Wild pigs have long been a problem in the east coast beach settlement of Medlands on Aotea / Great Barrier, with their tendency to harm the natural environment and decimate people’s gardens.
Environmental group Oruawharo Medlands Ecovision (OME) has come up with a plan to assist in keeping numbers down on private properties, by purchasing a pig brig trap system with the help of a local board grant.
After overcoming delivery delays and a wet summer, the group is pleased to report the trap has successfully caught four unwelcome visitors so far.
OME coordinator Lotte McIntyre said there were doubts about the design of the trap at first, but after a steep learning curve relating to the set-up, the experience has been positive.
“The trap can capture more than one pig at a time, it’s also moveable, which allows us to target different problem areas.”
The brig will stay in the Medlands community, rotating around hot spots on private property.
“We had lots of support from Medlands residents because everyone has suffered pig damage, whether it’s to their neatly mowed lawns or vege gardens, food some people are actually relying on.
For us it’s also very much about damage to the environment. We have a lot of fragile ecosystems that really suffer from the damage pigs cause.”
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