Photo credit: Ambquinn
Feral pigs can weigh over 300kgs and have black or brown hair. They predate on lambs and damage pasture, as well as potentially carrying bovine TB.
Description
- Large, stoutly built black or brown mammal.
- Has short legs and a large head with well-developed canine teeth.
- Habitats include forests, scrub, grasslands, pastures, and wetlands.
What you need to know
Preys on, competes with and disturbs native species, overturns large areas of soil, alters nutrient cycles, and facilitates the spread of pest plants and plant diseases. Predates on lambs and damages pasture. Can be a vector for bovine TB.
Management approach
We do not manage the control of feral pigs as the management of this species is regulated under the Wild Animal Control Act 1977 administered by the Department of Conservation.
View the Department of Conservation’s framework for the control of feral pigs.
Control
For information on controlling feral pigs visit the Department of Conservation website.