THIS is the moment a family of wild boars descended on a Costa del Sol tourist hotspot in search of food – with a litter of piglets trotting happily alongside their parents.
Bystanders captured footage of the two adults and 13 youngsters rummaging through bins in the Riviera del Sol urbanisation, in Mijas, on Sunday evening.
The adults can be seen plunging their snouts into bins opposite a Supercor supermarket, while nine piglets and four larger youngsters curiously explore their surroundings.
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The sighting drew both sympathy and concern from local residents, with dozens of social media users expressing compassion for the animals while others warned of the dangers of wild boars roaming freely through residential areas.
One user wrote on Facebook: “Poor animals. They’re just looking for food for their cubs. Humans have encroached on their habitat.”
Wild boars have become an increasingly common sight in Mijas, with the town hall forking out more than €210,000 since the start of the year to repair gardens and flower beds torn up by the animals in their search for food.
In August, Costa del Sol health officials warned of the risks posed by the growing boar population, including traffic accidents and the spread of disease.
Mijas town hall said the animals are increasingly venturing into urban areas in search of food and water, with a lack of natural predators and their rapid breeding rate also contributing to the problem.
The council has urged residents not to leave rubbish bags outside bins or feed the animals, warning that doing so encourages them to venture further into populated areas.
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