An increase in the population of wild pigs in New Zealand’s capital Wellington has meant that the animals are now entering suburban gardens and killing baby goats and intimidating dogs.
Residents in Brooklyn said that wild pigs have ended up on popular walking tracks and in backyards.
Naomi Steenkamp, who raises goats on her property behind the Brooklyn wind turbine, said to Stuff that her own kid goats had been “eaten alive” by the wild pigs.
“I don’t think people realise how big they are,” she was quoted as saying after her husband shot and killed one that she thought weighed 120kg over the weekend.
According to the Wellington City Council, the feral pig population in the suburbs of Brooklyn has been expanding and causing problems for locals.
However, it is difficult to put a number on the increase in the number of wild pigs.
But “there has clearly been an upsurge”, Richard Maclean, the council’s spokesperson was quoted as saying to The Guardian.
“Given that we’re now getting complaints about pigs appearing in backyards, that gives an indication that the population must be burgeoning,” he said.
“People tend to think of Wellington city as this pristine place where you couldn’t possibly have pigs or goats,” Mr Maclean added.
The wild animals were hindering the council’s efforts to regenerate native bush and bring back birdlife.
Residents have also been raising an alarm on social media about the wild pigs intimidating pet dogs. The wild pig population has increased after the Covid-19 lockdowns as hunting was limited.
New Zealand Pighunting Association President Warren Petersen said that the first Covid-19 lockdown meant hunters could not get out and pig numbers grew.
“I was getting phone calls from all over the North Island about the pig explosion,” he was quoted as saying.
Mr MacLean said that while the situation may be worsening now, the solution is not to pick up guns.
“It is a bit of a wild scene down there. But [we don’t] want people to suddenly think they can get in there and start helping out, taking in guns and dogs … We want to avoid total mayhem and conflict and keep everyone safe,” he said.
