Bacon-and-entering: Wild boar breaks into woman's home in Haifa, Israel

The wild pig broke in through the window and trashed the apartment in the Israeli city of Haifa, not injuring anyone but causing damage.

A woman stands next to a wild boar roaming in a residential area in Haifa after the government ordered residents to stay home to fight the spread of coronavirus. (photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN / REUTERS)
A woman stands next to a wild boar roaming in a residential area in Haifa after the government ordered residents to stay home to fight the spread of coronavirus.
(photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN / REUTERS)

A wild boar broke into a home in the northern Israeli city of Haifa on Wednesday, with footage of the home invasion being shared online.

The pig was depicted climbing through the window, entering inside and throwing things around the room.

No one was injured, but the tenant was incredibly shocked by the cloven-hoofed intruder sowing chaos in her home as it smashed objects and stomped over furniture, according to Israeli media.

The pig reportedly later concluded its breaking and entering by smashing through an apartment window and leaving. A team from the Haifa Municipality only arrived after the pig had already left.

The tenant however is furious that this happened and said she is asking permission from the Haifa Municipality for fencing.

"Do not approach and certainly do not feed them."

Israeli Nature and Parks Authority on what to do if you find yourself near a wild boar

Pigs: A danger to Israeli life

Wild pigs are a serious issue in certain parts of Israel, particularly around Haifa. In Israel's North, boars have occasionally been spotted on the city's outskirts. However, during lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the streets became cleared and municipality-backed culling efforts were halted. As a result, boar incursions in Haifa became more frequent as they began openly walking through the abandoned city streets.

The animals have begun interacting with locals much more often, which is a significant concern to authorities, since they have caused significant damage, injuries and, in at least one case, helped end a marriage.

These boars are big, around the size of Rottweilers, and travel in packs. They are smart enough to break into gardens and trash cans, and can potentially turn violent. 

Dealing with them is difficult, with Haifa residents having formed "pig patrols" to combat the boars. One resident actually created a 3D-printed whistle to deter wild boars.

The Haifa Municipality and Nature and Parks Authority have been working together for a long time on a variety of measures from keeping wild boars away.

These measures include frequently emptying trash bins, fencing off some areas where research and monitoring indicate are spots wild boars enter the city and educating people on not feeding them.

These efforts have made progress, and according to the Nature and Parks Authority, reports of wild boars in Haifa have been dropping.

But why do pigs break into Israeli homes and venture into cities?

According to Israel's Nature and Parks Authority, it stems from the pigs' search of available, man-made food.

Indeed, that seems to be exactly why this Haifa hog broke into this woman's home, according to Israeli media reports.

But what should you do if a wild boar approaches you?

According to the Nature and Parks Authority, here's what you need to do: "Do not approach and certainly do not feed them."