Wild boars invade North Bay school campus
GEYSERVILLE, Calif. - Schools often combat budget and educational issues, but one school in the North Bay is dealing with a late-night invasion from wildlife.
The school year hasn't started yet at Geyserville New Tech Academy, but a family of six boars is feasting on the school's landscape, wreaking havoc on the grounds.
It's nothing new, but it has been more destructive.
"The last two years have definitely been the worst. This year is worse than last by far, I believe it's hotter, and dryer. These are some of the hottest years on record. And longer periods of dry hot weather," said shop and agriculture teacher Kai Klaassen.
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The wild pigs, always looking for food, are digging up irrigated areas in search of worms, bugs, and tender roots. They've even resorted to climbing trees to reach fruit.
The solution is not to kill them.
"A lot of our neighbors who have grapes are experiencing the same thing, so we try to work in conjunction with them to find trappers to try to relocate the wild pigs," said Geyserville Schools Superintendent Deborah Berolucci.
In recent years, the school paid $50,000 to fence in the soccer, baseball, and softball fields which the pigs cannot get to anymore.
"I'm not sure where I would find the funding. I absolutely wouldn't have the money to fix or repair the damage being caused," said Berolucci.
The project-based school is seeking innovative solutions, including how to practice agriculture in a warming climate with school resuming on Thursday.
"On the brighter side, I'm gonna be including our students in trying to find a solution to this," said the superintendent.
One potential solution is creating a robot to patrol, detect, and scare off the pigs.
"We don't know what they'll come up with, but the kids all together, can always surprise you," said Klaassen.