The National Feral Pig Action Plan

Feature articles

These feral pig management programs have been featured in our monthly newsletters.

Feel free to download for more information.

 

African swine fever Prevention and Preparedness Project Update – Predictive modelling- Southern Queensland Landscapes, Biosecurity QLD and DAF QLD, March 2021

Coordinated action and collaboration tackles pigs in the Burdekin- NQ Dry Tropics, May 2021

Whitsunday Region feral animal aerial control program 2020-21- Whitsunday Regional Council, July 2021

Monitoring feral pig populations on a landscape scale in the Western Downs region using field camera networks- Western Downs Regional Council, September 2021

Feral pig control: the key to turtle nest protection- Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance, February 2022

Desert Channel Country Pig Shoot- Desert Channels QLD, February 2022

Recent research into pig-hunting dogs reveals disease risk- University of Sydney, February 2022

Management of feral pigs returns an investment of 1800 percent- Whitsundays Region Management Program, May 2022

Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation aerial control program- July 2022

Coordinated cluster baiting trial by canegrowers to reduce damage caused by feral pigs in the Innisfail region- CANEGROWERS Innisfail, September 2022

New measures for Eastern Cape York bring excellent results- Cape York Coastal Catchments demonstration site, September 2022

Protecting the Kroombit tinkerfrog from feral pigs- Fitzroy Basin Association, January 2023

Graziers form clusters to combat exploding numbers of feral pigs – NQ Dry Tropics, Isaac Regional council and Barcaldine Regional Council, March 2023

Feral pigs threaten migratory bird habitat in the Gulf of Carpentaria- Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, May 2023

Environmental damage from feral pigs is increasing in north Kimberley- Kimberley Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC), November 2021

Community-led, long term feral pig management in South West WA- Lake Muir Denbarker Community Feral Pig Eradication Group (LMDCFPEG), June 2021

Coordinated activities by three Recognised Biosecurity Groups are reducing feral pig populations in the northern agricultural zone in WA- Northern Biosecurity Group, Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association and Midlands Biosecurity Group, August 2021

Protecting the Scott Coastal Plain (south west WA) from feral pig impacts- Lower Blackwood Vertebrate Pest Management Group and Lower Blackwood LCDC, January 2022

Aerial pig program controls record number of feral pigs – Northern Biosecurity Group, March 2022

Coordinated ground and aerial control of feral pigs is steadily reducing their impacts- Midlands Biosecurity Group and Central Wheatbelt Association, April 2022

Benefits of being involved in coordinated community-led groups: producer perspectives from MidWest WA – MidWest demonstration site, June 2022

HOGGONE adopted by the Leschenault Biosecurity Group as a primary control method for feral pigs – Leschenault Biosecurity Group, October 2022

Feral Pig Control in the Scott Coastal Plain informed by effective monitoring – Lower Blackwood LCDC and Lower Blackwood Vertebrate Pest Management Group, June 2023

Rural and Environmental Pest management training – Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group, June 2023

Protecting Peatland Ecosystems and Addressing Threats (PEAT) project – February 2024

Protecting threatened species from feral pig impacts in the WA Wheatbelt – Wagin Woodanilling Landcare Zone, April 2024

Fact sheets, reports and infographics

Download the resources below for more information.

For resources on feral pig diseases, please see our Diseases web page.

For factsheets about the plan and feral pig Q&A, visit the Plan webpage.

Impacts to the beef industry

Factsheet to highlight the impact of feral pigs on the beef industry.

Do ewe have a feral pig problem?

Feral pigs can impact sheep production in many ways, find out how?

Do you have feral pigs?

Feral Pigs signs

Some signs to look out for that may indicate feral pigs are around.

Feral pig baiting- options available

Feral Pig Baiting

This document summarises the feral pig baiting options available

Key facts about feral pigs

FAQs on feral pigs, their biology, activities and impacts

Feral Pigs in Australia - why they're a problem

Find out about feral pigs in Australia and what their impacts are

Feral Pig Scan FAQ's

Some commonly asked questions about FeralPigScan and how stakeholders can log sightings

Photopoint monitoring

Easy steps to DIY photopoint monitoring

Decision support tool

This factsheet is currently being revised.

National Feral Pig Conference

The National Feral Pig Conference is the ideal opportunity for land managers, community groups, jurisdictions, NRM organisations and research agencies to come together to:

  • share the different management approaches being used to control feral pig populations in different areas, lessons learned and challenges experienced;
  • demonstrate benefits flowing to land managers from working together over large areas on a cross-tenure basis;
  • learn how land managers are being supported to participate in local, community-led management activities; and
  • discover how insights from routine monitoring and new and existing technologies can optimise the success and longevity of feral pig management programs.

2025 National Feral Pig Conference

Registrations and abstract submissions are now open!

“Getting the fundamentals right”

We are proud to announce that the 2025 National Feral Pig Conference will be held on:

24-26 March 2025

Mantra on View, Surfers Paradise, QLD

Sponsorship opportunities are now available for the 2025 National Feral Pig Conference. See the Sponsorship Prospectus below for more details.

2023 National Feral Pig Conference

The first 2023 National Feral Pig Conference was held on the 20-21 June 2023 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Cairns, QLD. 

With 150 delegates from all states and territories attending in person, and 50 people attending virtually, it truly was a national event!
 
Attendees heard from best practice feral pig management programs, organisations and stakeholders in Australia dealing with the impacts of feral pigs.
 
The proceedings are now available to download below. The proceedings contain the program, abstracts and biographies for the invited and submitted presentations.

Stakeholder Forums

The National Feral Pig Action Plan holds regular stakeholder forums. These virtual forums aim to update stakeholders on the progress of the Plan’s implementation, and presents key issues and activities around Australia on feral pig management. 

 

Best practice management and monitoring

PestSmart

Visit the Pest Smart website for information on best practice management and planning a control program.

You can also find the:
Model Code of Practice for the humane control of feral pigs
– Standard Operating Procedures for best practice management of feral pigs
Glovebox guide for managing feral pigs
Principles of Pest Animal Management

FeralScan

FeralScan is a free resource for landholders and community groups to record pest animal sightings, impact and control activities. 

FeralScan can be found online and the phone app can be downloaded for free.

FeralPigScan FAQs

The National Vertebrate Pest Aerial Shooting Workshop on 20-21 February 2024, brought operators and managers from across Australia together to share recent successes in aerial shooting operations, and consider improvements to effectiveness, welfare, and safety.

Best practice feral pig management videos - Agriculture Victoria

Agriculture Victoria have released a series of informative feral pig management videos to assist land managers with how and when to integrate coordinated best practice management methods. The application of these methods are appropriate for all land managers and provide useful principles, tips and tricks. Please note, these resources have been prepared in line with Victorian legislation.   

  • Part 1 – Controlling feral pigs on your farm in Victoria,
  • Part 2 – Baiting feral pigs in Victoria,
  • Part 3 – Trapping feral pigs in Victoria,
  • Part 4 – Supplementary feral pig control options in Victoria.
  • Monitoring pest animals in Victoria – make it part of your plan – this video also provides practical advice on monitoring of foxes and rabbits.

Feral pig management - Local Land Services NSW

Feral pig management program updates

Keep up to date with the NSW LLS feral pig management program including events and progress updates.

Feral pig management videos

NSW Local Land Services have recently released a series of feral pig management videos, via their YouTube channel, to support land managers by providing practical and factual information on best practice feral pig management. New videos will be added in the future.

Please note that these resources have been prepared in line with New South Wales legislation. However, the principles, tips and tricks are relevant to most land managers dealing with feral pigs.

These videos cover the following topics:

  • Seasonal behaviour in feral pigs 
  • Feral pig control techniques
  • Free feeding – What is it and why do it
  • Baiting feral pigs
  • Trapping feral pigs
  • Types of grain for feral pig baiting and trapping

Webinars

Watch the recorded webinars below for more information.

Feral pig parasites:
What’s hidden within

13 May 2022

Feral pigs can harbour and transmit many different types of parasites of concern to humans, livestock, and companion animals. Dr Narelle Dybing, National Feral Pig Action Plan Program Support Officer, presented this webinar during the Australian Society for Parasitology seminar series. Narelle discusses some significant parasites that have been identified in feral pigs in Australia or are known to infect pigs (wild, feral and domestic) globally. Topics covered included animals which are susceptible to parasitic infection, symptoms and risk factors to transmission. 

AgForce QLD- The Big Plan to Get Rid of Feral Pigs

23rd September 2021

On 23 September 2021, Dr Heather Channon, NFPAP Management Coordinator, and Zena Ronnfeldt, Dalby producer and NFPAP IC representative, presented this webinar to AgForce members about the Plan, its progress with implementation and steps to consider to run a co-ordinated local feral pig management program.

Collared – Glen Innes Natural Resources Advisory Committee
Webinar on strategies to improve feral pig management. Recorded Tuesday 8 September 2020.

"How much are feral pigs impacting your bottom line? "

North West LLS held a webinar on Wednesday 2 February 2022 where they presented actual financial impacts from feral pigs experienced by farmers in the winter and summer 2020/21 cropping periods. This work, commissioned by North West LLS, was conducted by AgEcon.

Feral pig impacts on conservation and food production in Australia

Thursday 25 March 2021 at 2 pm AEDT, the National Feral Pig Action Plan featured on a Landcare Australia as a live webinar hosted by Mick Taylor. A presentation was given by Heather Channon, followed by a discussion accompanied by Troy Crittle of NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Western NSW Pest Chat Webinar Series - Episode 1: Feral Pigs

Webinar recorded Tuesday 1 December 2020. Featuring presentations from well-known experts Darren Marshall (Southern Queensland Landscapes) and Barry Kelly (Gotabug). The presentations cover: how to know if you have feral pigs on your property, how to monitor feral pig population levels for successful control, and cost effective feral pig control.

Western NSW Pest Chat Webinar - Series Episode 3: General Biosecurity Duty and FeralScan use

Webinar recorded Tuesday 9 February 2021. Charles Benson from Western Local Land Services presented on the White Spaces project — a project that outlines the responsibilities of landholders in managing pest animals and what is being done to address landholders that are not participating in pest animal management. Following Charles' presentation, Emma Sawyers from NSW Department of Primary Industries talked about how to use FeralScan and the benefits it provides for landholders and their stakeholders in the fight against pest animals.

The Damage Feral Pigs do to your Hip Pocket

Are you aware of pig damage in your crops or to livestock enterprises, but find it difficult to quantify the extent of the damage, and what that equates to in dollar terms? To answer this question North West Local Land Services have worked with AgEcon to undertake a study that puts figures on the real cost of feral pigs on several different enterprises and to compare control options. Catch up on the webinar held 11 February 2021.

Upcoming Conferences and Events

The Territory Natural Resource Management Conference is the NT’s leading conference on natural resource management expertise, on-ground activities and community engagement.

​The three-day conference provides critical professional development and engagement opportunities through tailored and inclusive workshop sessions, a diverse range of informative and thought-provoking presentations, engaging poster presentations and interactive exhibitions. 

The conference brings together landholders, community groups, primary producers, Indigenous organisations, government and businesses from across the Territory to network and learn from one another.

The Australasian Wildlife Management Society Conference for 2024 will be held 3-5 December 2024 in Fremantle, Western Australia. The conference webpage will be updated with details as they arise.

Symposia include:

  • Cause and Effect: reducing what we don’t know
  • Desperate measures: new approaches to conservation and control
  • Traditional Owner and Land Manager Symposium

 

Download the flyer here to share with your networks.

The conference of the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA 2024) will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9-13 December 2024. ESA 2024 will be an in-person conference. All sessions will be recorded, and made available after the conference. 

Learning about how nature works includes identifying fundamental driving processes, characterising important interactions, and communicating those discoveries effectively. Never has it been more important to do good science to understand ecological systems and to provide the evidence that supports sound environmental policies and effective conservation and management. The conference will showcase the science of ecology in Australia – across all its varied forms – and be an opportunity to explore the connection between science theory, science research, science policy and science on-ground outcomes.

The Pest Animal and Weed Symposium 2025 (PAWS 2025) presented by Invasive Species Queensland (ISQ), and hosted by Gladstone Area Water Board, will be held on 19-22 May 2025 at Gladstone.

This conference will mark the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Weed Society of Queensland – ISQ’s precursor organisation.

Strategies for pest success is the 2025 symposium theme, with a focus on planning, coordination and collaboration to achieve long term successes in pest animal and weed management.   The subthemes of ‘Early invasion curve prevention and eradication’ and ‘Managing pests, protecting assets’ highlight the benefits of targeted actions at varying stages within the invasion curve timeline. Whereas the other subthemes ‘Building resilience through community empowerment’ and ‘Harnessing research and technology’ reflect the critical importance of community and science contributions to successful pest management.

The Australian Organising Committee of the XII International Rangeland Congress, on behalf of the Australian Rangeland Society and the International Rangeland Congress Continuing Committee, invites you to participate in the International Rangeland Congress to be held 2-6 June 2025 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia. This conference will also have live streaming, interactive Q&A sessions and recording of select content for those who cannot attend in person.

This conference will be a platform for scientific exchange and education on the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing the rangelands and its communities.

The Biodiversity Conference 2025 brings together custodians, researchers and practitioners from across Country, academia, government, industry and community to share knowledge to protect, conserve, and enhance our incredible biodiversity. In a rapidly changing environmental and political landscape we need to employ a diverse array of strategies to curb our impacts on the environment and pivot to a Nature Positive future.

With a strong Western Australian focus, this conference is jointly supported and run by all five WA Universities, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions and The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute.

The Biodiversity conference will be held on 28-30 October 2025 and will be held at the University Club of Western Australia.

New South Wales Local Land Services run several regular events to support your Pest Animal Management activities including 1080/Pindone Accreditation. Please refer to the Local Land Services Events page to follow up what events are occurring for your region.

Other Resources

Some websites to visit for more information.

National Management Coordinator Programs

General

Grants and Programs finder

Queensland Government grants and assistance programs

Ecological Monitoring System Australia (EMSA) - TERN

Landcare

Landcare Australia

Events, webinars, discussion forum

Recent and upcoming webinars

Previous Landcare Farming webinars - Youtube