The National Feral Pig Action Plan
Feral pigs can introduce, reintroduce and maintain endemic, emerging animal diseases (EAD’s) that can affect livestock, wildlife, plants and humans. Feral pigs can harbour and transmit over 30 exotic, endemic and zoonotic pathogens of significance as well as over 30 different types of parasites.
If you notice any unusual clinical signs in domestic or feral animals, that you think could be an emergency animal disease, report it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 or to your local veterinarian.
Emergency Animal Diseases (EAD's)
EADs include
- foreign (exotic) diseases, e.g. foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
- diseases that emerge within Australia, e.g. Hendra virus
- diseases that occur sporadically in Australia, but occasionally occur as a serious epidemic, e.g. anthrax.
Disease risks from swill feeding
Feral pigs are more likely to contract an exotic disease, including FMD and ASF, by eating uncooked food scraps or food waste that contains meat or which has been in contact with meat. This is known as swill feeding. It is illegal in all states and territories in Australia to feed meat and meat products to any type of pig including feral pigs.
A new factsheet on swill feeding and feral pigs has been developed – click here.
For more information on swill feeding/prohibited pig feed, visit the Animal Health Australia website.
Diseases of concern
Some of the feral pig diseases of concern are listed here with helpful factsheets and resources.
Click on the disease to direct you to the relevant section:
African swine fever (ASF)
Australia is free from African swine fever.
African swine fever is an infectious viral disease of domestic and feral pigs. People cannot be infected. African swine fever can result in a very high mortality rate in infected pigs and no vaccine or treatment is available. If it were introduced to Australia, African swine fever would significantly impact pig health and production.
For more information, visit these website and resources
State and Commonwealth resources
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Keeping African swine fever out of Australia
NSW – Department of Primary Industries
QLD – Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
- African swine fever general information (pdf)
- African swine fever information for feral pig hunters (pdf)
- African swine fever swill feeding (pdf)
This course is relevant to anyone who observes or interacts with feral pigs as part of their work or recreational activities and consists of three modules:
- Preventing the introduction of ASF into Australia
- Preventing pigs from becoming infected with ASF
- Recognising and reporting clinical signs of ASF in pigs
SA – Department of Primary Industries and Regions
WA – Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Other resources
AUSVETPLAN Response strategy African Swine Fever Version 5.1
Report produced by the AHC African swine fever Feral Pig Task Group
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) updates
This page and our FMD factsheet will be continuously refreshed as we get more details to give you the most relevant, up-to-date information.
FMD is an acute, highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven hooved wild and domestic animals, including cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, camels, and deer.
Australia is free from FMD.
In May 2022, FMD was confirmed in Indonesia. It is currently found in many parts of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America.
Contact the national Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 to report any animals behaving abnormally, or with clinical signs of FMD.
Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) updates
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a nationally notifiable, mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause serious disease in humans, pigs and horses. Between January 2021 and February 2023, 45 people were diagnosed with JEV on mainland Australia and 7 people died. Most cases of Japanese encephalitis in people are asymptomatic. A very small percentage of people, less than 1%, may develop serious illness such as encephalitis and experience symptoms including neck stiffness, severe headache, and coma, and more rarely, permanent neurological complications or death.
Anyone experiencing JEV symptoms should seek urgent medical attention.
More information about Japanese encephalitis, how to protect yourself, symptoms, treatment, human vaccination and vaccination eligibility in your local area can be found here.
Risks of local infections are high among people who engage in outdoor activities near significant mosquito populations, particularly near waterways.
JEV was first identified in domestic pigs in Australia in February 2022 and it was declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS) by the Australian Government Department of Health on 4 March 2022. On 16 June 2023, the Chief Medical Officer stood down Australia’s CDINS declaration for Japanese encephalitis virus. States and territories continue to manage the risk of JEV in line with local arrangements.
It is important to note that both feral and domestic pigs can amplify the virus which can then be transmitted by infected mosquitos to humans from pigs.
In pigs, Japanese encephalitis causes reproductive failure, including stillbirths, abortion and mummified piglets. Adult sows do not generally show signs of disease. Boars may experience infertility and congested testicles.
If you see any feral pigs behaving abnormally or with symptoms of JEV, contact your local veterinarian or call the national Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 to report it.
Recent updates:
2024
- 3 December 2024 – NSW Health confirmed the detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in a pool of mosquitos trapped in the Lake Wyangan region, near Griffith NSW. This testing was part of NSW Health arbovirus monitoring program. For more information, click here.
- 17 December 2024 – NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed the detection of Japanese encephalitis virus in feral pigs in Tomingley, near Dubbo, NSW. These samples were collected as part of the NSW DPIRD feral pig surveillance program. Further information about this can be found via the NSW Chief Veterinary Officer Bulletin.
Previous JEV outbreaks in feral pigs:
2021-2023
- JEV was positively identified in feral pigs in the NT (55+), Vic (3), SA (7), WA (2) and a small number of feral pigs in Cape York Peninsula, QLD, and in an alpaca in SA.
- In the 2021/22 season, SA reported 3 JEV positive sentinel chickens from 2 flocks. In 2023, prior exposure to JEV was also detected in WA in sentinel chickens across 3 flocks in the Kimberley region and 1 flock in the Pilbara.
More details are available in our factsheet and important resources below.
Guidance document – “Controlling mosquitos around piggeries” – Farm Biosecurity
Science explainer: Japanese encephalitis – CSIRO
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) – Department of Health and Aged Care
Japanese encephalitis – Healthdirect
Biosecurity Industry Update 10 December 2024 – Australian Pork Limited
Japanese encephalitis AUSVETPLAN – Animal Health Australia (AHA)
Japanese encephalitis fact sheet – Wildlife Health Australia (WHA)
Parasites of feral pigs
Feral pigs can harbour and transmit many different types of parasites of concern to humans, livestock, and companion animals.
Not much is known about the presence and impacts of these parasites in feral pigs in Australia and the hidden costs they may incur.
A booklet has been developed to summarise some of the most important and common parasites of feral pigs.
Read the booklet here.