Singapore—A video clip of a wild boar roaming around Punggol is causing some to feel uneasy, especially after three people were attacked in separate incidents last Saturday (Feb 20).
The residents of A Treasure Trove, a condominium in Punggol Walk, were particularly alarmed as the boar had been seen going through the gate, reports The New Paper (TNP).
Officers from the National Parks Board (NParks) have been going around the vicinity to patrol the area for further boar sightings.
A video of a wild boar was also posted on thelocalsociety Facebook page on Tuesday (Feb 23), saying it had been spotted at “Punggol near Treasure Trove condo”.
It showed a boar walking along the sidewalk, and then crossing the street, only to cross again and slip through the gate of the condominium as it opened.
On Feb 20, at least three people were taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) in three wild boar attacks—at 308B Punggol Walk at 9.10pm, at Block 310B at 9.20pm, and then at Block 310A at 9.20pm.
Whether it was the same boar in all three incidents is uncertain.
In the first incident, a woman was dragged for around a metre when the boar would not let go of her leg, despite two other people trying to fight it off. She sustained bloody wounds to her leg.
The victim of the second attack ended up with scratches.
Not much is known about the third incident, except that at least one person was taken to the hospital.
On Sunday night, Ms Sun Xueling, Member of Parliament for Punggol West SMC, said that 20 men had been “activated” to look for the animal.
The MP said she had been in coordination with the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) concerning the wild boar attacks in Punggol and that both agencies had been updating her since the incident on Saturday night.
She added that 20 men had been deployed to search for the animal and that they would continue looking for it to make sure that it would not come near residents of the area. Ms Sun added, “In the meantime, NParks has also put up several signs along the waterway today to advise residents on what to do should they encounter a wild boar.”
One Treasure Trove resident, who identified himself as Mr Tan to TNP, is quoted as saying, “I think everyone here is worried. We thought boars will only roam forested areas, not buildings or condos. In fact, my in-laws called me and reminded me not to cycle so late (at night).”
He also mentioned the video of the boar entering the premises when the gate was open as a car was leaving.
“If I am not wrong, this video was taken a couple of hours before the Punggol HDB attacks. Not sure if it is the same boar but I guess it has to be.”
/TISG
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