Over 40,000 feral pigs have been removed from Western Riverina after a huge multi-agency project

The project was awarded a national Froggatt Award for delivering the program, removing 43,608 feral pigs from the Western Riverina.

Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer, Suzie Holbery said that it was a group effort.

"The scale of the initial problem was massive, meaning we needed to work together with landholders and a range of public agencies to respond," she explained.

'Landholders in the region reported feral pig numbers rising at an alarming rate, resulting in an increase in stock losses ... This burgeoning feral pig population was also threatening fragile wetland ecosystems."

After identifying the rapid increase of feral pigs, Local Land Services and NSW Farmers soon began working to reduce the number of feral pigs and limit reproduction. The group's use of new technology was particularly commended by the Invasive Species Council.

"We used helicopter mounted thermal cameras to monitor the impact our work was delivering and were very pleased with the result," explained Ms Holbery.

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The pigs hit their peak in 2017, with over 11 pigs per square kilometre. Due to the wide-reaching project, that number is down to less than one per square kilometre in 2020.

Ray Willis is the Local Land Services general manager for the Riverina, and was very proud of the spectacular success of the plan.

"This work is a collaboration between landholders, Riverina, Western and Murray Local Land Services, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the NSW Department of Primary Industries to meet this emerging threat head on," Mr Willis said.

He too, particularly appreciated the use of modern technology.

"Everything from GPS tracking collars and DNA sampling through to livestock exclusion bait containment yards and thermal camera monitoring were used to protect our local industry and environment."

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