Wild Pigs Tearing It Up In The East Bay

EAST BAY, CA — Wild pigs are nothing new in the East Bay, but their populations may seem higher this year due to an abundance of food in the area. Although they aren't dangerous to humans or most pets, per se, they can do significant damage to the environment and native small animal populations, according to Doug Bell, wildlife program manager for the East Bay Regional Park District.

Some Danville Ranch residents can attest. In a recent weeks, properties there have been damaged by pigs, according to a report by KRON.

Bell's not surprised. He's seen kilometers of Mt. Diablo ridge lines rototilled by the animals.

"They eat just about anything they can get their snouts into," Bell said, and they're "darn good survivors."

The pigs thrive in the native chaparral here. They're also highly prolific. "A sow can have two to three broods of piglets a year under good conditions — plenty of food and water," Bell explained.

And it's been good year for pigs. The 2018-19 rainy season arrived, and the result has been pig food galore: acorns, tubers, seeds, small mammals, eggs laid by ground-nesting birds.

The pigs have few predators in California, which helps maintain high populations, especially in the food rich East Bay. Yes, a coyote could take a piglet, but sows are excellent mothers. It's not uncommon for the females to raise their young together, Bell explained. A group of protective mamas is probably not something the opportunistic coyote wants to take on. And mountain lions don't have a strong appetite for the pigs, Bell said.

So what to do? The best way to keep pigs at bay on your own property is to install pig fencing that's too deep for the animals to dig under and too high for them to climb over, Bell explained.

That said, wild pigs are classified as a game mammal in California and they provide a year-round hunting opportunity with proper licensing. Another option is to request a depredation permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which allows private property owners to hunt for pigs on their property any time during the day or night. There are also licensed contractors that can provide these services for you.

When the need arises, the East Bay Regional Park District contracts for pig eradication on the lands it oversees, but it's a constant effort, Bell said. "We're never not having issues with them."

Read more on wild pigs in California.