Pork stalkers fined $9K for hunting feral pigs in Bribie Island Park

Two men have been fined more than $9000 after illegally hunting feral pigs inside Bribie Island National Park, a protected area crucial for wildlife and ecosystem conservation.

Feral pigs on Bribie Island in 2024. Pictures: Facebook: L Carberry/A Caruana

Two men have been hit with fines of more than $9000 for removing their car number plates and then illegally hunting feral pigs inside the Bribie Island National Park.

The pair were busted after Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and police observed suspicious behaviour late last month, following reports of vehicles entering the protected area multiple times.

Investigators claimed the men accessed restricted roads, brought in pig-hunting dogs, and attempted to avoid detection by removing their number plates to trick park surveillance cameras.

Police managed to track them down, identify the vehicles, and issue infringement notices under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and Queensland’s transport laws, totalling $9032 in fines.

Feral pigs are a declared pest in Queensland and can be managed on private land under strict conditions, but any kind of hunting in a national park is illegal.

QPWS Bribie manager Chris Skennar said the men’s actions risked undoing vital conservation efforts.

Feral pigs on Bribie Island. Source: Facebook/L Carberry/A Caruana

“Bribie Island National Park is a fragile ecosystem that supports a wide variety of unique native species,” he said.

“Illegal hunting not only poses a direct threat to wildlife, but damages sensitive landscapes and undermines our co-ordinated pest control programs.”

He said the agency already ran targeted feral animal control operations designed to manage invasive species and restore natural ecosystems safely.

Even if the intention is to target a pest species, the way it’s done matters. National parks aren’t a remote property, they’re a shared, protected space,” Ms Skennar said.

Moreton District Acting Chief Superintendent Adam Guild said the men tried to avoid being caught.

Police warned any illegal activity in national parks could lead to fines or criminal charges.

Authorities urged the public to report any suspected poaching, illegal entry, or animal cruelty in parks or state forests to QPWS or Queensland Police.

Bribie Island National Park is one of South-East Queensland’s most popular protected areas, home to wallabies, migratory birds, coastal forests, and fragile wetland habitats.

Pigs are often spotted on the island.

Originally published as Pork stalkers fined $9K for hunting feral pigs in Bribie Island Park