Wild boars invade Orlando neighborhood, leaving residents on edge

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Published  November 26, 2024 10:55pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Wild boars invade Orlando neighborhood

A pack of wild boars is wreaking havoc in an Orlando community, prompting warnings from the local homeowners association and leaving residents fearful.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A pack of wild boars is wreaking havoc in an Orlando community, prompting warnings from the local homeowners association and leaving residents fearful.  

The feral hogs have been spotted at Atwater Park in the Andover Lakes neighborhood, tearing up grass, leaving waste behind, and causing residents to avoid the area at night.  

Brian Fine, a concerned resident, shared his unsettling encounters with the boars. "Locked eyes, took two steps towards me — and I was like, let’s go," he said. "I thought it was a one-off, but then the next night, the same thing with the pigs."  

Fine described seeing a group of large, black hogs roaming the streets near his home. "I just saw a bunch of pigs on the street as I was on my way home. I thought I was going to hit one, but thank God I didn’t," he said.  

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The HOA estimates there are up to 13 boars in the area and has warned residents to stay away. "We ask that you stay clear of the cage and any pigs you may encounter," the HOA wrote in an email. "The female pigs are protective of their babies and will attack if they feel threatened."  

To address the problem, the HOA has set up traps and hired trappers to remove the animals. However, Fine and others believe more comprehensive action is needed. "This is bigger than just trying to capture a pig at a time — something else has to be done," he said.  

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, wild hogs are common throughout the state. The agency advises installing fencing to keep them off properties and notes that homeowners can hunt or trap the animals on their property without a license.  

For now, residents are staying vigilant as efforts to remove the hogs continue.  

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