Some Florida residents thought they were going to be living in paradise.
They found out there is a dark side to the Sunshine State.
And Florida residents are dealing with one scary problem that is destroying neighborhoods.
Wild hogs wreak havoc in Florida communities
Wild hogs are the most destructive invasive species in the United States.
They have been destroying parts of neighborhoods in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Drivers are increasingly having to avoid them on the roads during the morning and evening commutes.
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary CEO Amy Kight said these hogs tear up areas looking for food.
“The problem is more of what they destroy in their path, and that’s just using their snouts to dig up grubs and plants and stuff, so they really do more damage than good, unfortunately,” Kight explained.
Wild hogs carry diseases that affect livestock and humans.
“There are some diseases that they can carry that can be communicable to humans, but again, unless you’re right up with them, you’re dealing with their saliva or their blood, you’re really not going to present much of a risk,” Kight said. “I wouldn’t approach one. They’re generally going to run away from you, but if you corner them, they’re going to protect themselves.”
New housing developments are bringing people and wild hogs into contact more frequently.
Wild hog population explodes in Florida
There are very few predators in Florida that can keep the wild hog population in check.
“The Florida panther would be a predator of the wild hogs, but the panther population is so small in comparison to the hogs, it’s just not going to level out. Other than that, if they get by the water, maybe a gator would go after them,” Kight stated. “There’s not much of our native wildlife that really is going to be able to take them down.”
Florida allows hog hunting year-round, but they breed so quickly it is tough to keep the population under control.
Wild hogs can have two litters and more than 20 babies in a year.
Palm Beach County resident Maximilian Olivier has had success in trapping them.
“Every trap I put out has a hog in it. If I bait them up, they’ll be trapped within a day or two, everyone,” Oliver told WPBF.
He has seen packs of them destroy his neighborhood.
“They’re tearing up properties. The church is getting tore up, you know, it’s an expense,” Oliver explained. “They tear up sprinklers, irrigation, all that in the gated communities as well as golf courses. They’re everywhere.”
Hogs have gotten after dogs and other pets in the neighborhood.
“If you’ve got dogs outside and they get into the yard and the dogs want to go chase after them, oh yeah, they can tear up your pets pretty good,” Oliver stated.
The solution he claimed was eliminating hunting regulations.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this story.
