Wild pigs — including feral domestic pigs, wild boar, and hybrid populations — are among the most widespread invasive species globally, raising welfare questions about management approaches.
Wild pig management globally involves some of the most welfare-contentious methods used in any wildlife management context. Sodium fluoroacetate (1080) poisoning causes convulsions and prolonged death — a deeply inhumane method that continues in some Australasian jurisdictions because it is highly effective. Helicopter shooting under suboptimal conditions produces wounding rates that leave pigs to die slowly. The intelligence and social complexity of wild pigs makes the welfare cost of all management methods ethically significant. Welfare-conscious wild pig management prioritises rapid-kill methods, minimises wounding, and uses the most humane available options rather than defaulting to convenience.