Wild pigs become a fixture at a San Jose business park
Wild pigs in the South Bay
A group of wild pigs has taken to searching for food in a business park in San Jose. The group, which includes two adult females, several juveniles and at least six infants, have become a common sight for the individuals who work at the park on Hellyer Avenue. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it's not unusual to see the animals move out of open spaces as the weather heats up and their food supplies dwindle.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A San Jose business park has become home to some uncommon visitors: a family of feral pigs.
The sounder — the technical term for a family of wild pigs — consists of two adult females, several juveniles, and at least six babies who have made a comfortable home at the business park off Hellyer Avenue.
"I love watching them. I’ve been out here a couple of times seeing them rooting around in the lawn, so I’m literally ‘rooting’ for the pigs, ba dum bum chh," Elizabeth Hessinger said.
The backstory:
The group first showed up several weeks ago, and has kept returning. They’ve been turning the earth for grubs, and by now there’s not a patch they haven’t touched.
"Yeah, they’ve been rooting around basically every part. If you walk around this whole campus you’re going to see basically any grass patch that has been torn up by these pigs," Thomas Roderick said.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it’s not unusual to see feral pigs this time of year. They often leave open spaces as conditions get dry, searching for greener pastures.
As for what can be done, property owners can request a depredation permit, which would give them permission to trap the animals, or they can install fencing.
Local perspective:
Employees at the business park have struck their own balance with the animals.
"We don’t approach them. We just look at them from afar, and then we keep on going. But as of yet, they haven’t shown any aggression. They just go about their business," Hessinger said.
"I think everybody’s just been more fascinated. You don’t see pigs every day in a San Jose… corporate environment," Roderick said.
What's next:
Workers at the business park aren’t sure how much longer the pigs will be around, but for the time being, when they head out to lunch, they keep an eye out for their new neighbors.
"At the end of the day, we’re on their land. They lived here before we did. We just happen to work here," Roderick said.
The CDFW said feral pigs are the product of European wild boar that bred with domestic imported pigs in the 1920s.
As of this writing, the property managers have not responded to KTVU’s request for comment.
The Source: California Department ofFish and Wildlife, KTVU reporting