There will be some extremely nervous feral animals between Coen and Mapoon on 19-20 September when competitors battle for bragging rights in the 2025 Western Cape Feral Animal Control pig hunt. Photo: Facebook (Western Cape Feral Animal Control).
Hunters across western Cape York are gearing up to do their part to protect the region’s pristine environment and bag some serious bragging rights in doing so.
Nominations for the 2025 Western Cape Feral Animal Control pig and cat hunt will open next week, with eager hunters able to put their name down to compete at the Albatross Bay Resort on 21 and 28 August, and 4 September from 5:30-7pm.
Toad busters aged 13 and younger can register on 4 and 11 September.
The event continues to grow in popularity each year, and a spokesperson said they believed community pride in the region played a pivotal role in the hunt’s success.
“It’s one of the only events in Weipa that enforces a rule that incorporates not only our community, but also our local and surrounding districts, including Napranum, Mapoon, Scherger, Aurukun, and now also extending into Coen,” they said.
“This is important for not only environmental preservation, but for the safety or our local flora and fauna, and the people that access and visit these areas.
“Additionally, it provides a sense of achievement for the members of our local community, as they can contribute greatly to ensuring that the western Cape retains its natural beauty, and to protect those species under threat from feral animal activities.
“We are proud of the inclusion of the cat and toad categories, which are both national issues, adding to the push for feral animal control to expand into including new hunters of all ages.”
Event organisers are aiming for at least 350 pigs, 70 cats and 500 kilograms of toads to be removed from the environment during the 2025 hunt, with six of the amphibians tagged to give junior hunters a chance to win $100 for catching one.
Cat and toad hunters can begin from the day they nominate, and there will be a reading of the rules at 10am on 19 September before competitors hit the field from 11am.
For more information about the event, check out the Western Cape Feral Animal Control Facebook page.
