and reported.
How you can help
Please assist us to collect data information about the distribution and population of feral pigs on Flinders Island by down loading the free Feralscan App.
For further information on this project contact:
Invasive Species Branch
Email: invasivespecies@nre.tas.gov.au
Or phone Invasive Species Branch: 03 6165 3777