PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WSVN) — Residents in some Florida neighborhoods have raised concerns about an uptick in wildlife roaming a little too close to their homes for comfort, putting them on edge.

While the saying typically goes “lions and tigers and bears, oh my,” it’s a bit different in Port St. Lucie.

Wildlife management trapper Jay Gerrish weighed in on the increase in sightings.

“You have the coyotes, you have the hogs, you have the bobcats, you have pretty much everything in this area right now,” he said.

Communities across Saint Lucie County are seeing more of these creatures out and about.

Gerrish, known by many in the community as Trapper Jay, said there are a few reasons more critters are popping up, and new developments aren’t the only one.

“It’s breeding season right now. All these animals are maiden, so animals like a coyote that would typically travel only one or two miles a night, they’re actually traveling four or five miles a night, and even during the day, to try to find a maiden,” he said.

While the bobcats are mostly harmless, Gerrish said, the hogs are an invasive species, and they do some damage.

“They caused thousands and thousands of dollars worth of damage just in St. Lucie County alone,” he said. “The largest one I’ve caught out here was 336 pounds. Yeah, he was hard to get in the back of the truck.”

With the boars, Gerrish said, it’s a good idea to keep a considerable distance from them during mating season.

“They absolutely can be violent, you know. Iff approached, yypically, they’re just going to run away, but again, during breeding season, you want to keep your distance,” he said.

Gerrish said that since the hogs are invasive they typically have to be euthanized once they’re caught. With the bobcats, he’s able to relocate them to farms or wooded areas.

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