The feral pig population on Kangaroo Island has all but been wiped out through a successful eradication project, and state government funding will ensure the pest doesn't make a miraculous comeback.
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While two boars have unaccounted for since July 2023, no evidence of their presence on the island has been detected since, according to PIRSA.
A post-mortem assessment of the last 5 sows culled showed they were sexually mature, but had never reproduced, which supports the belief there are no known pigs left on KI.
The likely success of the eradication project would give KI the title of the largest island in the world from which feral pigs have been wiped.
To make sure the island is officially free of pigs, $367,000 from state government and a further $230,000 from the Landscape Priorities Fund will be provided to the KI Landscape Board for an extensive monitoring program that includes a network of 500 cameras and undertaking DNA analyses of waterways.
The eradication project began in the wake of the 2019-20 bushfires, with thermal assisted aerial culling, detector dogs, ground shooting and baiting used to capitalise on a population already decimated by the fires.
878 pigs have been culled over the project's duration.
A PIRSA spokesperson said the project had pioneered thermal assisted aerial culling of feral pigs and "the full suite of technology now underpinned the feral deer eradication program on the mainland".
"That program is also an incredible success, with more than 15,000 feral deer having been culled since it started in May 2022," the spokesperson said.
Before the fires, up to 10,000 feral pigs had been impacting farmers and the environment by damaging pastures, grain and potato crops, fence lines and dams as well as preying on lambs, native animals and damaging vegetation.
"Those tragic bushfires provided an opportunity to hit the island's feral pig population while it was down," Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven said.
"It's to everyone's credit that this opportunity was quickly recognised and acted upon with significant resources, technology and skills focused on this very destructive pest.
"Once eradication is confirmed, when this two-year final phase of the project is complete, Kangaroo Island will be the largest island anywhere in the world from which feral pigs have been eradicated and clearly a significant achievement for PIRSA's biosecurity division in partnership with the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board and DEW."
