Hordes of hogs barreling through grassland and ranch property is not a new phenomenon in Texas. In fact, these creatures have been around for more than 100 years and are descendants of Russian boars brought to Western states by hunters.
The problem is that suburban development has begun encroaching on their range. That means it's not uncommon for packs of these tusked, 200- to 400-pound swine to tear through backyards, level fences and destroy wildlife preserves.
"It's a pretty serious problem," says Mark Sanders, a field biologist who manages city park land near where many high-tech firms have chosen to build. "We're not talking about a little armadillo that digs up a couple of plants. They will grab your whole yard and turn it upside down."
Sanders estimates more than 500 hogs are running wild in West Austin- -and they breed like crazy. A female hog can reproduce at six months, typically has a litter of six and can have three to four litters a year.
"People are going to have more and more confrontations with these hogs," Sanders warns. Despite their collective aggressiveness, he notes the animals would prefer to skulk around at night looking for roots, grubs and insects.
Austin and other nearby Texas towns have recruited volunteers to help trap wild hogs. And they're not alone. Even Hawaii has had to recruit some well-known Texas wranglers to help rid their lands of these porcine beasts.
