Feral hogs are tearing up lawns and alarming residents in a Mesquite, Texas, neighborhood, where homeowners say night sightings have become increasingly common and the damage continues to grow.
A longtime resident says concern has escalated to the point that neighbors are being told to avoid going outside once it gets dark.
What's happening?
Ted Faulkner, who lives in Mesquite's Falcons Lair neighborhood, told CBS News Texas the area has dealt with feral hog problems for years, but recent activity has become much harder to ignore.
Videos Faulkner shared show the hogs moving through the neighborhood at night in groups. He said he has spotted about six at a time and, on some occasions, as many as 10.
He said the impact has been visible on local properties, with yards torn up over the course of just a few weeks.
"All of this damage that you're looking at was done by feral hogs within the last six weeks," he said.
TCD Picks » EDF Spotlight
💡EDF's Vital Signs newsletter delivers stories about game-changing solutions close to home and around the world
Faulkner said his main worry is what could happen if residents come across the animals after dark.
"I've warned people in the neighborhood, 'do not walk out here after dark because you might encounter the hogs, they become frightened, and they might attack,'" Faulkner said. "That's the biggest concern is public safety."
Why does it matter?
Feral hogs can cause major destruction in a short amount of time, uprooting landscaping and damaging property.
In this case, Faulkner said the animals have caused "several thousand dollars of damage," joking that "They could probably get a part-time job working for an excavation company," CBS News reported.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
If the hogs are bedding down in nearby undeveloped areas, as Faulkner suspects, it shows how thin the boundary between residential life and wildlife activity has become.
What's being done?
Faulkner said he has contacted animal control and the city manager's office multiple times and believes the hogs may be living in the wooded area across from his home.
His suggested solution is simple: fence off that land so the animals cannot move as easily into the neighborhood.
For now, Mesquite officials say residents should continue reporting feral hog sightings, according to CBS News, though the city's animal services department is unable to trap or remove them.
Faulkner said the assistant city manager told him officials had reached out to Texas Parks and Wildlife for assistance because "Mesquite doesn't have the capability to trap these hogs."
"How much does it take before someone comes up with a way to control them?" Faulkner said.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
