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When nature lover and sports enthusiast Trisha took a bike trip with her four friends in Pulau Ubin, she wasn’t expecting to meet a wild boar up close.
But the meeting on November 20 would have been difficult to avoid, especially since the boar smelled the delicious curry puffs that Trisha’s friend had placed in her bike basket earlier that morning.
Trisha told Stomp that she had no idea the video would go viral, especially since she wasn’t the one who first posted it on social media.
“After the incident, I went to the gym. During my training, I started getting text messages from friends asking me if I was okay and I got very confused,” shared Trisha.
“Many of them said they saw a video of me and a wild boar. So I checked social media and realized that one of my friends had posted a video of the encounter! It was funny how so many people found out so quickly. “
Trisha then took to Instagram to share how the curry puffs made it to her basket in the first place.
“The curry puffs weren’t mine! I carried them in my bike basket for a friend. I had no idea there was food in the plastic bag,” Trisha laughed.
“I was about to park my bike in Chek Jawa and suddenly a wild boar came towards me. It must have smelled the curry puffs and knew it was time for lunch.
“I stayed calm and used my bike as a barrier while making sure not to hurt the boar.
“But my friends got really excited. They started screaming in the background when the wild boar swooped down to grab the food.
“He’s actually so funny and adorable. You can see that some curry puffs fell off and he was deciding whether he should pick it up or just run off with what he already has.”
Despite how funny the situation was, Trisha said it served as a reminder to never bring food to Pulau Ubin and other hiking areas in Singapore.
“I didn’t bring food to Pulau Ubin that day. I only had a big bottle of water and three energy gels. I know we shouldn’t take food to places where animals have an incredible sense of smell,” Trisha said.
“I’m glad that a lot of people have seen the video because I think it will discourage them from bringing poorly packaged food to those areas.
“If you really do need to bring food, make sure it’s in an airtight container and placed inside your bag. And remember to eat it only in designated areas.
“I know the boar didn’t mean to hurt when he went after the curry puffs. He was grumpy and hungry!”
Trisha said that after the incident, her friends called her “the lady with the boar.”
“I think that’s my new nickname now! And I love it. I love nature and wildlife and this encounter is something I will never forget,” shared Trisha.
“Who knows? I might even get a tattoo of a wild boar in the future.”
(Trisha and her “new best friend” after their curry meal)
In response to a query from Stomp, Dr. Adrian Loo, Director of the National Parks Board (NParks) Wildlife Management and Conservation Group, said: “NParks is aware of cases of a wild boar snatching the food to visitors at Chek Jawa Wetlands in Pulau Ubin.
“Visitors to Chek Jawa have been observed getting too close to wild boars to take pictures and feed wild boars. NParks staff have been deployed daily to advise visitors to observe boars from a distance and not feed they.
“We have also posted notices in brochures, websites and posters in the Chek Jawa wetlands and around Pulau Ubin to warn the public not to feed the wild boar.
“Visitors are also advised not to bring food to Chek Jawa or display plastic bags, which can attract wild boars.”
According to NParks, this is what to do if you come across a wild boar:
Stay as calm as possible and slowly walk away from the animal. Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal.
If adult wild boars are seen with young piglets, keep your distance and leave them alone as they are potentially more dangerous and may attempt to defend their young.
Members of the public can also call the Animal Response Center at 1800-476-1600 or contact us to report any encounters with wild boar.
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