Wild boar sightings in Singapore have been increasingly common, so much so they and humans have crossed paths unwittingly and led to conflict.

And one of the reasons wild boars have come into closer contact with humans stem from the animal's feeding habits as a result of improper disposal of waste.

Wild boar eating rubbish

A video and several photos taken and shared on Facebook on March 15, 2021 showed a wild boar rummaging through rubbish discarded at the void deck of an HDB block of flats at midnight.

The wild boar could be seen wandering off to other parts of the neighbourhood after it was done foraging though one bag of rubbish left on the ground.

The wild boar appeared to have been chewing on waste it found.

Wild boars eating rubbish has happened before

Previously, in June 2020, a large adult wild boar and three piglets were spotted scavenging for trash placed next to a green rubbish bin at a void deck in Choa Chu Kang.

In response to Mothership's queries then, Anbarasi Boopal, deputy chief executive of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said the improper disposal of garbage, especially food waste, can attract wild pigs or other wild animals, who scavenge for food.

Boopal explained 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 has urged 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 the incident 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.