Pig evades armed police near Auckland motorway, remains at large

An officer on the Te Atatu on-ramp to the motorway in the hunt for Auckland's elusive motorway pig. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Police armed with rifles were in pursuit of a pig running riot near an Auckland motorway on Saturday afternoon.

But the swine gave them the slip.

Armed officers were looking for the pig near the Te Atatu motorway on-ramp on the North-Western Motorway towards Auckland after it was reported about 4pm amid heavy westbound traffic.

Police at the scene appeared to have lost sight of the pig shortly after 5pm and were turning their attention to an area of bush near the on-ramp. Officers were also awaiting the arrival of animal control.

A police spokeswoman said they were called about 4pm to the ramp.

“Police worked with animal control personnel in an attempt to capture the pig,” she said.

“Attending officers were armed in case it was deemed necessary to put down the pig. Police have now left the location, the pig was not captured or put down.”

An officer on the Te Atatu on-ramp to the motorway in the hunt for Auckland's elusive motorway pig. Photo / Hayden Woodward

About an hour earlier, reports on social media suggested a “little black pig” was running down the motorway on-ramp heading from Te Atatu Peninsula towards the city on State Highway 16.

A spokeswoman at police national headquarters said she was aware of the motorway pig.

“Police are responding to a report received shortly after 4pm of a pig running on the North-Western Motorway near the Te Atatu Road off-ramp,” she said.

A pair of officers at the on-ramp where the pig was last seen on Saturday afternoon. Photo / Hayden Woodward

She could not confirm if it was a Captain Cooker or a domestic breed.

“There are no details as to the breed of pig.”