SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. — Feral pigs are causing headaches for some homeowners in Florida, who say the animals are taking over the neighborhood and destroying property.
Wild hogs, described as aggressive, have been spotted throughout Sun City Center and are blamed for tearing up lawns as they look for food, WFLA reported.
Wild hogs, described as an invasive species by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, live across Florida and can grow to 5-6 feet long and reach weights of more than 150 pounds. The animals root with their snouts to find food, which leaves the area looking like it was plowed.
The animals don’t just destroy property — they are also considered aggressive.
“I was actually in the pool and I looked out and there was one looking at me 20 feet away,” Jim Gilbert, the president of the neighborhood’s homeowners’ association, told WFTS. “You just hope that your screen is strong enough … People think it’s a joke, oh you’ve got pigs in your yard, but forget about the property damage, someone is going to get seriously hurt.”
The FWC suggested that residents put up fences to protect property from the animals, but the neighborhood’s HOA does not allow for that.
“There isn’t really much we can do about it because we’re not really allowed to fence,” Pete Pullen, a Sun City Center resident, told WFLA. “Some neighbors have fences, but how do you fence something like this that has a quarter mile of lake right beside you?”
Some residents told WFTS that they blame the increasing number of developments for forcing the animals onto their properties.
“All of their habitats are being destroyed by the new developments that are going in non-stop,” Gail Dudley told the station.
Trappers have offered to remove some of the animals, WFLA reported.
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