MANSFIELD’S Up2Us Landcare in partnership with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s (DEECA’s) Statewide Invasive Species Program has launched a new community feral pig program, one of three regions in the state to trial a collaborative approach to management and control of this destructive pest.
The goal is to combat the expansion of feral pigs from established areas, targeting regions like the Mansfield Shire at the periphery of the pigs’ range to mitigate the impact of these invasive pests before populations become more entrenched.
In recent years, feral pig numbers have increased across the shire, with reports sighting them from Bonnie Boon to Merrijig, Tolmie and Mt Samaria.
The program looks to test and refine management strategies; local success paving the way for effective methods and tools to be implemented more widely.
DEECA’s Community Vertebrate Pest Management Coordinator Mick Freeman conducted the information session at the Delatite Hotel last Thursday night, speaking to a handful of landholders about the issue and what support and strategies are available to best manage feral pigs in the shire.
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Mick Freeman has been in wild dog management since 2016, however with the increasing incursion of feral pigs into new regions across Victoria, he is now spearheading the pilot, with landholders in Barunduda, Wooragee and the Indigo Valley also taking part in the program.
Representatives from Agriculture Victoria and Parks Victoria attended the hour and a half session, with the program delivered through AgVic biosecurity funding and informed by invasive species experts and senior veterinarians associated with the government department.
The pilot prioritises forming collaborative partnerships not just with invested government departments, but with local Landcare groups and the farming community, providing education and support in best practice for pig management and disease monitoring to landholders.
This includes taking samples for research to monitor potential disease outbreaks, providing valuable data even in the absence of active infections.
Date gathering is an essential aspect of the program, with landholders urged to report pig sightings and damage, along with control measures and numbers culled, with data-sharing platforms like Feralscan used to aid efforts.
Effective reporting helps secure strategic funding and provide critical information to manage the issue.
Trapping is considered one of the more effective means of control, however Mr Freeman recommended integrating various methods, including baiting to tackle the problem comprehensively.
The program provides the use of traps like the Pig Brig Trap System, which Mr Freeman confirmed was easy to set up and delivered impressive results, capturing whole mobs.
Training and other resources are also offered to ensure the effective use of these tools, with future meetings focusing on best practices, tool availability and employing a coordinated effort to pig control.
As the program evolves, feedback from landholders will also be incorporated to refine approaches and potentially explore additional methods of control.
By encouraging this proactive and collaborative approach, the program aims to manage an escalating pest problem and counter the impact of feral pigs on local agriculture and natural environments.
For further more information or to become part of the program contact Mick Freeman (DEECA Statewide Invasive Species) – 0477 358 061, michael.freeman@deeca.vic.gov.au
