Man trying to shoo away wild boars from holiday home attacked, knocked unconscious

A man trying to shoo away wild pigs from his holiday home was attacked, knocked unconscious, left and had a tusk narrowly miss his eye.

Steve Easton was having a barbecue with a friend at his St Bathans, Central Otago property when he saw a family of pigs rooting up the garden about 8.30pm on Tuesday.

A wild boar came from nowhere and attacked him.

READ MORE:
* Goats, deer and pigs problem pests for top of the South
* Shakira successfully ‘confronted’ wild boars after they ‘attacked’ her alongside son and took bag
* Nadia Lim: We need to eat more wild meat

“Steve was knocked unconscious in the attack and luckily he was not alone as his friend was able to rush him to Ranfurly for treatment,” the advisory said.

He had a dislocated shoulder and a tusk just missed his eye.

Easton was recovering at home but was sore and shaken up.

“He’s very lucky that his injuries are not worse, as they so easily could have been.”

Pauline Easton said her husband was recovering well at home in Oamaru, but the couple was anxious that the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Central Otago District Council responded promptly to the growing threat from the pigs.

“They say they’re controlling the pigs around the area, but it’s very clear they’re not because the pigs wouldn’t be in town,” she said.

It had become particularly bad in the last two months, she said. Pigs had been seen on the main road in the small town and on the walking track around Blue Lake.

“At night when we’re in bed they walk along our verandah. We can hear them. And they’re rooting up our grass,” she said.

The couple had strengthened their fences and put in a gate but on the night Steve Easton was attacked it was open as he was sitting outside having a barbecue with a friend.

“It’s a big issue, and we want somebody to help us and take responsibility for it,” his wife said.

The St Bathans Community Association advised residents in the town and wider area to not go near wild pigs after the attack.

“Go inside or get in your vehicle,” it said.

“Keep an eye on your dogs as they will aggravate wild pigs and the pigs will win any battle with a domesticated pet dog.”

It was an escalating problem as pigs were becoming very familiar with the village, the community association said.

“Steve was knocked unconscious in the attack and luckily he was not alone as his friend was able to rush him to Ranfurly for treatment,” the advisory said.

He had a dislocated shoulder and a tusk just missed his eye.

Easton was recovering at home but was sore and shaken up.

“He’s very lucky that his injuries are not worse, as they so easily could have been.”

DOC Central Otago operations manager Nicola Holmes said her thoughts were with Easton.

The department undertook wild animal control, including pig control, in areas of large public conservation land near St Bathans such as the northern Dunstan ranges, she said.

However, the area directly around the St Bathans village had many different landowners, and comparatively small amounts of public conservation land, so a community approach was needed.

DOC was keen to engage with the community, she said.

Its national Wild Animal Management Team could be contacted with concerns about wild animals by emailing wildanimalmanagement@doc.govt.nz.

The Central Otago District Council has been asked for comment.