Neighbors in the upscale McClenny neighborhood of Fernandina Village are happy.
After one small wild boar was trapped and relocated last week, no others have been sighted.
Residents of the close-knit community had stopped walking at dusk, because they were concerned about possible confrontations with the wildlife. Residents reported sighting two different boars, with slightly different coloring,
Despite the animals’ small size, there had been yards of dug-up turf on residential properties which face the Fort Walton Nine on the Bonifay Championship Golf Course. Some of the ruts dug by the creatures were more than one foot deep. Fortunately, none of the homes reported damage to their screen lanais or shrubs.
The animals seen appeared to be young and female — each weighing an estimated 50-60 pounds. Neighbors were grateful they did not see a mother boar or larger adults. One resident was surprised no one had hunted a boar with a rifle or bow and arrow.
“They can be quite good eating at this stage,” he said.
Residents had noticed the animals trotting around late in the afternoon. One had even entered a large trap several times to eat the sweet corn put there as bait — but didn’t trip the trap door shut. There was no sign of a mother boar or any larger animals.
