Feral pigs: Agriculture Victoria urges people to stay away

HUNTERS and others using public land have been urged not to go looking for or disturbing feral pigs.

HUNTERS and others using public land have been urged not to go looking for or disturbing feral pigs.

Agriculture Victoria is urging people to “just stay away” from feral pigs, particularly around traps set by authorities.

This comes as new populations of the pests have been identified in southwest Victoria — including the Heywood, Portland and Dartmoor regions.

Government authorities have confirmed pigs are now endemic in all areas of the state and “beyond eradication”.

Agriculture Victoria’s John Matthews said the locations of the new populations would not be publicised so as not to encourage hunters to go looking for them.

“If they do inadvertently come across pigs or a trap, we are encouraging them to refrain from approaching them or the trap,” Mr Matthews said.

“Pigs are very intelligent and quick and have learned habits. If they have a poor experience with a hunter, or traps, they become extra-difficult to get. We are saying to people, just leave it alone.”

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Feral pigs also posed a threat to people’s safety, he said.

“If you put enough pressure on a pig, it will attack,” he said.

“Most hunters do the right thing, but a small percentage don’t and we believe, although there isn’t definite proof at this point, that some have released pigs with the intention of building up a wild population for hunting.” Mr Matthews said feral pig camera traps had been stolen, and traps interfered with in the past.