40YO S’pore Man Attacked by Wild Boar at Bukit Panjang While Walking His Dog

Last Updated on 2023-06-05 , 12:00 pm

Singapore has quite a few wild animals roaming its streets. You probably would not turn your head much if you saw a chicken crossing the road, some otters swimming in the canals or monitor lizards walking around Singapore’s parks.

But what if you see a wild boar roaming around?

You may want to get ready to run away lest you get attacked by the wild boar.

Bukit Panjang has been facing a spate of wild boar attacking humans, and you do not want to be the next victim.

This is the latest wild boar attack in Bukit Panjang.

Bukit Panjang Wild Boar Attacks Human

Earlier this week, a 40-year-old man was out walking his dog. What should have been a calm and uneventful incident turned into a tragedy as the man was attacked by the wild boar.

The incident occurred at Zhenghua Park in Bukit Panjang.

Speaking to Mothership, the man known as JL said that the incident occurred around 8.45 pm in the evening on 1 June.

The wild boar appeared “out of nowhere” and was “hostile”. It started “barging towards” the man and bit the man viciously.

Thankfully, the man was saved from further attack when one of his dogs scared the wild boar away.

What a good dog.

The dog then chased after the wild boar but eventually returned to its owner’s side after the owner called it back.

The man was then sent to the hospital to receive treatment. Due to the incident, the man had to get over 20 stitches in his left leg.

In images shared with Mothership, the man’s left leg was seen covered in blood, and the wounds looked quite gruesome.

Currently, JL is under observation in the hospital and was given four to six weeks of medical leave to rest and recover.

Boar Wasn’t Provoked

The attack by the wild boar also appears to have been out of the blue. The man shared that he did not do anything to “provoke” the attack and had “no time to react” to the incident.

He still felt “shocked” about the incident and was glad that his young daughter was not with him at the time of the incident. The other good thing was that the man’s dogs were not harmed during the attack.

After the attack, Channel News Asia reached out to the National Parks Board (NParks) to ask about the latest attack in Bukit Panjang.

In response, NParks’ group director of wildlife management, Adrian Loo, shared that the board was “actively trapping the animals in the area”. Since their efforts in May, up to eight wild boars were successfully captured.

NParks was also looking to install exclusion fencing to prevent the wild boars from exiting the nearby forested areas. Habitat modification and culling were also on the cards if needed.

The board was also “working with stakeholders on public education and outreach to promote safe and responsible human-wildlife encounters”. Enforcement action against those who illegally feed the wildlife roaming around Singapore was also being contemplated.

Indeed, education is key when it comes to protecting yourself against wild boars.

What to Do if You See a Wild Boar

On the topic of how to react when you see a wild boar, NParks has some public guidance to share.

For starters, you should remember that these animals are still wild animals and, therefore, “unpredictable”. Do not underestimate them even if they “appear shy”.

Wild boars may attack if they feel “cornered” or “threatened”. They may also harm others if they feel that their young are at risk.

If you do encounter wild boars in public, here is what you can and cannot do:

• Be calm and move slowly away from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal.
• Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal. Do not take pictures with flash if you intend to take pictures of the animal.
• If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. These are potentially more dangerous because they may attempt to defend their young.
• Do not touch or pick up any sick or dead wild boars. If you do encounter any sick or dead animals, please call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 to report these sightings.

Also, to keep wild boars out of your homes, do dispose of all your food waste properly and ensure that fences surrounding your house are sturdy and reinforced into the ground.

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There Were Previously Other Wild Boar Attacks in Bukit Panjang

Earlier this year, a woman was attacked by a wild boar at the bus stop at Bukit Panjang too.

According to Shin Min, the wild boar sprang out of nowhere and bit the calf of the woman. It then threw the woman into the middle of the road and attacked the woman’s bottom. The woman also suffered injuries to her palm while trying to fend off the wild animal.

A good Samaritan runner who happened to pass by and chance upon the attack helped the woman to chase the wild boar away so that she was safe.

We’re not sure how safe it is to approach the wild boar while it is attacking someone, but at least it worked out well this time.