Are wild pigs spreading kauri dieback disease?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-05-09 03:00

New Zealand

Photo: Toby Ricketts / Ministry for Primary Industries

New research finds we're "flying blind" on whether feral pigs are responsible for the spread of kauri dieback. It has been theorised that pigs could directly spread the fungus by moving infected soil around, or they could make healthy kauri more vulnerable to infection by damaging their roots. However, scientists have turned up very little evidence on the topic, and say that any feral pig management plans should also include research to help answer this pressing question for the health of our forest giants.

Media release

From:

Journal/
conference: New Zealand Journal of Zoology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research

Funder: This work was supported by Department of Conservation, New Zealand’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge Ngā Rakāu Taketake programme: [Grant Number C09X1817]; Strategic Science Investment Funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

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