Wildlife sightings are taking over social media in communities around Port St Lucie. Pictures on Facebook show wild boars, bobcats and coyotes roaming areas like Tradition and Central Park with the creatures being seen mostly at night and in the early morning. A lot of comments on social media point to new developments pushing the animals out of their habitat. WPBF 25 News caught up with a local wildlife trapper to better understand if that's the case or if there's another reason behind it.Jay Garrish, who many know as Trapper Jay, said there are a few reasons for the uptick in sightings. "We have the development, obviously, we keep moving west, people keep moving down here, but we also have that it's breeding season right now," Jay said. He said during breeding season, some of the animals travel much further than they normally would. "Like a coyote that would typically travel only one or two miles a night, they're actually traveling four or five miles a night and even during the day to try to find a maiden. And then the feral hogs, they could actually breed three times a year, but their high point is this time of the year to breed as well," he said.Aside from development and breeding, Jay said the November full moon and an increase in oak trees in some communities could draw the animals that way. "Most of these pictures of the feral hogs, they're underneath oak trees, because the acorns, we had a good acorn drop this year, and the acorns are obviously under the oak trees, and that is one of the most staple foods this time of the year," Jay said. "I mean, that's how they fatten up."Jay said the wild boars are invasive to Florida and cause a lot of damage to property. "They caused thousands and thousands of dollars' worth of damage just in St. Lucie County alone," he said.Most of that damage is caused to fields and grass while the hogs are searching for food. Jay said they mainly eat grubs and roots under the sod. He also said why it's important for people to keep their distance from the hogs. "It's definitely something that you don't want to go try and pet. I mean, it's a pig, a cute little piggy, but they absolutely can be violent, if approached. Typically, they're just going to run away but during breeding season, you want to keep your distance because they're protecting their family," he told WPBF.As for the coyotes, he said they don't typically go near humans, but they have been known to hunt small pets. However, he said during mating season, they don't hunt as often. "When the coyotes are mating season, they don't eat as much. They're more worried about reproducing than they are eating," Jay said. "We don't get as many reports about the coyotes actually taking dogs and cats and things like t,hat but immediately after, it's nonstop." Jay said it's a good idea to keep pets on a leash and bring them inside when it gets dark. Jay said that this also applies to bobcats and pet cats, who are allowed to roam freely. "House cats that are outside, they consider them a threat because they're a feline as well. So they will kill them, but not necessarily eat them," Jay said. When the damage or amount of animals gets out of control, Jay is called to fix the problem. "I take inventory, and then I set up trail cameras, set up a bait station, so I have an idea of how many hogs I'm dealing with. Is it 20? Is it 10? Is it five? I've caught 27 hogs in one trap one time at the same time," he said. "It's more than just going out there and setting a trap. You actually have to almost investigate them, track them, take a look at the satellite imagery, just to find their trail to see where they're getting their fresh source of water from."He sets up a trap or several and works through the night until they're caught. Since the hogs are an invasive species, and the coyotes are a naturalized species, Jay said they are typically euthanized. "That being said, when anything is euthanized, which isn't much, in my case, I don't like to do that, but when anything is euthanized, it's never wasted. It's never just thrown in a ditch. That's not cool," he said.Instead, he said they find a way to use the animals' remains in several different ways. "They're going to be used for educational purposes. The fur, the skull, everything is used on any animal that we have to euthanize," Jay said. As for the bobcats that he traps, Jay said they are always relocated to a farm or wooded area."With the bobcats or any mammal in Florida, when it's relocated, it's got to be relocated to an area with 40-plus contiguous acres with landowners' permission," he said. While they've gone unnoticed in the past, Jay said the hogs are extremely common and keep him busy. "I think in the last four years here in Tradition, I've trapped about 223 hogs," he told WPBF. This year, as of January, he said he's caught about 35 and is in the process of tracking down several more. He said there are a few things people should keep in mind when they see the animals roaming the area. "Whether it's a coyote, a bobcat, a feral hog, or a rattlesnake, keep your distance. It's wildlife. You can't just go up and pet it. You don't want to try to injure it. Slow down on the roads. Keep your pets on leashes. Carry a light with you, mace with you, and keep your distance," he said. Jay said to remember that they are capable of hurting you, but they don't want to.Top headlines:Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
Wildlife sightings are taking over social media in communities around Port St Lucie.
Pictures on Facebook show wild boars, bobcats and coyotes roaming areas like Tradition and Central Park with the creatures being seen mostly at night and in the early morning.
A lot of comments on social media point to new developments pushing the animals out of their habitat. WPBF 25 News caught up with a local wildlife trapper to better understand if that's the case or if there's another reason behind it.
Jay Garrish, who many know as Trapper Jay, said there are a few reasons for the uptick in sightings.
"We have the development, obviously, we keep moving west, people keep moving down here, but we also have that it's breeding season right now," Jay said.
He said during breeding season, some of the animals travel much further than they normally would.
"Like a coyote that would typically travel only one or two miles a night, they're actually traveling four or five miles a night and even during the day to try to find a maiden. And then the feral hogs, they could actually breed three times a year, but their high point is this time of the year to breed as well," he said.
Aside from development and breeding, Jay said the November full moon and an increase in oak trees in some communities could draw the animals that way.
"Most of these pictures of the feral hogs, they're underneath oak trees, because the acorns, we had a good acorn drop this year, and the acorns are obviously under the oak trees, and that is one of the most staple foods this time of the year," Jay said. "I mean, that's how they fatten up."
Jay said the wild boars are invasive to Florida and cause a lot of damage to property.
"They caused thousands and thousands of dollars' worth of damage just in St. Lucie County alone," he said.
Most of that damage is caused to fields and grass while the hogs are searching for food. Jay said they mainly eat grubs and roots under the sod.
He also said why it's important for people to keep their distance from the hogs.
"It's definitely something that you don't want to go try and pet. I mean, it's a pig, a cute little piggy, but they absolutely can be violent, if approached. Typically, they're just going to run away but during breeding season, you want to keep your distance because they're protecting their family," he told WPBF.
As for the coyotes, he said they don't typically go near humans, but they have been known to hunt small pets. However, he said during mating season, they don't hunt as often.
"When the coyotes are mating season, they don't eat as much. They're more worried about reproducing than they are eating," Jay said. "We don't get as many reports about the coyotes actually taking dogs and cats and things like t,hat but immediately after, it's nonstop."
Jay said it's a good idea to keep pets on a leash and bring them inside when it gets dark. Jay said that this also applies to bobcats and pet cats, who are allowed to roam freely.
"House cats that are outside, they consider them a threat because they're a feline as well. So they will kill them, but not necessarily eat them," Jay said.
When the damage or amount of animals gets out of control, Jay is called to fix the problem.
"I take inventory, and then I set up trail cameras, set up a bait station, so I have an idea of how many hogs I'm dealing with. Is it 20? Is it 10? Is it five? I've caught 27 hogs in one trap one time at the same time," he said. "It's more than just going out there and setting a trap. You actually have to almost investigate them, track them, take a look at the satellite imagery, just to find their trail to see where they're getting their fresh source of water from."
He sets up a trap or several and works through the night until they're caught.
Since the hogs are an invasive species, and the coyotes are a naturalized species, Jay said they are typically euthanized.
"That being said, when anything is euthanized, which isn't much, in my case, I don't like to do that, but when anything is euthanized, it's never wasted. It's never just thrown in a ditch. That's not cool," he said.
Instead, he said they find a way to use the animals' remains in several different ways.
"They're going to be used for educational purposes. The fur, the skull, everything is used on any animal that we have to euthanize," Jay said.
As for the bobcats that he traps, Jay said they are always relocated to a farm or wooded area.
"With the bobcats or any mammal in Florida, when it's relocated, it's got to be relocated to an area with 40-plus contiguous acres with landowners' permission," he said.
While they've gone unnoticed in the past, Jay said the hogs are extremely common and keep him busy.
"I think in the last four years here in Tradition, I've trapped about 223 hogs," he told WPBF.
This year, as of January, he said he's caught about 35 and is in the process of tracking down several more.
He said there are a few things people should keep in mind when they see the animals roaming the area.
"Whether it's a coyote, a bobcat, a feral hog, or a rattlesnake, keep your distance. It's wildlife. You can't just go up and pet it. You don't want to try to injure it. Slow down on the roads. Keep your pets on leashes. Carry a light with you, mace with you, and keep your distance," he said.
Jay said to remember that they are capable of hurting you, but they don't want to.