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The boar takes up its position in a children's apparel store in Chai Wan as police officers ponder what to do with it. Photos: SCMP

Wild boar strays into Hong Kong shopping mall, becomes pork of the town

A pig strayed from its usual rural haunt and into a Chai Wan shopping mall, leading to a four-hour stand-off with police and animal control officers.

A pig strayed from its usual rural haunt and into a Chai Wan shopping mall last night, leading to a four-hour stand-off with police and animal control officers.

The case was the second porcine incursion of the day, after a boar was spotted taking a dip in a pool at a Tsuen Wan park before being returned to the wild by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department officers.

The Chai Wan incident began at about 6.30pm, when the 90cm beast was spotted wandering into the Paradise Mall in Heng Fa Chuen and entering a children's clothing shop.

Watch: Wild boar runs into a shopping mall

Two staff members fled as the 25kg animal - said to be a juvenile female - climbed above the store's false ceiling, before punching through it and falling to the floor. Then the creature knocked down and bit a mannequin by the door before getting trapped in a changing room.

"It just came in out of nowhere, and turned around at the show window," the shop manager said. "It also pushed open the fitting room door and got in... Pigs are actually not stupid."

About 10 police officers approached - as children entertained themselves in a play area metres away - and stood on alert. As well as the boar, they also had to contend with teasing from a passer-by, who asked: "Even a wild pig can beat you all?"

A vet eventually managed to inject the pig with a tranquilliser. It was taken to an animal management centre for observation.

In the earlier case, a 40kg boar entered the pool at Shing Mun Valley Park at 11am in an apparent attempt to cool off. Curious onlookers gathered and animal-control officers carrying shields kept them away before shooting the animal with a tranquilliser gun. It was released into the wild.

Many wild boars roam Hong Kong's countryside. They can grow up to two metres in length and have been known to attack humans. Official advice is to stay out of their way, avoid provoking them and, if necessary, hide behind a tree to save your bacon.

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Boars exit countryside to become pork of the town
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