Crown land estate acts to reduce feral pig impacts in Leanyer
Following public reports of feral pigs moving close to residential properties in Leanyer, the Crown Land Management team installed surveillance cameras on nearby vacant Crown land.
The footage confirmed a large group of feral pigs actively disturbing the native bushland located in proximity to the Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility. Given this proximity to the waste facility and surrounding homes, Crown Land Management also undertakes periodic pig trapping in the area as part of its ongoing risk‑mitigation program.
Feral pigs are a well‑established pest across the Top End, and activity in areas like Leanyer is not uncommon. As one of Australia’s most destructive feral species, they uproot soil and vegetation while foraging, disrupting native seed banks, altering soil composition, spreading weeds, and increasing erosion. These impacts significantly degrade habitat quality and threaten native wildlife, undermining broader conservation efforts across our local environment.
To prepare for the safe eradication of the pigs, Crown Land Management coordinated a series of precautionary and operational steps. Warning signs were placed at pedestrian and vehicle access points, and both NT Parks and Wildlife and the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) were notified. An experienced animal control contractor was then engaged to install traps in strategic locations within the bushland.
On 13 November 2025 the coordinated operation resulted in 13 feral pigs being successfully trapped and humanely euthanised. This targeted eradication effort reflects strong multi‑agency collaboration and supported DAFF’s ongoing disease surveillance program through the collection of blood and tissue samples for testing, including for Japanese Encephalitis and other blood‑borne diseases.
NT Parks and Wildlife officers further strengthened the value of the operation by collecting some of the carcasses for use as bait in crocodile traps as part of the broader crocodile management program in the Litchfield National Park region, supporting safer visitor experiences in the Top End.
