Spit's pest pig population targeted

A recent cull has reduced the population of feral pigs on Farewell Spit to single figures.

The helicopter operation, organised by Pest Free Onetahua (PFO) and carried out by conservation and wildlife management company Trap and Trigger, used high-tech thermal imaging equipment to locate the animals earmarked for elimination.

Over the course of four days, Trap and Trigger pilot Brent Lithgow and aerial sharpshooter Cole Ritchie completed six flights, shooting a total of 34 pigs. But it still leaves some work to be done by the company that promises “complete and permanent” removal of ungulate species (pigs, deer, goats, etc) from any confined area – a goal that PFO has squarely in its sights.

Key to the operation’s success was the sophisticated airborne kit deployed by the crew: the Thermal Animal Detection System (TADS) camera was aligned with a military grade laser pointer to assist the pilot and shooter in the direction of the target, until it presented itself for identification and dispatch. And there was no hiding place for the porcine invaders; in the right environment, the camera can detect them from more than 1km away.

With only a handful of pigs now thought to remain on the spit, PFO is planning a follow-up operation in August, involving both air- and ground-based hunters, with the goal of eliminating the animals completely. Project manager Brian Alder says they will know if and when that milestone has been achieved. "The sand is an amazing tracking tool, so it will be fairly simple to ascertain if we have been successful."

For more information, visit: onetahuarestoration.org.nz/