Wild Hogs Have Been Spotted Near Three North Texas Neighborhoods: Here's What to Know

By Elissa Jorgensen

Wild hogs were spotted in Coppell and in two neighborhoods in Roanoke last week, officials said.

The animals are an invasive species known for destroying property and vegetation in their search for food.

They have been listed as one of the top 100 worst exotic invasive species in the world, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife website.

The most recent sighting of wild hogs in Coppell was Nov. 14 in the Riverchase Estates subdivision, J.J. Ceniceros, a spokesperson for the Coppell Police Department, said in a statement.

"Feral swine activity is not abnormal for the area with sightings occurring on a seasonal basis and for multiple years," Ceniceros said. "Feral swine in Coppell are typically found around the Elm Fork Trinity River."

Coppell police and animal services do not believe the hogs currently pose a threat to public safety, Ceniceros said.

The United States Department of Agriculture sent a private hog trapper to the area to set up traps and address the concern.

Wild hogs were also spotted in the Fairway Ranch and Briarwyck neighborhoods in Roanoke last week, according to a Roanoke Police Department statement.

Roanoke police said they have been increasing patrols in the two neighborhoods to help locate the hogs.

Officers and city staff will not be independently removing the hogs and are in touch with a contractor who will begin the hog trapping process as early as next week.

Here's a few things to know about wild hogs and what to do if you see one.

Where can wild hogs be found in Texas?

According to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension website, data from 2022 indicates that wild hogs have established populations in 253 of the 254 Texas counties.

Wild hogs are commonly seen in areas with dense vegetation, water and food sources, such as near rivers, Ceniceros said.

It is suspected that wild hogs travel into populated areas in search of food when there is limited precipitation.