This project forms part of a broader pest management program delivering on a strategy of integrated aerial and on-ground feral pig control measures. The project aims to reduce big numbers to a target of 70% annually over an area of more than 820,000 hectares, and involves control mesures of shooting, trapping and baiting.
The Mapoon Land and Sea Rangers will undertake control measures: aerial and ground shooting, and where required, trapping and baiting. Expert marksmen trained in platform shooting will conduct the aerial shooting and licensed specifically trained shooters will do ground shooting. If required, specific site baiting and trapping will be conducted at selected sites.
Monitoring is to be carried out by aerial surveys using spotters. Estimation data includes pig numbers in each drove spotted from a chopper; estimated pig numbers shot; bullets spent; time in air; date, day and weather conditions and GPS points and created tracks. Where possible, ground monitoring will provide data relating to scats, tracks, diggings and turtle eggs predated at each nest.
Appropriate data sequences will be developed through the project and baseline data will be collected to measure change over time.