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Residents in a HDB estate in Singapore have been allegedly throwing food from their units to feed a wild boar that then turns up every night expecting to be fed.
The illegal feeding of a wild animal has been flagged after another resident took to Facebook on Oct. 20 to seek advice about what to do to stop this practice.
What happened
According to the post uploaded to the Complaint Singapore Facebook group by the resident, the wild boar sighting has been observed in her neighbourhood on a regular basis.
She added that it appeared her neighbours have been throwing food from their windows of their units to feed the animal.
She suspected that as a result, the wild boar was returning to "the same spot" almost every day for food.
The location of the incident is believed to be in a public housing estate in the north western part of Singapore.
The resident wrote that the boar "will literally wait for the 'food' to be 'served' almost every night".
While the resident said that she did not manage to capture images of her neighbours feeding the boar, she shared footage of the wild boar by the forested foot path, appearing to sniff around for food.
Via Mardiana Bte Mohamad Facebook
Via Mardiana Bte Mohamad Facebook
Illegal to feed wild animals under Wildlife Act
Following her post, many commenters urged the resident to report the incident to NParks, so that they are alerted about this situation.
Via Mardiana Bte Mohamad Facebook
Via Mardiana Bte Mohamad Facebook
Via Mardiana Bte Mohamad Facebook
Others also pointed out that those who feed wild animals might be liable to a fine of up to S$5,000.
Under the Wildlife Act, feeding of wildlife is strictly prohibited without the Director-General’s approval, according to NParks.
First-time offenders caught feeding wildlife can be fined up to S$5,000, and repeat offenders can be fined up to S$10,000.
NParks has also previously advised members of the public against feeding wildlife, such as wild boars, as doing so could have an adverse effect on the animal population and balance of the ecosystem.
This is because feeding alters the natural behaviour of wildlife, making them reliant on humans for food.
This may subsequently lead to wildlife displaying more aggressive behaviour towards humans, and venturing further into roads and urban areas, which could be potentially dangerous for themselves and members of the public.
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