“Kangaroo Island is the largest island anywhere in the world on which an established population of feral pigs has been eradicated, making this a globally significant achievement for environmental and agricultural management.

The eradication of feral pigs on Australia’s third largest island delivers much-needed protection for local native species and agricultural industries…

Launched in 2020 in the wake of the Black Summer bushfires, the Kangaroo Island Feral Pig Eradication Program removed 878 feral pigs, with the last known sows removed in March 2024.

While the 2019/20 bushfires caused significant damage to the island’s environment, industries and civilian infrastructure, it also killed about 90 per cent of the feral pig population on Kangaroo Island – providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eradicate a damaging pest species from the island.

In July 2024, the feral pig eradication program entered a two-year ‘proof of freedom’ phase, which included an extensive and targeted surveillance program across high-risk areas. During this time, no detections or signs of feral pigs were recorded, which has provided a high degree of confidence that feral pigs are no longer present on the island.”

From Mirage.News.