Feral pigs in the northern South Island, New Zealand: I. Origin, distribution, and density

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Abstract
Feral pigs in the northern South Island are derived from 14 breeds which originated under domestication in Polynesia, Europe, and Asia. Pigs were first established in the Marlborough Sounds by Captain Cook in 1773. The original animals were obtained in Tonga and Tahiti, and were probably S. scrofa vittatus, of Indo-Malay origin. The domestic breeds subsequently established between the 1830s and the 1970s were mostly of Eurasian origin. These breeds had diverse genetic histories and physical characteristics. Feral pigs now occupy 30% (20, 000 km2) of the study area. Overall distribution has expanded slightly (6%) since the 1970s because of liberations and natural spread. Pig distribution by habitat was: farmland 56%; indigenous forests 37%; and pine plantations 7%. Pig densities have declined since the 1970s as a result of intensified hunting.

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