'Pigs out, people in': Waitākere councilor says feral pigs are 'obliterating' protected ranges
WAITĀKERE RANGES, New Zealand — A surge in feral pigs is damaging one of Auckland’s most treasured natural areas, with a local councilor warning the animals are “obliterating” protected bush and putting a nearby seabird colony at risk.
Waitākere ward councilor Ken Turner told 1News’ Breakfast that the pig population in the ranges has “exploded,” pointing to gaps in pest control and council spending as the cause.
“Lack of pest control, lack of council putting their budget in the right places for contractors,” Turner said.
Feral pigs have been present in the ranges for generations, Turner said, tracing their arrival to Captain James Cook’s release of pigs in 1769. Private and recreational hunters have traditionally helped keep the population in check, he added.
The issue is especially sensitive in the Waitākere Ranges, where parks have already been closed to trampers to protect kauri trees from dieback disease. Turner called it hypocritical to shut people out while allowing pigs to cause widespread damage.
“It’s the hypocrisy of having closed our parks to trampers, and yet now it’s being obliterated by pigs,” he said.
Auckland Council rejected the suggestion that it is overlooking the problem, saying its control work is delivering results. Turner acknowledged that culling has started to make a difference, noting contractors had killed more than 100 pigs.
“But those numbers alone show you how bad the problem was,” he said. “They do far more damage than the trampers. ‘Pigs out, people in’ is my new motto.”
The debate highlights a broader challenge for conservation managers: balancing public access with protection of fragile ecosystems. In the Waitākere Ranges, kauri dieback restrictions have limited where people can go, but invasive animals can still move freely through the forest, churning soil, disturbing undergrowth and preying on native wildlife. Seabird colonies, which nest on the ground or in burrows, are particularly vulnerable to pig predation.
Feral swine are also a growing problem internationally. Across the United States, wild pig populations have spread rapidly, damaging farms and habitat while hunters struggle to keep pace. In Texas, feral hogs are causing heavy crop losses; along the Canadian border, so-called “super pigs” threaten to move south; in California, hybrid pig-boar populations are raising new concerns for wildlife; and in British Columbia, officials are urging residents to report escaped feral pigs early.
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