Letters | Why the culling of wild boars is a necessary public safety measure
- Wild boars can still be aggressive and pose a threat to public safety even without being provoked
- To complement animal removal, the public must understand the importance of not feeding wild animals
There was a clear misconception in both letters that wild pigs are docile animals and are not aggressive unless provoked. The truth is quite the opposite. Wild pigs are dangerous, especially those that are huge or accustomed to scavenging and being fed in urban areas. An adult wild pig can weigh up to 200kg and reach a body length of 2m.
Those who disagree should look at the sharp rise in injury figures. Over the past decade, 43 injury cases involving 54 victims were recorded, with 20 of them related to wild pigs trying to snatch food from passers-by without provocation. Almost half these cases were recorded this year, with seven just in November. Wild pigs could also transmit zoonotic diseases, putting public health at risk.
AFCD has made efforts to strengthen the management of wild pigs, including launching the Capture and Contraception/Relocation Programme in late 2017 and stepping up public education on not feeding wild animals since early 2019.
While over 800 wild pigs were relocated to the countryside and contraception or sterilisation was conducted for about 450 of them, many of the relocated pigs are already accustomed to feeding and often return to urban areas for food. Contraception or sterilisation operations are also no match for their proliferation.
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Culling of wild boars in Hong Kong stirs up citywide public outcry
For these reasons and in light of the rising injury numbers, it is imperative for the government to take decisive action to protect the public. AFCD will continue to mount regular wild pig capture operations for humane dispatch and accord priority to sites with large numbers of wild pigs, areas with a history of injury cases or where the animals could pose risks to the public.
Upon receiving reports of wild pig sightings in urban areas, AFCD will capture those which pose potential danger or cause nuisance to the public. Removal of overabundant wild animals for public safety is widely practised by governments around the world, including Japan, Singapore and many European countries.
At the same time, AFCD will explore the feasibility of expanding the feeding ban area under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance to curb intentional feeding, and continue to strengthen public education on not feeding wild animals.
Simon Chan, assistant director, Conservation, AFCD
