Feral pig (Sus scrofa) predation of a green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea)

Abstract

Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are a threat to New Zealand’s biodiversity. Predation of frog species by feral pigs is a notable problem in other countries where pigs have been introduced. Our study aimed to determine through analysis of stomach contents if feral pigs are consuming frogs in the Waitakere Ranges, Auckland. Auckland Council contract pig hunters collected 274 feral pig stomach samples. Of these samples, 184 were screened for frog consumption via both dissecting microscope and DNA analyses. A single frog was identified by morphological and DNA analysis, the introduced green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea). Anecdotal evidence from the hunter records also suggests that nine other individual frogs were found in the stomach of the same pig (n = 10 total). This evidence of frog predation by feral pigs should be considered along with the many other negative impacts of feral pigs in New Zealand, and management programmes for pigs should be considered in areas of biodiversity value.