A problematic invasive species is wreaking havoc on vital Australian tree cover.
What's happening?
According to The Guardian, feral pigs in eastern Australia are spreading a disease called Phytophthora, or dieback, among ancient bunya trees.
The mold infects root systems, strangling nutrient and water supplies. As pigs have spread across the country, so too has dieback.
"The major draw card for them is when the nuts are fruiting," forest health officer Adrian Bauwens told the publication. "They pretty much hit every tree they can."
Why are wild pigs concerning?
When left unopposed in the wild, invasive species can monopolize vital resources. This pushes out native species, reduces biodiversity, and erodes ecosystem services many rely on.
Researchers have estimated that invasive species cost hundreds of billions of dollars annually worldwide.
Feral pigs in Australia are dramatically shifting ecosystems. They're feeding on sea turtle eggs while also serving as prey for crocodiles in the north. The pigs' trampling has also done massive damage to banks and wetlands.
It's more than just environmental damage. Local Indigenous groups have long revered bunya trees, making their disappearance a cultural loss as well. The pigs have been problematic at other important sites for some time.
"You've got our rock art painting sites that are being rubbed right through — the paint's gone," said Indigenous environmental operations manager Trevor Meldrum, per The Guardian. "Their excrement and the salts in their skin erode a lot of those sacred places."
What's being done about wild pigs?
The Queensland government has invested AU$2 million in exterminating wild pigs, though the spread is a challenge.
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Definitely 👍 Some entrepreneurs have tried to incentivize greater wild pig hunting by creating culinary demand.
Meanwhile, bounty programs have been introduced in the U.S., but one study published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research suggested that hunting can spread pigs further afield.
Australian land managers have been tempering their expectations as a result.
"We care about our country," said Meldrum, per The Guardian. "Prevention is better than cure any day."
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