Wild boar injures Hong Kong policeman and passer-by in escape attempt

A wild pig was finally nabbed on Friday after playing hide-and-seek with police and conservation workers and injuring a policeman and a passer-by.

The 1.2-metre long animal was sighted at a staircase in private housing estate Les Saisons on Tai On Street in Sai Wan Ho shortly before 9am.

“As police approached, it escaped, ramming an officer,” a police spokesman said.

“While running into a park on Oi Tak Street, it hit a male passer-by.”

The victims were taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Easter Hospital in Chai Wan for treatment. The passer-by, 73, had slight injuries to his left ear, back and limbs, while the policeman suffered minor injuries to his arms.

Officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department were called in.

The boar remained in the park on Oi Tak Street until just before midday, then fled to a nearby outdoor car park where it was surrounded by police and conservation officers, who were carrying shields and nets.

It tried to escape by ramming the shields, then retreated to a corner to rest after failing to break through.

At about noon, the animal was finally captured after a veterinary officer from AFCD hit it with a tranquilliser dart.

Pig in the city: Hong Kong’s urban sprawl blamed for wild boars straying into the urban jungle

This is the latest in a number of incidents this year involving wild pigs wandering into urban areas.

On Wednesday, a wild boar was caught after taking a brief rest in the air-conditioned lobby of the New Territories South Police headquarters in Tsuen Wan. It suffered no injuries and was later released back into the wild.

On June 7, a motorcyclist was injured when his bike hit a wild pig and crashed on Clear Water Bay Road, Sai Kung. The boar died in the incident.

On May 17, two wild pigs were given a police escort back to a country park after a jaunt in the concrete jungle in Aberdeen. On the same day, firefighters had to free another wild pig after it became stuck between two metal bars of a fence in Kwai Chung.

Earlier this year, conservationist Alex Hofford said it was entirely possible that dwindling natural food supplies due to creeping urbanisation and Hong Kong’s less-than-glowing record on biodiversity were forcing wild animals into the urban areas in search of food.