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Feral hogs are destroying pastures in the Chatham Islands.
photo: Photo courtesy of Lois Croon
The Chatham Islands are grappling with an “out of control” feral pig population, which residents say is causing widespread damage.
Pig hunting is a popular pastime there.attracting tourists and providing Kai
Yet the pig population has exploded, taking a toll on an island already suffering from shipping delays and threats from wild cattle.
Alfred Preece owned a large property at Owenga with lots of native bush, trees and grassland.
He said they killed nearly 200 wild boars on their farm last year, while in the past they only had to kill 10 to 20.
“They’re out of control. There have always been pigs there. There have always been dedicated pig hunters to control them, but in the last three years their numbers have definitely gone to another level.”
Wild boars have been destroying local brush and the pastures he needs to feed his livestock.
Unreliable transportation This meant his cargo was stuck on the island for months longer than expected.
“They can destroy several hectares of land in one night and leave a devastating mess,” said Price.
“We also have to carry a lot of extra stock because we don’t have normal transport services, so we’ve already had excess stock over the past three winters, which just adds to our misery.”
Chatham Islands Conservation Council chairman Dr Peter De Lange said hunters used to mostly control feral pigs, but that changed during the pandemic.
“What we’re seeing now are herds of over a hundred cattle running through forests, paddocks and even roadsides,” De Lange said.
They eat everything and cause massive damage, he said.
“They plow up the peat, the soil, causing massive soil erosion, which is killing the forest, causing the bush to regrow, drying up the pastures, and causing increased runoff into waterways,” he said.
De Lange acknowledged that controlling the pig population is polarizing – hunters worry that too few pigs will violate tradition, while too many pigs cause widespread concern about the damage they cause.
With the upcoming changes to the Conservation Board and the Department of Conservation, the issue becomes even more uncertain Layoffs on the island.
But he said the council was still working with community groups and providing pig traps.
“I don’t think we’ll ever be able to eliminate the pigs. But I think we can reduce the population to an acceptable level so people can still hunt them and do less damage,” DeLonge said.
“I think the best way we can do that is to have a proper meeting and then go out and tell people what the real problem is and what their children and grandchildren will lose if something is not done now about the pig problem.”
The Hokotehi Moriori Trust has a biosecurity team that kills wild boars in its reserves through trapping and hunting.
Interim CEO Levi Lanauze said the costs of controlling the facilities were considerable.
He has loved hog hunting since he was a kid, but he said the younger generation doesn’t seem as keen to get involved.
“We’re at a point now where even recreational hog hunters can’t keep up,” Lanozer said.
“We’re a large island with a small population, so you might think that things are hidden in one area, but in other areas they may not have happened for years.”
He has noticed a change in attitudes towards wild boars on the island.
“You can talk to almost anyone in the community, whether they’re a farmer, fisherman or office worker, and they all have the same view on pigs.”
Chatham Islands Mayor Monique Krohn agreed community collaboration is key to controlling the pig population, especially as resources remain stretched.
The popular annual hog hunt returns in October with a few changes, including the inclusion of sows in view.
“Our goal right now is not just to have the biggest pigs, but to achieve some level of elimination, like capturing the most pigs,” Kron said.
The Ministry for Primary Industries has also been working with farmers to help control feral animals, including pigs.
The Department of Environmental Protection has confirmed that no pig control measures were taken.
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