Landholders and pest management experts are calling for urgent action to stop feral pigs from infiltrating the northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia.
The feral animals are being recorded for the first time in drier areas, with established numbers already in the far north-east of the state.
They are thought to be tracking across from New South Wales and Queensland, following water, and have surprised experts and landholders because feral pigs are typically found where it is permanently wet.
The SA Arid Lands Landscape Board said urgent controls were needed to avoid the species settling into the state.
“We want to just avoid that at all costs,” board general manager Jodie Gregg-Smith said.
Feral pigs have three litters a year. (Supplied: SA Arid Lands Landscape Board)
“We are pretty much on red alert.
“They are so, so destructive, and they will pretty much destroy important habitat.”
The landscape board has encouraged landholders to use the Feral Scan app or contact them to report sightings of pigs or evidence of their diggings and wallows.
Stop them before it’s too late
Jack Gough from the Invasive Species Council said he wanted the problem addressed before the pigs became a persistent population.
Jack Gough says more needs to be done to control feral pigs. (Supplied: Invasive Species Council)
“The message for the government in terms of their funding, and for landholders in terms of vigilance and participation in control programs, is pigs breed very fast,” Mr Gough said.
He said their population grew at an average of 85 per cent per year and sows could have three litters a year.
“That means … 100 pigs can be 30,000 pigs in a decade once they’re established,” Mr Gough said.
“As they are getting into the Flinders, that’s a real problem, which should be ringing some alarm bells.”
He said the resources were needed immediately.
One of the waterholes in the northern Flinders Ranges during a drier time. (ABC Rural: Kate Higgins)
“Once pigs are in an area, they are really hard to eliminate,” he said.
“It’s not a future South Australia wants, having feral pigs in the landscape.”
Swimming in troughs
Craig Oldfield from Cowarie Station said he had seen pig numbers increase over the past five years.
He was not surprised they were moving into the Flinders Ranges.
“I’m surprised it’s taken this long, from what I’ve heard, they’ve been in the Flinders for nearly 12 months,” Mr Oldfield said.
Landholders are trying to control feral pigs by air and on the ground. (Supplied: SA Arid Lands Landscape Board)
He said the pigs were significantly damaging infrastructure and “wrecking” the floodplain at Cowarie.
“They’re swimming in the troughs … where the cattle are trying to drink,” he said.
Mr Oldfield has budgeted $10,000 a year and allocated hours of work during muster to try to keep on top of the problem.
“We’re the last ones trying to stop them getting down any further … no one’s really doing too much about it.
Feral pigs are thought to have followed waters over the border. (Source: Datawrapper)
“They seem to be living in some of the worst, hardest country we have … and they seem to be thriving,” Mr Oldfield said.
“It’s going to be a community problem, and it’s going to be too late by the time we get switched on.
“They’ll be down to Port Augusta by the end of next year,” he said.
The number of pigs in Australia is not known but the federal government estimates there could be between 3.5 million to 25.5 million across 45 per cent of Australia.
Control options available for managing feral pigs include baiting, trapping, aerial shooting, ground shooting and fencing.
The New South Wales government spent $13 million on its feral pig program for 2023-24 which controlled 112,888 feral pigs.
