Wild boars have been getting some bad press recently ever since the attacks on two women at Punggol.
A recent video posted to Facebook group Singapore Wildlife Sightings is the antithesis to this narrative.
Tells it to sleep
The video was filmed by one Fred Fred Chen Tan, who claimed to be a half-Thai currently living in Singapore.
Due to his upbringing in a rural village in Thailand, Tan said that he is accustomed to seeing all sorts of wildlife.
He added that there are worse animals there.
In the video, Tan can be heard speaking to the wild boar from behind the camera in a friendly manner, saying "Come, come" in Mandarin, as the wild boar cautiously approaches him.
He also calls it "David" multiple times. This, as he answered in the comments section, was to make fun of his friend of the same name.
The wild boar walks right up to Tan and stops at his feet.
He proceeds to pet the creature on its back, and says "David, you want to sleep? Go, go, go, go sleep."
And surprisingly, the wild boar does. It plops on the ground and then turns to lie on its side.
You can watch the full video here.
Keep a distance from wild boars
Many Facebook commenters expressed their astonishment that the wild boar remained so calm and friendly.
Tan attributed this to his "experience" with wild animals.
However, others believed that Tan was setting a bad example for people who might be inclined to interact with wild boars after watching his video.
While Tan's encounter might seem like something out of a fairytale, members of the public should note that this is unconventional, and avoid coming into close contact with wild boars.
Wild boars may become aggressive if provoked, which could lead to attacks and increased incidences of human-wildlife conflict.
One should keep a safe distance and neither corner nor provoke the animal.
If adult wild boars are seen with young piglets, one should keep a distance and leave them alone, as the adults are potentially aggressive and may attempt to defend their young.
Members of the public may call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 to report wild boar encounters.
Top photo from Fred Fred Chen Tan / FB