Feral pigs roaming Florida neighborhood

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Wild pigs have been wandering around in a Florida neighborhood and residents are concerned for their yards and their safety.

Residents of the Cocoa neighborhood have taken photos and video of the feral animals, sometimes just one or two, but also congregating in groups.

“They’ll destroy yards. They’ll destroy gardens. They’ll tear up the whole ecosystem, basically,” resident John Moran said.

Moran has hunted wild pigs for years and said the worst thing about them showing up in a residential area is the danger they can pose to residents and their pets.

“They can rip up your leg, or your dog’s leg, or anybody else’s leg like it’s soft mashed potatoes,” he said.

While only a few of the animals have been seen in the Cocoa neighborhood, if they aren’t dealt with, that number will only increase, Moran added.

“If there’s five or six there, if they don’t do something about them, in another year you’re going to have about 30,” he said. “They multiply very well.”

Feral pigs are not native to Florida and are believed to have been introduced to the state by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

They are the second-most hunted large animal in the state and can be trapped and hunted on private land year-round, the commission said.

Cox Media Group