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A 34-year-old woman was reportedly attacked by a wild boar in Bukit Panjang on May 1, 2023.

On her way home from work

The woman, Durga Devi, was on her way home from Changi Airport, her youngest sister, Sri Devi, 30, told Mothership.

The victim works as a retail manager at the airport and usually alights at the bus stop at Block 270 Bangkit Road and makes the rest of the journey home on foot.

At around 11:50pm on May 1, she had just alighted from the bus and was at the bus stop when a wild boar charged at her.

The younger sister said the bus had driven off, so Durga was alone at the bus stop.

Bit lower right leg

The wild boar, which appeared to be an adult boar due to its relatively large size, bit Durga firmly on her lower right leg.

The woman told Sri that the lone wild boar was the size of two dogs.

She struggled to get away from the huge animal, but got tossed onto the road in the process, her sister said.

While she was lying on the road, Durga saw a bus about to approach her from afar.

She scrambled to get off the road and back onto the pedestrian walkway, away from the bus and any oncoming traffic before the traffic light could turn green.

Boar was limping

Sri said the wild boar, which remained nearby, proceeded to attack her sister once more.

She added that her sister noticed the wild boar limping as it moved toward her.

The wild boar reportedly bit Durga separately on her right thumb and right buttock and flung her onto the road once more.

Sri said her sister was attacked a total of four times, and all her injuries were on the right side of her body.

Male passerby helped call ambulance

Durga, who saw a male jogger approaching from where she was on the road, started screaming for help.

The jogger chased the wild boar away and helped Durga off the road.

He called the ambulance and contacted Durga's sister.

Durga's other sister rushed down to the scene and boarded the ambulance with her while their mother alerted the authorites.

Injuries along the right side of her body

Durga was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and has been warded since.

Sri said Durga underwent an emergency surgery to reconnect the ruptured veins on her right hand.

The doctors also operated on the rest of her wounds on her leg and rear.

The injuries required stitches.

Durga had to have another surgery on her right hand after she reported that she was unable to feel anything on her pointer finger and other fingers.

As of the time of writing, Sri said Durga underwent a fourth surgery for her hand.

According to a photo of Durga's injuries seen by Mothership, she had two large gaping gashes on her lower right leg.

The largest wound ran from the side to the front of her right leg and was at least 10cm long.

There were also a few small holes on Durga's right palm.

Sri said Durga lost a significant amount of blood after the attack and had to have a blood transfusion.

She said her sister is also experiencing severe pain and would have to remain under observation in the hospital for the next six days.

Does not want anything bad to happen to wild boar

Sri said while wild boars have been sighted in the neighbourhood's vicinity, there have never been reports of them attacking a human before.

She told Mothership the National Parks Board (NParks) has reached out to her family for more information about the wild boar.

According to her, NParks has since captured the wild boar and put it to sleep.

She does not know how to break this news to Durga, who is an animal lover and wished for nothing bad to happen to the wild boar even though the incident has left her traumatised.

Wild boar's hind legs broken

In response to Mothership's queries, NParks' wildlife management group director Adrian Loo confirmed the incident.

Loo said the agency found the wild boar lying on the roadside.

A vet assessed that both of its hind legs have broken and the animal was euthanised humanely.

NParks is in contact with the family.

What to do when encountering a wild boar

According to NPark's advisory, wild boars will only attack if they are cornered or if they feel threatened.

Loo advised members of the public who encounter a wild boar to remain as calm as possible and to move slowly away from the animal.

Additionally, they should keep a safe distance and avoid cornering or provoking the animal.

If the adult wild boars are with young piglets, the public should keep a distance and leave them alone.

Female wild boars can be very protective and are easily provoked. They may turn aggressive when trying to defend their young.

The public should also refrain from feeding wild boars.

Loo said members of the public can call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 to report any wild boar encounters.

Top image courtesy of Sri Devi