Kangaroo Island declares victory in feral pig eradication mission
An island in Australia now claims to be the world’s largest island free of feral pigs after claiming victory in the war on feral pigs.
For the past five years, Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia has waged war on feral pigs in an attempt to eradicate the invasive species.
Following a $7.5 million mission that saw hundreds of wild pigs culled, the island is now claimed to be completely pest-free.
The Kangaroo Island Feral Hog Eradication Programme, launched following the Black Summer bushfires, eliminated 878 feral pigs; The last known sows were removed in March 2024.
But it took two years of careful monitoring and observation before authorities finally declared the operation a success.
After going two years without a single sighting as part of its “proof of freedom” phase, the island has been officially declared free of pigs, which eat newborn lambs, damage crops and compete with animals for pasture.
Environment minister Murray Watt called it “a huge step forward in protecting Kangaroo Island’s incredible biodiversity”.
“Eliminating feral pigs now means helping save native species, including threatened plants, and reducing the spread of mortality,” he said.
“Kangaroo Island is now a world leader in eradicating invasive species, having successfully eradicated feral goats, deer and now pigs.”
The program was supported by $7.5 million in funding from the federal and state governments, supported by SA’s livestock industry.
“The eradication of feral pigs on Kangaroo Island is a tremendous achievement and great news for the island, farmers, the environment and South Australia as a whole,” said Clare Scriven, South Australia’s minister for primary industries and regional development.
“Kangaroo Island is now the largest island anywhere in the world to have had a resident feral pig population eliminated. This is a remarkable result and everyone involved should be incredibly proud.”
The operation capitalized on the devastating bushfires in 2020 that decimated the feral pig population and wiped out 90 percent of the island’s population.
“Completing the eradication of feral pigs is a huge win for our farmers, our environment and the long-term biosecurity of the island,” said Andrew Heinrich, Chairman of the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board.
“These successes don’t happen by accident. They come from years of determination, talented people in the field, strong partnerships, support from landowners, good science and smart technology.”
