Wild pigs turned a quiet South San Jose technology park into their own personal buffet yesterday, ripping up grass and landscaping in front of stunned workers who watched the turf vanish in a matter of days.
Video from the scene shows the animals rooting through planters and narrow lawn strips in a parking area near Hellyer Drive, carving deep gouges into the soil and leaving muddy mounds where there had been neat green grass. Staff on site said the destruction piled up over just a few days and that repairing the grounds is expected to be a sizable job.
The footage, shared with local TV and aired by ABC7 Bay Area, pinpointed the location as the Power Integrations parking lot and reported that about a dozen pigs were involved. The broadcast described two older sows and several piglets weaving through landscaped islands between rows of cars. Employees said that once the pigs finally moved on, they were left scrambling to check irrigation systems and plan how to reseed the torn-up turf.
“I think they're digging for grubs, big insects. And they really, really did a number here,” employee Guy Clark told ABC7 Bay Area. Clark said he had seen wild pigs in the Hellyer area before, but that this sounder moved through unusually fast. On-site video shows the animals largely ignoring parked cars while they root under shrubs and into planting beds.
Why the pigs are showing up
Feral pigs in Santa Clara County are overseen by state wildlife officials rather than local animal control, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency notes that reports of pig damage often spike in dry months, when pigs dig for grubs and acorns. Rooting, as seen at the tech park, can snap irrigation lines and yank out vegetation, which can translate into costly repair bills for property managers. Wildlife managers and parks staff say sows with piglets, known as sounders, are particularly likely to roam into developed areas that sit near the foothills.
How the city and property owners respond
Property owners can hire licensed trappers or ask county officials for advice, as described in a local feral-pig brochure from Santa Clara County. In 2020, San Jose signed off on a temporary measure that allowed permitted trappers to use bows or crossbows on private property for pig depredation under controlled conditions, a policy move reported by San Jose Inside. County guidance also encourages landscape changes, such as swapping out lawns and treating grub populations, to make properties less appealing to rooting pigs.
Wild pigs can carry diseases that threaten livestock and contaminate water, and the University of California's pest-management guidance warns people not to approach or feed them. State harvest numbers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife show that thousands of pigs are taken each season legally as agencies try to balance public safety with ecological concerns. For businesses that see pigs returning again and again, managers say fencing, lighting, and habitat changes are often the most realistic long-term tools.
For now, the churned-up islands at the Power Integrations lot serve as a messy reminder that feral swine remain a recurring headache for Bay Area land managers. Employees and nearby residents are urged to keep pets and small children away from groups of pigs, secure trash and loose landscaping materials, and report dangerous encounters to local authorities. Officials recommend contacting county or state wildlife agencies for help rather than attempting to confront or move the animals on your own.
