Page 1 - The Shores of Jupiter - January '24

Our Village Voice

VOL. 35 NO. 1 www.seabreezepublications.com JANUARY 2024

Northern Notes Bill’s Box

Feral Hogs – A Growing Problem
By Bill Thompson
By Katie Roundtree, Best wishes to all in
Director of Finance and a brand-new year! This
Administration Northern preceding one ended
Palm Beach County well and is promising
Improvement District for America in large
Feral hogs have been part. However, there is
in Florida since the 1500s, war carnage for many
when they were initially outside our democracy,
brought to North America with staggering loss of
by European explorers lives of innocent citizens, military warriors, and property.
and settlers who sailed Our hearts must go out to those who are so unnecessarily
here looking for gold and and unmercifully made to suffer.
a western passage to China. They were brought with the They are a destructive, invasive species, called by I’ll be back in February.
settlers on ships as a food source in the New World. Over the many names, including wild hogs, wild boars, feral
years, some domesticated hogs got loose and became wild/ swine, or razorbacks. Wild hogs grow to about 3 to 5
feral. Additionally, Russian boars were introduced to the feet long and weigh 75 to 250 pounds, but some can be
United States in the 1900s for sport hunting. Interbreeding twice as large. Living in groups called sounders, they
between escaped domestic pigs and boars has created hybrids damage crops, commercial and personal property and
with the most robust characteristics of each. Wild hogs are environmentally sensitive land. They have litters of four
found in all 67 Florida counties and at least 35 states today. to eight young and can reproduce twice yearly. Feral
Over 500,000 are estimated in Florida, with approximately swine are muscular and strong and can run up to 30 miles
6 million nationwide. per hour. Like deer and domestic pigs, feral swine have
The wild hog population continues to expand as they cloven hooves. Although wild swine tracks look similar
become used to different climates. They are found in various to deer tracks, they have a blunter tipped toe, and their
habitats but prefer oak-cabbage palm hammocks, freshwater tracks have a square shape compared to the pointed heart-
marshes and sloughs, pine flatwoods, and open agricultural shaped tracks of deer.
areas. In addition, they have few natural predators. Bobcats, Hogs are omnivores, meaning they feed on plants and
coyotes and panthers can prey on smaller hogs, but man is
the most significant predator of wild hogs. Northern Notes on page 2
Commissioner’s Update

Mangrove Islands Provide most productive nursery
habitats for fish, shellfish,
Essential Habitat birds, and other estuarine
wildlife. Of the three
By Commissioner Maria species of mangroves
Marino found in Florida, red
From the southern end mangroves grow along
of Palm Beach County in the water’s edge, black
the Intracoastal Waterway mangroves grow on
(ICW), up through the Lake slightly higher elevations,
Worth Lagoon, continuing and white mangroves
north to the Loxahatchee grow further upland.
River, mangrove islands Recently, I had the
serve a valuable function. pleasure of participating
They recycle nutrients, in the opening of Sawfish
provide essential food Island, a restoration
chain resources, and provide habitat for many wildlife project completed by
species. Additionally, they serve as storm buffers, Palm Beach County’s
stabilizing shorelines with their roots from wind, waves Department of Environmental Resources Management in
and erosion, and enhancing water clarity. partnership with the Florida Inland Navigation District, January 15, 2024
This type of ecosystem occurs in areas of these waters and the Loxahatchee River Preservation Initiative through
where strong ocean wave action is absent and where the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,
salt and fresh water mix. Soils are sandy, nutrient rich, agencies that provided essential funding for the work.
and usually oxygen deficient, and make up one of the Sawfish Island is located in the ICW, just offshore
from the Town of Jupiter’s REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
Sawfish Bay Park. The IMMEDIATELY
island served for stockpiling TO THE JUPITER POLICE
dredge material, also known
as spoil. The removal of DEPARTMENT
invasive trees and plants
was required to restore (561) 799-4445
the island to a more native
Use 911 for emergencies only.
Commissioner’s Update Lock car doors. Do not leave valuables in the car.
on page 2