Feral pigs

Development of a manufactured feral pig bait, ‘HOG-GONE?’ based on a new fast-acting toxin

This project will test an alternative toxin in the existing manufactured feral pig bait, ‘PIGOUT? ’, to improve its humaneness, whilst maintaining the high level of target-specificity of the current bait.

Improving feral pig baiting strategies

There has been little evaluation of feral pig baiting strategies in northern Queensland despite the fact that this area poses a significant risk of being an introduction point for an emergency animal disease outbreak. This project assessed the optimum feral pig baiting strategy to reduce feral pig impacts.

Effective 1080 baiting for feral pigs

This project aims to improve the effectiveness of feral pig control in Australia by determining appropriate 1080 content in baits and the best baiting strategies for maximum population control.

Development of a cyanide pig bait for monitoring

This project will develop a bait containing potassium cyanide that: is stable over a range of temperatures; is palatable to feral pigs; is taken up by pigs in a way that reliably delivers a rapid lethal dose; and is safe to non-target species and operators.

Development and refinement of feral pig control strategies

Improved management of feral pigs in Australia has become a high-profile issue for agricultural industries and environmental management in recent years. This project will look at monitoring and control options to maximise feral pig damage reduction with a given level of resources.

Economic evaluation of feral pig control strategies in North Queensland

The costs of feral pig impact on high-value sugarcane and horticultural enterprises in north Queensland can be considerable. Management of feral pigs in the area is problematic due to the large areas of inaccessible rainforest surrounding plantations, high rainfall and non-target issues which limit the potential of baiting. This project assessed the economics of a range of control strategies (particularly trapping) to reduce feral pig damage.
Project report: Preliminary report on damage and control costs associated with feral pigs

Development and registration of manufactured feral pig baits

This project will work with industry groups and feral pig experts to develop a manufactured feral pig bait. Such a product would improve the efficacy and safety of feral pig control and respond to current industry concerns about the immediate (agricultural and environmental) and potential (emergency animal disease threat)impacts of feral pigs.
Project report: Closing in on feral pigs

Monitoring systems for feral pigs

This project assessed the impact of feral pigs in sugarcane and banana-growing areas of north Queensland. This information allowed derivation of density:damage relationships which can be used to develop performance indicators for north Queensland and other feral pig management programs. This information is essential to allow landholders and government agencies to determine the most cost-effective level of feral pig control-i.e. the point where control costs and subsequent damage mitigation are optimised.
Project report: Monitoring systems for feral pigs

Best practice feral pig management in the Burdekin River Catchment

This project demonstrated the effectiveness of three feral pig management strategies on beef grazing properties in a dry tropical savannah environment.
Project report: Best practice feral pig management in the Burdekin River Catchment

Target-specific bait/delivery systems for alternative feral pig control toxins

This project assessed pig-specific delivery systems (based on bait medium and attractants) and investigated warfarin tablets and cyanide as alternative toxins to 1080.
Project report: Evaluation of attractants and toxins for improved target specificity in the control of feral pigs

Predicting natural boundaries for feral pig populations to establish improved management units

This project will use genetic sampling techniques to determine boundaries across which there is little feral pig migration which may therefore represent useful management units.

Further development of feral pig baits and control strategies

This project is testing a range of bait mediums in cropping and rangeland situations in Western Australia. Project will involve collaboration with interstate counterparts to improve the effectiveness of baiting strategies.
Pestnote: Feral pigs and 1080 baiting-what you need to know
Journal paper: Bait consumption by, and 1080-based control of, feral pigs in the Mediterranean climatic region of south-western Australia
Journal paper: Feral pigs in north-western Australia: population recovery after 2080 baiting and further control
Journal paper: Feral pigs in north-western Australia: basic biology, bait consumption, and the efficacy of 1080 baits

Integrated feral predator control in south-west Queensland

This project involved large-scale aerial baiting for maximum sustained impact on feral pig, wild dog and fox populations.
Project report: Group baiting for feral pig control