In 1802, an explorer released pigs on Kangaroo Island; 224 years later, Australia has removed them

Kangaroo Island free from feral pigs after successful eradication program In 1802, a French explorer released pigs on Kangaroo Island as a food supply for passing sailors; 224 years later, Australia has officially removed the last of them.Kangaroo Island has been declared completely free of feral pigs, making it the largest island anywhere in the world to clear out an established population of the pest.The landmark news was shared in a joint announcement on 10 June 2026 by Murray Watt, Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, and Clare Scriven, South Australian Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development.Backed by 7.5 million Australian dollars from federal and state governments alongside South Australia’s livestock industry, the Kangaroo Island Feral Pig Eradication Program gives crucial protection to native animals and local farms. Before this effort, wild pigs cost the island over 1 million dollars every year in damage to farming and natural habitats.Turning tragedy into opportunityThe work to remove the pigs began in 2020 after the severe 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires. While the fires destroyed local buildings, farms, and wild spaces, they also killed about...