Wild pigs spark chaos across San Jose: ‘Really did a number here’

A group of feral pigs has sparked chaos in an affluent area of San Jose after tearing up landscaped lawns at a business park in search of food, leaving employees stunned by the destruction.

Video captured along Hellyer Drive showed a sounder of wild pigs rooting through grassy areas and ripping up sections of landscaping, with workers saying the damage unfolded over just a few days.

“It was all a good patch of green grass we used to enjoy in the break time, but now it’s all messy,” employee Bhawani Shankar said.

“I think they’re digging for grubs, big insects. And they really, really did a number here,” Guy Clark said.

Social media videos have also documented the pigs roaming through the area.

On Monday, about a dozen pigs — including two adult sows and several piglets — were spotted foraging in a parking lot at Power Integrations, ABC7 reported.

Employees said they are accustomed to seeing wildlife around the business park, but the pigs have been an unusual and destructive sight.

“We do see wild turkeys once in a while — but this is something new. I thought someone might have deliberately left them to take care of the grass. And this is the first time we see wildlife damaging the property,” Shankar said.

Clark said it was not the first time he had encountered wild pigs in the area, recalling an earlier sighting nearby.

“It was over in the corner, over there. And, I said, ‘that’s unusual’. And, so I had on my phone, put it on telephoto and started walking, getting up close to them, but not too close,” Clark explained.

Wild pigs have long been a problem in San Jose.

In 2020, the city approved a temporary ordinance allowing licensed trappers to kill the animals with a bow or crossbow in an effort to help control the population.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife — which has jurisdiction over wild pigs — said reports of property damage typically increase this time of year as food becomes more scarce.

The agency noted property owners can hire licensed trappers if the animals become a persistent problem.

Employees are hoping the unwelcome visitors move on before the business park’s landscaping suffers even more damage.

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