Detection of brucellosis and leptospirosis in feral pigs in New South Wales

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 343-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Ridoutt ◽  
A Lee ◽  
B Moloney ◽  
PD Massey ◽  
N Charman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

The Demography of Feral Pigs (Sus Scrofa) in Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales.

1993 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 559 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Protein Food ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Postnatal Mortality ◽  
Alpine Population ◽  
Autumn And Winter

The demography of a sub-alpine population of feral pigs was examined at Kosciusko National Park in south-eastern New South Wales. Reproductive data and age structures indicated a seasonal pattern of breeding, most births occurring in summer and autumn. It is proposed that a decreasing availability of high protein food in the autumn and winter months caused reduced rates of conception. Sows produced 0.84 litters per year with postnatal mortality as high as 85%. The population appeared relatively stable at a density of 1.6 pigs kg-2. Hunting, although illegal in a national park, removed 4.4-15.4% of pigs each year. The overall health and body condition of pigs was good, with no evidence of heavy parasitic burdens or disease. Age-specific body weight and body length in this study were greater than those reported for pigs in semi-arid wester New South Wales.

Movements and Home Ranges of Feral Pigs (Sus Scrofa) in Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales.

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 711 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
B Kay
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

The movements of a subalpine population of feral pigs were examined at Kosciusko National Park in southeastern New South Wales. Sufficient data were collected to estimate the home-range area of 20 pigs on the basis of 782 telemetry and trap locations. Mean (+/- s.d.) home-range size (minimum convex polygon method) for males (35.0 t 22.2 km*2) was significantly greater than that for females (1 1.1 +/- 5.2 km*2). Use of capture-recapture distances to estimate home-range size was considered inappropriate. A test for nomadism suggests that, although home ranges of pigs in this environment were larger than those reported for other pigs in Australia, the pigs were essentially sedentary. Management implications for this population are discussed.

Aerial baiting of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) for the control of exotic disease in the semi-arid rangelands of New South Wales

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. S. Fleming ◽  
David Choquenot ◽  
Richard J. Mason
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Effective Density ◽  
Contingency Planning ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
The Third ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Arid Rangelands ◽  
North Western

An experiment that held the density of feral pigs constant while varying the effective density of aerially distributed baits was conducted at three sites in north-western New South Wales. Meat baits, containing one of the biomarkers iophenoxic acid, tetracycline or rhodamine B, were distributed at different intensities over each site, and a sample of pigs was shot from a helicopter at each site to determine bait uptake. Serum and tissue samples taken from each pig were analysed for the occurrence of the biomarkers; the proportions of pigs exhibiting biomarkers represented the proportions of the feral pig populations that had consumed baits at different baiting intensities (expressed as baits per unit of pig density). The maximum percentage of sampled pigs that had eaten baits varied from 31% to 72% across the three sites. Bait uptake was regressed against baiting intensity. For two of the trials, the quantity of bait hypothetically required to eliminate a population of feral pigs was extrapolated to be 1577 baits per unit of pig density, while for the third trial 1874 baits per unit of pig density would have been required. Bait-uptake by non-target animals was substantial, posing potential hazards to birds and reducing the availability of baits to feral pigs. Most likely, seasonal conditions affected bait-uptake by feral pigs. We discuss the implications of these results for exotic disease contingency planning.

Predation by feral pigs on Merino lambs at Nyngan, New South Wales

1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (113) ◽  
pp. 570 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Pavlov ◽  
J Hone ◽  
RJ Kilgour ◽  
H Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

The effects of feral pigs on the lambing performance of Merinos was studied at Nyngan, New South Wales. Ewes lambed in two paddocks; one with feral pigs and one with no pigs in autumn and spring in 1978 and 1979. Ewes were pregnancy tested before lambing, and after lambing, classified as dry, lactating or lambed-and-lost. Lambs were mustered weekly in three lambings. Pig movement in three lambings was controlled by electric fences. There were effects (P < 0.05) of feral pigs, years, seasons, and pigs x years on the percentage of ewes lactating, of those lambing. Feral pigs lowered the number of lambs per 100 ewes by 37.9 and 31.9 in autumn and spring 1978, respectively. In 1979 pig predation was an insignificant cause of lamb loss.

Observations on the effectiveness of shooting feral pigs from helicopters.

1993 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 771 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Reduction Rate ◽  
Population Recovery ◽  
Management Implications ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
Removal Method ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Population Reduction ◽  
Rate Of Increase

The use of helicopters for the shooting of feral pigs in western New South Wales has become increasingly popular and widespread. Studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this practice in terms of population reduction, rate of population recovery and cost. The study site was an area of 120 km*2 on the southern edge of the Macquarie Marshes. Estimated population reductions, calculated by the index-removal method, over two consecutive years were 80 and 65%. The associated rate of increase (r) in the 12 months following the first population reduction was 1.34, which is equivalent to a recovery of 77% in numbers. Results and levels of control inputs were collated for an additional consecutive year and compared with other studies. Management implications from this study are also considered.

SPARGANOSIS IN FERAL PIGS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

1954 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 135-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh MCL. Gordon ◽  
B. A. Forsyth ◽  
Michael Robinson
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

Movements of Feral Pigs (Sus Scrofa) at Sunny Corner, New South Wales.

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
B Kay
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Peak Activity ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

This study describes the movements of feral pigs at Sunny Corner in eastern New South Wales. Population density at this site was 2 pigs km-2. Twenty-two pigs (12 males and 10 females) were captured and fitted with telemetry transmitters. Aggregate home range for males (10.7 � 6.9 km2) was significantly greater than for females (4.9 � 1.4 km2) as was 24 h home range (1.4� 1.1 km2, males and 0.8 � 0.4 km2, females). Seasonal home ranges were greatest in the winter and smallest in the autumn. These differences were attributed to variations in food availability. During all seasons there was a preference for creeklines that had vegetative cover. This was the result of thermoregulatory needs, refuge availability and food supply. Peak activity throughout the study occurred between 1900 and 2400 hours with little movement during the middle of the day. The implications of these results to management programs are discussed.

The Behaviour of Feral Pigs, Sus scrofa, in Flocks of Lambing Ewes

1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Pavlov ◽  
J Hone
Keyword(s):  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales

The behaviour of feral pigs in flocks of lambing ewes was studied in New South Wales during autumn and spring in both 1978 and 1979. Pigs were shown to be predators of lambs. Pig activity caused some disturbance to the flock on 77.5% of the observed occasions they were within 100 m of lambing flocks. Lambs were caught in 10 of 42 (23.8%) of observed chases. The feeding sequence on lambs by feral pigs follows a distinct pattern, and carcasses left at different stages of consumption can implicate feral pigs. Pigs were seen to kill one or two lambs in an evening but it is unknown how many lambs one pig may kill during an entire lambing. One individually identifiable pig was seen to kill five times, and harass the flock for up to 2 h, on seven different occasions during the spring 1978 lambing. Both boars and sows were seen to kill lambs.

The Evaluation of a Feral Pig Eradication Program During a Simulated Exotic Disease Outbreak.

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
H Bryant
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Initial Population ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Eradication Program ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Natural Boundaries ◽  
Feral Pig

An exercise was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of plans to eradicate feral pigs in an exotic disease emergency. The study site was an area of 120 km2 on the southern edge of the Macquarie Marshes in western New South Wales. Shooting from a helicopter accounted for 946 pigs at a rate of 39.2 per hour. This was at an average of 1.65 shots and a cost of $11.77 per pig. A further 43 were shot from the ground or trapped. Of an estimated initial population of 1238, 80% was removed. Telemetry studies conducted in conjunction with the exercise indicated that some pigs became attuned to the significance of a hovering helicopter and modified their behaviour to avoid detection. Movements also emphasised the need to match the boundaries of feral pig eradication zones with natural boundaries, where overlapping home ranges are minimal and densities low. Eradication of feral pigs during an outbreak of exotic disease may be an unrealistic goal, and it may be more efficient to aim to eradicate the disease within the feral pig population. This would be achieved by isolating those pigs carrying the infection; it does not necessarily require the removal of all feral pigs.

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