Pests, pork or pets? It’s pig politics
Tensions over ‘feral’ porkers on Great Barrier
On the edge of the Hauraki Gulf lies the idyllic Great Barrier Island (Aotea). It is home to fewer than 1000 resilient and tight-knit permanent residents. But not all is well — an uncontrollable “feral” pig problem is causing tensions in this small community.
“People are getting more and more annoyed about it,” says Dr Raoul Stuart, a Medlands Beach homeowner.
Pigs have been invading his property for years, so now Stuart and other residents are taking matters into their own hands in an attempt to eradicate these “pests”.
But it’s how these pigs are categorised that’s at the heart of the debate — are they pests, pork or even pets?
Christina Spence is a longtime resident and partner of Johnny Blackwell — a fourthgeneration islander.
“The pigs were introduced as a food source,” says Spence. She thinks it is great people are still able to hunt them today.
Her views are shared by several of the island’s small but active hunting community — including her son Wayde Blackwell. They argue that many residents rely on wild pork to sustain their families and friends.
Wayde Blackwell, as well as others on the island, farms and keeps pigs as pets too, which complicates matters further.
What happens if these semitame swine get loose? Will Wayde Blackwell’s pet pig and best mate Pumba put a hoof wrong and end up on a plate?
Stuart believes the pigs he’s seen roaming are being “cultivated” for the dinner table.
“Everyone’s got a differing opinion about it,” says Spence.
You can watch the whole four-part video series at nzherald.co.nz. Here’s a guide to the main characters . . .
The stars of Pig Politics Wayde Blackwell
Johnny and Christina’s eldest son, Wayde, lives with his young family in the house his great-great-grandfather built.
“Wayde’s always loved pigs,” says his wife, Danni.
If you had to list his favourite things it’d be hunting, pigs, and his family.
Pumba
In a fenced paddock on the Blackwells’ property lives Pumba, Wayde’s best mate and pet pig.
Wayde found Pumba when he was barely the size of a beer bottle and nearly dead on the side of the road. Now fully grown, Pumba spends his days rooting around the Blackwells’ paddocks.
“He’ll be the lucky one,” Christina Spence says — unless he puts a hoof wrong like their last pet, Crackle.
Johnny Blackwell and Christina Spence
Christina Spence Nga̅ti Wai, Nga̅ti Maru) and Johnny Blackwell live at the base of the Sugar Loaf, on the other side of Medlands Beach.
In Spence’s words, they “became very good friends very fast because [Johnny] rode motorbikes and chased pigs”.
They have three children — their two sons live on their property and their daughter, a rugby player, regularly visits them.
They are prolific hunters on the island. Johnny celebrates pigs with a huge boar tattoo on his head, which his eldest son, Wayde, helped design.
Dr Raoul Stuart
Raoul Stuart has had a house on Medlands Beach for more than 15 years.
The property is fully fenced, but several times he has arrived at his home to find what looked like a “rotary hoe” had gone through his garden.
Stuart has contacted the Department of Conservation and made submissions to the Auckland Council about their pest management plan to no avail. “Only good pig on my property is a dead pig, as far as I’m concerned,” says John (not his real name), who has been the owner of a 4.8ha property overlooking Medlands Beach for well over a decade.
He was drawn to the island for the surf and relaxed lifestyle, but has been increasingly frustrated by the pigs. “They’re annihilating my property every year!” The vegetarian has set up two pig traps, and has “no scruples about killing them” should he catch them on his land.
Luke Coles
Luke Coles is the deputy chairman on the island’s local board and “the guy that gets given all the jobs nobody wants to deal with”. Over the past couple of years Coles has been doing his best to set up an agreement so the board can advocate on behalf of the hunters to try to resolve some of the conflict over the pigs.
It’s not easy, but he’s the kind of bloke who tries to see different perspectives. He sees the problem as “very symbolic of two worlds colliding — the old school and the new”.
Fenella Christian
As a ranger for the Department of Conservation on Great Barrier, Christian deals with “cats, rats and tourists — people looking for information”.
She does her best to respond when people contact her about the pigs, but the pigs aren’t always on DoC property.
She believes “what people forget is if these pests are eradicated we end up with phenomenal forest and wildlife”.