https://www.scmp.com/rss/51855/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Fiona Sun,Theodora Yu Fiona Sun,Theodora Yu Shortly before the evening rush hour recently, chaos erupted at Hong Kong’s Wu Kai Sha MTR station when a wild boar stormed through the concourse. The animal, about 1.2 metres long and weighing around 40kg, knocked down an elderly man. The charging boar left a trail of blood on the station floor, injuring three other residents in a frenzied dash towards a nearby bus terminus and housing estates. “I saw it rampaging at the bus terminus while residents followed, snapping photos,” a woman working... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348718/it-time-call-end-hong-kongs-boar-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348718/it-time-call-end-hong-kongs-boar-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Kevin Li Kevin Li Animal activists have urged Hong Kong authorities to review their culling strategy for wild boars and to introduce measures such as animal bridges to reduce human-wildlife conflict in urban areas following the recent deaths of eight wild pigs and a buffalo. They warned that as urban expansion, particularly the Northern Metropolis project, continued to erode wildlife habitats through the clearing of large tracts of land, inadequate city planning would exacerbate the problem, endangering more... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347080/call-review-over-how-hong-kong-manages-wild-boars-and-buffaloes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347080/call-review-over-how-hong-kong-manages-wild-boars-and-buffaloes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu A wild boar bit a hiker in Hong Kong before it fell down a flight of stairs and died, according to police. A police spokesman said the victim, 57, had arrived at a public toilet at Boon Kin Village in Tseung Kwan O on Friday morning while hiking with her husband, also 57, and a friend, when the boar suddenly emerged and chased her. Shocked, the woman fell, hitting her head – resulting in swelling on her forehead – and scratching her limbs, police said. Some witnesses reportedly said nearby... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345776/wild-boar-bites-hiker-tumbles-its-death-down-flight-stairs-village?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345776/wild-boar-bites-hiker-tumbles-its-death-down-flight-stairs-village?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:55:57 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong A wild boar was euthanised in Hong Kong hours after it roamed inside an MTR station and a housing estate on Friday, injuring five people who were either knocked down, bitten or had attempted to capture the animal. Police said they received multiple reports of sightings of the boar at Wu Kai Sha station and the Lake Silver housing complex at 5.08pm. A woman, 68, was reportedly bitten by the animal, police said. Two men and another woman, aged 45 to 87, were knocked down. They were taken to Prince... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344905/3-injured-hong-kong-after-wild-boar-wanders-residential-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344905/3-injured-hong-kong-after-wild-boar-wanders-residential-area?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:12:11 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Hong Kong’s urban identity is at a turning point. The expansion of pet-inclusive parks and the pilot scheme for pet-friendly restaurants are welcome steps towards becoming an animal-friendly city – but they sit uneasily alongside a largely animal-hostile framework. The Tai Po... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3342995/hong-kong-animal-friendly-should-be-default-setting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3342995/hong-kong-animal-friendly-should-be-default-setting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Eight more wild boar with suspected cases of African swine fever were discovered near Barcelona, La Vanguardia newspaper reported on Sunday, as Spain struggles to limit the damage to a pork export industry worth billions of euros a year. The newspaper cited sources close to the Catalan agriculture ministry. Two cases have been confirmed, and 12 others have shown signs they may also have the disease but are undergoing tests to confirm this. If confirmed, it would bring the number of infected... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334699/suspected-swine-fever-cases-rise-near-barcelona-spain-struggles-limit-export-damage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334699/suspected-swine-fever-cases-rise-near-barcelona-spain-struggles-limit-export-damage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 20:00:52 +0000 Kahon Chan Kahon Chan A Hong Kong teenager was taken to hospital on Saturday morning after having one of his toes bitten by a wild boar during a camping trip at a beach in the New Territories. The boy, 14, contacted police at 5.05am and told them the animal had charged him while he was staying at the Sai Wan Campsite along Tai Long Wan bay in Sai Kung district. The teenager was conscious as he was taken to Tseung Kwan O Hospital. His four other friends who joined him on the camping trip were unharmed. A police... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3289801/hong-kong-teenager-sent-hospital-after-boar-bites-his-toe-beach-camping-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3289801/hong-kong-teenager-sent-hospital-after-boar-bites-his-toe-beach-camping-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2024 04:02:32 +0000 1. J-35A stealth fighter debuts at China’s Zhuhai Air Show 2024 as J-20 jets, helicopters dazzle crowds Cutting-edge Chinese military aviation technology was showcased at the Zhuhai Air Show which saw more than 1,000 international companies attending. The new J-35A performed impressive aerial displays at what is China’s biggest air show. 2. Donald Trump praises Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto in congratulatory call, promises future meeting The US president-elect and the Indonesian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3286488/j-35a-stealth-fighter-stars-zhuhai-air-show-trump-praises-prabowo-lahore-pollution-crisis-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3286488/j-35a-stealth-fighter-stars-zhuhai-air-show-trump-praises-prabowo-lahore-pollution-crisis-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Nov 2024 04:23:48 +0000 Wild boars are a growing menace to China’s cities, where the animals have attacked people and wreaked havoc on property, prompting authorities to deploy funds and hunting teams to tackle the problem. Videos on social media and television reports have recorded multiple cases of boars encroaching on urban areas, in some cases charging through enclosed areas or attacking residents. Last Saturday, in an incident captured on video, a woman in the southeastern city of Chuzhou suffered minor injuries... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3285841/chinas-cities-rampaging-boars-growing-menace-wild-pig-population-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3285841/chinas-cities-rampaging-boars-growing-menace-wild-pig-population-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Nov 2024 08:01:11 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Fiona Chow Jeffie Lam,Fiona Chow A camping trip on Hong Kong’s tallest peak took an unexpected turn on Saturday morning when a woman was attacked by a wild boar as she slept, with emergency respondents taking her to hospital to treat a 5cm-long wound down one of her legs. The incident has prompted concerns about camping safety and what trekkers should do if they encounter a wild animal. The Post talks to experts and shares how to safely navigate wild boars and other precautions nature lovers should take. 1. Where are boars... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3281210/unsure-what-do-if-wild-boar-attacks-hong-kong-experts-sort-truth-hogwash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3281210/unsure-what-do-if-wild-boar-attacks-hong-kong-experts-sort-truth-hogwash?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Oct 2024 09:10:26 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft A Hong Kong green group has found microplastics in 85 per cent of faecal samples from five wild land mammal species in a first-of-its-kind study for the city, with the NGO urging authorities to boost efforts to stop more plastics entering the ecosystem. Greenpeace said on Monday that it collaborated with university researchers in Hong Kong and Taiwan between June and August of 2022 to collect and analyse 100 samples from buffalo, cattle, boars, macaques and porcupines in the city’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3277784/greenpeace-finds-microplastics-85-faeces-collected-wild-animals-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3277784/greenpeace-finds-microplastics-85-faeces-collected-wild-animals-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:56:51 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A series of recent Hong Kong road accidents involving cats, dogs and wild boars has caused injuries to drivers and deaths to animals, sparking questions about public awareness of safety hazards while driving. The Post details the legal responsibilities of drivers, insurance issues and how to avoid animals on the road. 1. What animals have been hit? Not just wild boars have been involved in accidents in the New Territories and Southern district in the past few weeks, with pets such as cats and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3276780/what-should-hong-kong-drivers-know-about-road-accidents-involving-wild-boars-pets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3276780/what-should-hong-kong-drivers-know-about-road-accidents-involving-wild-boars-pets?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Sep 2024 03:00:08 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Wild boars were at the centre of two car accidents in Hong Kong’s Southern district on the weekend, with one of the animals dying after being hit and two drivers suffering injuries. Police said a taxi driver was forced to brake suddenly on Saturday at 8.05pm when he saw a boar on Aberdeen Praya Road. A cabby behind the first taxi was unable to stop in time and slammed into the rear of the vehicle. The two drivers, aged 48 and 53, were taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam for treatment of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3276763/2-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-injured-1-wild-boar-killed-separate-road-accidents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3276763/2-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-injured-1-wild-boar-killed-separate-road-accidents?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:51:10 +0000 Two boars caused a temporary road closure in a busy Hong Kong district after they were spotted on Wednesday morning. Police said an officer saw the animals at 10.10am around a bush while on patrol at the juncture of Tai Po Road and Nam Cheong Street in Sham Shui Po. The two boars then walked to Sheung Li Uk Garden, located along Tai Po Road. Police officers closed the garden’s entrance and used long shields to guard against the animals. Staff from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3267168/two-boars-spur-temporary-road-closure-busy-hong-kong-district?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3267168/two-boars-spur-temporary-road-closure-busy-hong-kong-district?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 04:04:01 +0000 Hong Kong’s country parks are great attractions for visitors and residents alike. With hundreds of kilometres of trails stretching around the island and into the New Territories, it is easy to escape from the 7.5 million people living here to find peace and solitude on a well-maintained path. It is common to see wild boars, monkeys, snakes and insects, while black kites circle the skies hunting for prey. Yet we are reminded all too often that the Hong Kong wilderness can be a treacherous place.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3263158/safety-hong-kongs-hikers-rests-following-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3263158/safety-hong-kongs-hikers-rests-following-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2024 00:45:18 +0000 Wild boars have roamed the Hong Kong country parks for years and it has been common to see them along one of the hundreds of kilometres of trails. But with interaction came familiarity, and combined with encroachment of humans into their natural habitat, an inevitable rise in conflicts followed. A cull launched in 2021 appears to have been highly effective. The incidents involving humans and boars are real. In October, for example, a 55kg (121lb) boar entered a Mong Kok flower shop and bit the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3255670/balance-needed-dealing-hong-kongs-wild-boars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3255670/balance-needed-dealing-hong-kongs-wild-boars?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Mar 2024 23:30:09 +0000 The size of Hong Kong’s wild boar population dropped by 26 per cent last year compared with 2022, as authorities ramped up culling. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan told lawmakers on Wednesday the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department had “humanely dispatched” more than 910 boars since regular culling began in late 2021 to “reduce nuisance” the animals caused to the public. On average, 41 boars were culled each month last year, an increase from 24 in 2022. Over the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3255238/hong-kongs-wild-boar-population-drops-26-authorities-ramp-culling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3255238/hong-kongs-wild-boar-population-drops-26-authorities-ramp-culling?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:45:13 +0000 Hong Kong’s countryside is a joy for hikers but also provides a home for a wide range of wild animals, including protected species. The use of traps by poachers poses a threat to wildlife and, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), is on the increase. The SPCA found 31 traps last year, up from 24 in 2022 and 20 in 2021. This is likely to be the tip of the iceberg. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department says it seized 750 hunting appliances over... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3253064/step-patrols-ward-hong-kong-poachers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3253064/step-patrols-ward-hong-kong-poachers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Feb 2024 22:30:11 +0000 More illegal traps have been found in nature areas across Hong Kong as poachers find it easier to obtain and set them up, according to an animal rights group. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said it found 31 illegal traps last year, up from 24 in 2022 and 20 in 2021. Last month alone, it found 21 traps at various places. The society’s chief inspector, Desmond Tsang Ka-lun, said poachers usually placed traps on mountain trails less popular with hikers, targeting wild... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3251745/hong-kong-poachers-are-leaving-more-illegal-traps-nature-areas-catch-wildlife-stray-dogs-paying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3251745/hong-kong-poachers-are-leaving-more-illegal-traps-nature-areas-catch-wildlife-stray-dogs-paying?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:00:12 +0000 Hong Kong authorities have put down a 1.2-metre (4 foot) wild boar after it bit a florist who tried to drag the animal out of his shop by its ears. But the actions of the man and authorities were questioned on Saturday by a wild boar concern group for going against the advice of the city’s conservation department, which said it had “deep concerns” about the incident and reminded people to keep well clear of the animals. A video posted by media outlets showed the boar was at first inside another... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3238733/hong-kong-authorities-trying-capture-15-metre-long-wild-boar-after-it-runs-flower-store-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3238733/hong-kong-authorities-trying-capture-15-metre-long-wild-boar-after-it-runs-flower-store-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Oct 2023 03:25:11 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. In 1963, at the Bronx Zoo in New York, there was a display entitled “the most dangerous animal in the world”. Visitors to this exhibit found themselves looking in a mirror. Yes, man is indeed the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3229900/most-dangerous-animal-not-brydes-whale-sure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3229900/most-dangerous-animal-not-brydes-whale-sure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Aug 2023 03:30:12 +0000 A wild boar was killed by Hong Kong authorities on Friday after it attacked a boy and a woman near Fo Tan MTR station in Sha Tin district. Hong Kong is no stranger to the animals causing problems in urban areas as the city averages about 90 nuisance reports a month. The Post spoke to experts to understand why boars would attack humans and what attracts them to urban areas. Pigs in the city: Hong Kong’s wild boar problem - visually explained 1. Why would a boar attack humans? “It is very rare for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3229341/what-do-you-do-if-faced-wild-boar-post-asks-hong-kong-experts-after-attack-boy-and-woman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3229341/what-do-you-do-if-faced-wild-boar-post-asks-hong-kong-experts-after-attack-boy-and-woman?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jul 2023 03:00:37 +0000 A wild boar was caught and put down after it bit two passers-by outside a railway station in Hong Kong on Friday. The attack took place outside the Lok King Street exit of Fo Tan MTR Station in Sha Tin district soon after 11.15am. According to police, the wild pig attacked a 15-year-old boy and a woman. A police spokesman said the teenager was bitten on the hand and the woman on the leg. The pair were taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin for treatment. According to the force, officers... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3229237/boar-attacks-hong-kong-boy-15-and-woman-outside-mtr-station-sparking-hunt-wild-pig?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3229237/boar-attacks-hong-kong-boy-15-and-woman-outside-mtr-station-sparking-hunt-wild-pig?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jul 2023 06:41:48 +0000 Hong Kong authorities have killed one wild boar a day on average so far this year, more than twice the number during the same period in 2022, according to official data. But experts have warned that sightings of the animal and nuisance reports in urban areas have not reduced significantly, saying the findings indicate that the current policy to control the wild boar population is ineffective and cruel. “[The number of killings] is absolutely ridiculous and damaging to Hong Kong’s image,” said... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3221225/hong-kongs-wild-boar-policy-working-authorities-killed-1-every-day-year-experts-warn-cruel-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3221225/hong-kongs-wild-boar-policy-working-authorities-killed-1-every-day-year-experts-warn-cruel-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 May 2023 03:00:16 +0000 The number of people injured by wild boars in Hong Kong rose last year despite action by the city’s conservation authorities to cull more than 300 of the animals. Wild boar sightings and nuisance complaints fell last year, but activists and experts said euthanising the pigs did not tackle the main causes of the issue – their shrinking habitats and people who insist on feeding them. Data from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) showed 49 people were injured by boars last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3206000/more-hong-kong-residents-injured-wild-boars-last-year-despite-authorities-culling-hundreds-animals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3206000/more-hong-kong-residents-injured-wild-boars-last-year-despite-authorities-culling-hundreds-animals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jan 2023 05:06:09 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. In the past three years, the West has been particularly adept at changing the narrative on Covid-19. In the early stages of the pandemic, theories sprang up about Chinese government cover-ups, lab... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3205687/whatever-china-does-about-covid-theres-just-no-pleasing-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3205687/whatever-china-does-about-covid-theres-just-no-pleasing-west?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2023 03:30:10 +0000 Tap here to launch this special feature https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/article/3202238/pigs-city-hong-kongs-wild-boar-problem-visually-explained?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/article/3202238/pigs-city-hong-kongs-wild-boar-problem-visually-explained?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Dec 2022 08:00:14 +0000 Hong Kong is set to expand a ban on feeding wild animals to cover the entire city by the end of this year in a move aimed at tackling a rapid growth in the population of wild boars. A government spokesman on Friday said authorities had gazetted a legislative amendment to expand the ban, which would be tabled in the Legislative Council on Wednesday for “negative vetting” and come into effect on December 31. “Negative vetting” refers to a process in which urgent legislation could take effect... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3198509/hong-kong-introduce-citywide-wild-animal-feeding-ban-move-aimed-tackling-boar-problem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3198509/hong-kong-introduce-citywide-wild-animal-feeding-ban-move-aimed-tackling-boar-problem?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Nov 2022 12:54:53 +0000 You don’t have to be a nerd to be a nerd – or at least, if you are a nerd, you don’t have to be boring. If anyone needs proof, the US-based science humour magazine Annals of improbable Research last week celebrated the 32nd Ig Nobel awards – a clutch of 10 pieces of scientific research that first make you laugh, and then make you think. Some are immediately relevant and useful, others simply weird. All share a quirky spark perhaps crucial to most original thinking. As an aspiring innovation hub,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192910/where-are-innovative-hong-kongs-quirky-ig-nobel-prize-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192910/where-are-innovative-hong-kongs-quirky-ig-nobel-prize-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Sep 2022 22:15:15 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I am writing in response to the letter, “Hong Kong students’ struggles are indictment of teachers’ failures in the classroom” (August 16). It is true that there might be teachers who are more... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3189726/dont-blame-teachers-students-struggles-they-need-help-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3189726/dont-blame-teachers-students-struggles-they-need-help-too?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Aug 2022 03:30:23 +0000 Anyone caught feeding wild animals in Hong Kong could be fined up to HK$100,000 (US$12,745) and jailed for a year under a proposal by authorities to better tackle the city’s problem of roaming wild boars. The suggestion came ahead of a meeting of the Legislative Council environmental affairs panel on Monday, at which lawmakers will discuss new measures to manage wild pigs to better safeguard public safety and maintain hygiene. The ban on feeding wild animals anywhere in Hong Kong would be an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3184147/authorities-propose-hong-kong-wide-ban-feeding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3184147/authorities-propose-hong-kong-wide-ban-feeding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jul 2022 06:01:45 +0000 Two Hongkongers were sent to hospital after being bitten by a wild boar while hiking in a country park on Wednesday. The pair and their friend were hiking in Tai Tam Country Park on eastern Hong Kong Island when the attack occurred around lunchtime on Wednesday, police said. “While hiking in the area of Quarry Gap, three wild pigs rushed out from a nearby BBQ site and one of them, about 1.5 metres in length, attacked two of the hikers,” a police spokesman said. The victims, a 60-year-old man... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3174895/2-hongkongers-attacked-wild-boar-while-hiking-country-park?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3174895/2-hongkongers-attacked-wild-boar-while-hiking-country-park?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Apr 2022 09:18:39 +0000 I refer to your report, “Pope suggests people who have pets, not children, are ‘selfish’” (January 5). The mainstream media placed much emphasis on the “selfish” part of the pontiff’s remarks, thereby fostering a misconception that the Pope was criticising all childless couples. That the Pope leads the Catholic Church whose clergy and religious orders take vows of celibacy may be why his comments attracted so much media attention and online backlash. Yet, the media did not paint the complete... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3164207/popes-remarks-children-and-pets-were-taken-out-context?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3164207/popes-remarks-children-and-pets-were-taken-out-context?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:45:11 +0000 I would like to express my views not on the appropriateness or effectiveness of the Hong Kong government’s bait-and-cull plan in relation to wild boars, but on its execution and implementation of this plan from a public relations perspective. While I appreciate that press releases were issued explaining, justifying and defending the actions of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the public would have benefited from better and more effective communication by the government of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3161720/hong-kongs-wild-boar-cull-was-pr-disaster-supporters-and-opponents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3161720/hong-kongs-wild-boar-cull-was-pr-disaster-supporters-and-opponents?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jan 2022 22:45:16 +0000 Hong Kong authorities have put down 28 wild boars since November and will continue the practice of culling ones in urban areas with a view to protecting the public’s safety, according to the head of the city’s wildlife department. Leung Siu-fai, director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, on Sunday said 20 cases of wild boars injuring residents had been reported this year, mainly on Hong Kong Island. “We will continue to catch some wild boars that are habitually haunting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3161110/hong-kong-wildlife-officials-put-down-28-wild-boars-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3161110/hong-kong-wildlife-officials-put-down-28-wild-boars-start?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Dec 2021 16:31:26 +0000 With the Legislative Council election to be held tomorrow, we hope the newly elected legislature can improve Legco’s School Visit Programme to better engage the city’s youth. Government funding support for corporate liaison, education and visitor services increased from HK$40.7 million in the 2017 financial year ended March 31, to HK$47.2 million in the 2019 financial year. But over those two years, student participation fell from around 33,700 to an estimated 32,620. Among those who took part... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159989/new-legco-must-do-better-job-reaching-out-hong-kongs-youth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159989/new-legco-must-do-better-job-reaching-out-hong-kongs-youth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:30:16 +0000 I refer to the letters “Better fixes for the wild boar conundrum” (November 18) and “Killing boars indiscriminately not the answer” (December 6), commenting on the new measures taken by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to reduce the wild pig nuisance. 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... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159493/why-culling-wild-boars-necessary-public-safety-measure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159493/why-culling-wild-boars-necessary-public-safety-measure?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Dec 2021 22:00:25 +0000 Your correspondent’s gratitude to local bystanders who helped her when she slipped and fell (“Hong Kong spirit lives on in kindness”, December 7) reminds me that there used to be patrolling policemen undertaking this courtesy duty years ago. In 2019, these patrolling duties were quietly ceased. While police foot patrols have since resumed, there does not seem to have been a corresponding decline in street crime, especially on weekends and Sundays. Annoying petty offences such as littering,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159196/more-police-patrols-needed-hong-kong-tackle-petty-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159196/more-police-patrols-needed-hong-kong-tackle-petty-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Dec 2021 23:00:26 +0000 A decade ago, if you were to walk along one of the trails on Hong Kong Island, you would be unlikely to see wild boars. Even if you did, they were far too shy to approach people. Now, despite interventions, such as the sterilisation of boars and the imposition of fines on people who feed them, the wild boar population appears to have increased massively. More worryingly, the animals have begun to freely roam around urban areas, knocking over trash cans and straying onto the roads. Truly, they... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3158316/hong-kong-can-do-better-kill-wild-boars-indiscriminately?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3158316/hong-kong-can-do-better-kill-wild-boars-indiscriminately?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Dec 2021 23:00:09 +0000 The report “HK set to unveil Covid-19 health code system for cross-border travel” (December 2) stated: “Hong Kong’s health code system is not expected to have a movement-tracking function, unlike the version across the border because of residents’ privacy concerns”. I am sick and tired of regularly reading and hearing these words in the Hong Kong media for the past year or so whenever contact-tracing phone apps are discussed. There is a global pandemic raging, and yet all residual China-bashers... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3158172/covid-19-health-code-why-should-privacy-concerns-trump-health-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3158172/covid-19-health-code-why-should-privacy-concerns-trump-health-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 22:00:16 +0000 No Hong Kong minister worth their salt will let a speech pass without recounting our distinct competitive advantages. We know them all by heart: rule of law, financial, legal and accounting services, trading and maritime services – and of course our unique linkages to the Greater Bay Area and as an access point to the mainland. But one competitive advantage always seems to be overlooked: wild boar. Well, perhaps not exactly wild boar, but the extraordinary natural environment that supports them.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3158167/why-hong-kongs-rich-environment-part-its-competitive-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3158167/why-hong-kongs-rich-environment-part-its-competitive-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 20:15:10 +0000 Hong Kong will be on high alert for “lone-wolf” terrorist attacks and other potential disturbances at polling stations in the coming Legislative Council election, the security secretary has said. Chris Tang Ping-keung’s warning on Friday followed a police pledge to deploy more than 10,000 officers on election day to ensure voting ran smoothly and safely. Tang said those officers would be supported by thousands of disciplined services personnel including special constables who would be standing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3158399/hong-kong-elections-city-high-alert-lone-wolf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3158399/hong-kong-elections-city-high-alert-lone-wolf?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 13:03:26 +0000 Allan Dyer misrepresents what my book says about Hong Kong being “apolitical” (“Politically apathetic Hong Kong? Voter numbers say otherwise”, November 29.) The Other Side of the Story points out that out of the 6.5 million adults in Hong Kong, considerably more than half did not vote in 2019. Some were not registered, for various reasons, while others were registered but did not vote. My assertion is a straightforward fact and easily checkable. In an attempt to counter it further, Mr Dyer... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157888/apolitical-hong-kongs-largest-voter-group-just-not-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157888/apolitical-hong-kongs-largest-voter-group-just-not-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Nov 2021 22:00:19 +0000 Seven wild boars were captured and euthanised by the authorities in Hong Kong on November 17, sparking discussion in the city. The government says these operations are undertaken to ensure the safety of residents. Apparently, the boars were not included among the “residents”, despite having settled in the city for centuries. Can humans’ relationship with animals be more than just predator-prey? Hong Kong is small and densely populated, but not many are aware that the city is incredibly rich in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157737/hong-kongs-wild-boar-cull-raises-larger-questions-about-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157737/hong-kongs-wild-boar-cull-raises-larger-questions-about-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Nov 2021 22:00:18 +0000 “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others”. This maxim appears at the end of George Orwell’s novella Animal Farm, which most students in local secondary schools would have come across. Increasingly, Hong Kong has come to resemble just such a farm. Coincidentally, the most talked about topic in town these days is the fate of the city’s wild boars. In August, the city was outraged that actress Nicole Kidman and members of the production crew of a television series were... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157341/how-hong-kong-has-come-resemble-animal-farm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157341/how-hong-kong-has-come-resemble-animal-farm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Nov 2021 22:00:29 +0000 India’s government was wise to repeal the controversial farm laws. Irrespective of the long-term benefits of the three laws touted as agricultural reforms, they were unacceptable to farmers from the outset. Farmers had been concerned that the new laws could lead eventually to loss of their land. For a farmer, particularly in my state of Punjab, land is wealth, land is pride, land is heritage. Even in arranging a marriage, both parties are keen to know, discreetly, how much land each family owns.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157000/india-farm-law-u-turn-sadly-deaths-and-violence-could-have-been?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3157000/india-farm-law-u-turn-sadly-deaths-and-violence-could-have-been?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:00:28 +0000 The head of wildlife officials has defended the controversial policy of culling wild boars in Hong Kong, stressing it only targets certain “black spots” in urban areas and will not affect the animals in the countryside. Leung Siu-fai, director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, said there was not a “one-size-fits-all approach” to handling boars roaming different parts of the city, adding only those posing a threat to the public in built-up areas were being targeted under... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3156860/no-one-size-fits-all-approach-controlling-wild?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3156860/no-one-size-fits-all-approach-controlling-wild?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Nov 2021 10:07:13 +0000 It was just after sunset one day last month when veterinary surgeons Karthi and Paolo Martelli arrived at a village in Hong Kong’s New Territories with Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) staff to tranquillise wild boars in the area and move them elsewhere. The husband-and-wife team has spearheaded a drive since 2017 to rein in the city’s wild boar population by using a contraceptive vaccine and sterilisation. That evening, however, they could not get started. An argument... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3156572/times-hong-kongs-nuisance-boars-who-will-stop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3156572/times-hong-kongs-nuisance-boars-who-will-stop?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Nov 2021 00:00:23 +0000 The Hong Kong authorities have recently decided to capture and put down wild boars roaming urban areas, following the case of a policeman being bitten by one. This move is only one among the government’s responses to a string of public complaints regarding wild boar sightings since 2017, which included establishing a special team devoted to dealing with wild boar complaints and a sterilisation programme. Educating the public not to feed the animals, a key factor that has drawn wild boars into... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3156351/hong-kongs-wild-boar-conundrum-could-be-solved-making-space-or?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3156351/hong-kongs-wild-boar-conundrum-could-be-solved-making-space-or?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Nov 2021 23:30:25 +0000 Hong Kong wildlife officials captured and later put down seven wild boars on Wednesday evening, in line with a change of policy on controlling the animals in urban areas. Officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department carried shields for protection against the boars and used dart guns during the capture operation in Wong Chuk Hang. The department said it had mounted the operation on Shum Wan Road at 8pm with a “view to reducing the number of wild pigs there and safeguarding... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3156442/hong-kong-wildlife-officers-capture-put-down-7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3156442/hong-kong-wildlife-officers-capture-put-down-7?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:02:26 +0000