Looking for feral pigs, in water samples

We’ve begun a trial to see if water samples from local creeks and rivers can be used to detect feral pigs in the Otways.

Working with EnviroDNA we’re putting environmental DNA (eDNA) to the test by sampling for feral pig DNA. This will give us a quick and easy way to see if pigs are nearby by picking up the trace DNA they leave behind in water.

The same technology has been successfully used for detecting platypus (via platypusSPOT), and if this trial is a success, it will massively aid surveillance of feral pigs across the whole Otways landscape.

This project is supported by Corangamite CMA, through funding from the Australian Government’s Environment Restoration Fund.