Wild 400-Pound Pigs Terrorizing Atlanta Suburb

Time: Feral hogs have invaded suburban Atlanta, and, according to locals, they’ve essentially got the area under siege. Reuters reports that at least four feral pigs, which can grow up to 400 pounds, are running wild in Lithonia, Georgia, a suburb just 19 miles outside the city. Police have enlisted the help of a trapper, but in the meantime, residents must learn to live with the hairy menace. For families, that’s easier said than done. The tusked intruders have left many little ones too afraid to leave the house, and even some parents are worried about how they’d fare in a confrontation. “My children are petrified,” said Taneisha Danner, who told WSB-TV that she was now concerned about walking her children to the school bus in the morning. “I’m sorry. I’m not built to fight off wildlife.” According to biologist Charlie Killmaster, who works with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, wild hogs can be dangerous under certain circumstances. If cornered, they may charge. He compared a sow protecting her piglets to a wild bear protecting her cubs. “If they feel threatened, they can become aggressive, they can bite.” Killmaster told the Associated Press. “But in nearly all cases, steering clear of them is all you need to do.”