4 wild boars rummage through trash at HDB void deck as 5 is max pax per group in phase 2

Throw rubbish properly, please.

Sumita Thiagarajan | June 21, 2020, 03:17 PM

Wild boars are turning up across our "City in Nature" in recent months, from Sengkang to Ang Mo Kio.

A new video has surfaced showing wild boars going through trash that was improperly disposed of at a void deck here.

Wild pigs seen going through trash next to a bin

In a video uploaded on Facebook by Ibu Nur Aini on June 21, a large adult and three piglets were spotted scavenging through trash placed next to a green rubbish bin at the void deck.

In the video, the adult pig is seen approaching the trash bin and picking up items with its snout.

Aini told Mothership that the video was sent to her and they are not aware of the location of where the video was taken.

Another post, believed to be the original Facebook post about the incident, said the wild boars were spotted in Choa Chu Kang.
Anbarasi Boopal, Deputy Chief Executive of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, told Mothership that the improper disposal of garbage, especially with food waste, can attract wild pigs or other wild animals, who scavenge for food.

Boopal told Mothership that wild pigs are commonly spotted in urban areas across the island, near large green spaces, including reserves and large parks:

She said: "Due to habitat fragmentation, many such wild animals are forced to cross barriers such as roads, and use park connectors and green spaces to move about."

To minimise conflict situations, ACRES urges the public not to feed the wild boars, or leave food waste around, which has been observed in several instances, such as Lorong Halus and Punggol.

Boopal asked for residents to educate each other if they see anyone feeding wild animals, or when education fails, report to the authorities for enforcement action.

According to the amended Wildlife Act, offenders who feed wildlife can be fined up to S$5,000 for the first offence and up to S$10,000 for their second or subsequent offence.

Another video of four wild boars

In another by Kelvin Soh, a group of four wild pigs were seen walking through a HDB void deck.

It is unclear in both videos where these wild pigs were spotted at or if they are of the same family.

What to do when you encounter a wild pig

According to an advisory by ACRES, here's what you can do if you come face-to-face with a wild pig in the wild or in an urban area:

  • Be calm and move slowly away from the animal.
  • Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal.
  • Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal (i.e. use flash photography).
  • If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. They might easily feel threatened because as they feel a need to attempt to defend their young.

Here's a good example of what to do if you encounter wild pigs, as seen in this video by Aaron Matthew Hamilton:

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Top screenshots from video by Ibu Nur Aini