Photo by Craig ONeal
Wild pigs are more plentiful than many of us think, but these mostly nocturnal and destructive beasts are a rare site during the day, especially in the summer heat. That’s why I was surprised and thrilled to have my camera gear set up on a small observation deck overlooking a fresh water swamp in Guana over the weekend.
I was hoping to capture a few birds in flight when I heard familiar snorting and grunting right in front of me. Feral pigs, (an invasive species) once domesticated farm animals from Europe are equipped with a keen sense of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight and temperament.
With this 100 pound plus boar just a few feet from me, the tall swamp grass blocked the view so we could not see each other. I remained completely silent in hopes he would not smell my recently applied bug spray and patiently wait until he remerged into sight.
Having a long lens, I captured this photo once he appeared on the other side of the swamp. Even though we were now separated by more than the length of a football field, he heard the rapid burst of my camera shutter and with three squeals, disappeared into the coastal hammock.
