Portola Valley catches, kills five wild pigs Portola Valley catches, kills five wild pigs (September 11, 2002)

By Sharon Driscoll

Almanac Staff Writer

Portola Valley's recent wild pig troubles are easing now that five of the rogue visitors have been caught and killed by town-contracted trapper Dick Seever and his company, Rural Pig Management Inc.

Town Administrator Angela Howard reported that since the council's decision to allow trapping was made August 28 and the subsequent capture of the five pigs the very next week, she has not heard of any new reports of wild pig sightings or damage.

She said that the traps would remain in place through September in the hope of catching others that might still be in town.

The pigs, which can weigh up to 300 pounds and can cause extensive damage to fields and gardens with their snouts as they dig up earth searching for food, have been migrating along Skyline Boulevard from Santa Cruz, and have been an ongoing problem for South Skyline residents and the Midpeninsula Open Space District since about 1999.

The first report of wild pigs in town came in early August; they were reported to have done extensive damage to Rossotti's soccer field. The town re-sodded the field twice and will consider installing a pig-proofing fence, said Ms. Howard.

Despite the initial success of what Ms. Howard refers to as "pig harvesting," she does not expect this problem to be completely eradicated from the town.

"This is a regional problem," she said. "The county's parks and open space districts are having real problems with them. Half Moon Bay has been trapping for several years. The best we can do is try to keep them out of town."

The decision to trap and kill the animals at a cost of approximately $3,000 was not taken lightly, but the town was advised by the Department of Fish and Game that that was the most effective way to control the pig population, which can grow very quickly.

"Once the pigs are trapped, there's nowhere for them to go. No other town or open space district wants them, so we can't set them free," Ms. Howard explained.