SAN ANTONIO – After a 411-pound feral boar was caught on a golf course near Lackland Air Force Base last month, KSAT reached out to the base to see if hogs were a problem on local military bases.
Officials with Joint Base San Antonio said in a statement that hogs have been observed damaging vegetation, fencing and equipment. In fact, an average of 550 hogs are removed from JBSA locations annually.
Recommended Videos
Retired military dogs in San Antonio up for adoption
"Within the last year, approximately 175 feral hogs have successfully been removed from Camp Bullis. For Lackland and the Medina Training Annex, an average of 375 feral hogs have been removed each year," said JBSA-Lackland's public affairs specialist Lemitchel King.
King told KSAT that contractors are hired to help locate, trap and remove hogs from the bases to help limit property damage and prevent the spread of illnesses.
"Our primary interest is the welfare of our base population and our focus remains the preservation of their health and safety," said King.
VIDEO: 411 lb. wild boar caught near San Antonio golf course
Feral hogs are an invasive species largely introduced to Texas decades ago by hunters. Since, their numbers have skyrocketed due to the lack of predators and their relatively fast reproduction rate compared to other land mammals. The average adult female weighs about 175 pounds and average males can reach 300 pounds or more.
"Feral hogs can be found in 99% of Texas counties and cause an estimated $52 million in damages to Texas agricultural enterprises each year," according to the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension page.
The animals burrow under perimeter fences and are a known issue at multiple locations throughout JBSA, King said.
12 new Texas laws going into effect Sept. 1
A bill allowing the hunting of feral hogs without a license with consent of a landowner passed unanimously in the Texas Senate in April, and the law went into effect Sept. 1.