Local Land Services recently undertook an aerial shoot targeting feral pigs in the Lake Cargelligo, Rankin Springs, and Nangerybone State Forest areas.
They revealed that 8,734 feral pigs were controlled through the shoot, along with a further 65 pest animals such as foxes, feral cats, and feral deer.
The aerial shoot involved 444 properties, covered 982,368 hectares, and was carried out on private landholdings, crown land, national parks, state forests and travelling stock reserves.
Following the aerial shoot, Local Land Services coordinated three workshops for landholders and stakeholders to attend to get an update on the aerial shoot, as well as further information about feral pig management.
The aerial shoot was delivered in one of three priority landscape scale control zones established as part of the Feral Pig Program, which have been identified to reduce numbers and impacts in feral pig hotspots.
Another aerial shoot targeting feral pigs is in the planning for April, with landholders to be contacted prior to the shoot occurring.
Local Land Services are delivering the Feral Pig Program on behalf of the NSW Government in response to widespread numbers of feral pigs across NSW.
This program aims to reduce feral pig populations and their impact across the state through increased coordinated support and broadscale control programs, using the latest technologies.
Key activities of the 2023-2024 Feral Pig Program include:
•the establishment of 3 priority landscape scale control zones to reduce numbers and impacts in feral pig hotspots across North West, Central West, Riverina and Western NSW
•boosting regional control programs targeting feral pigs in other key locations across the state to further support existing landholder driven programs
•capacity-building workshops and training to equip landholders with the latest tools and advice to continue actively managing pest animals on their property
•the Feral Fighters initiative to support landholder coordinated feral pig control, which includes free Vertebrate Pesticide Induction Training (VPIT) and fully subsidised 1080 poison for eligible landholders monitoring initiatives to capture feral pig impacts and population density estimations
•appointing NSW’s first dedicated Feral Pig Coordinator to lead and coordinate the program.
The Feral Pig Program will be delivered from October 2023 to June 2024.
Information sourced from Local Land Services.