The incident of a man being attacked by a wild boar near a bus stop at Hillview Road on Thursday, October 19, had raised alarm amongst citizens of the area and travellers alike. In order to control the attacks by the wildlings, authorities have come forward with an innovative idea. Closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the movements of the beasts.
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) stated on Monday, October 23, that the cameras have been installed behind HillV2 shopping mall and closer to Hillview Rise. These are the areas which are most frequently visited by wild boars. The installation of the cameras is expected to help authorities take necessary action whenever a wild boar is sighted and to prevent such accidents in future.
The incident of October 19, saw a man, who was in his forties, attacked by a wild boar all of a sudden. According to witnesses, the animal pounced on the victim and he was left helpless. Following reports from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the man was left with cuts and lacerations on his legs and was immediately taken to the hospital.
According to the AVA, wild boars are not commonly spotted in that particular area. They believe that the animal might have emerged from nearby forest areas.
There have, however, been series of incidents involving wild boar attacks in Singapore. In July 2017, a woman was attacked by a wild boar in Upper Thomson area and got 60 stitches in her right leg. Two accidents occurred in Ayer Rajah Expressway and Lentor Avenue earlier in 2017 due to wild boars. A large group of wild boars was also spotted near the Tuas bus terminal earlier in 2017.
To bring the situation under control and to prevent such incidents, the AVA has stepped in to make the residents aware of what is to be done when they encounter wild boars:
The AVA guidelines to encounter wild boars:
- Keep away from the wildlings and avoid cornering them.
- Never approach a wild boar.
- Keep considerable distance from them.
- Keep children and pets away.
- Never try interacting with wild boars.
