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SINGAPORE – Should they remain, be controlled or eliminated? With wild boars, chickens and other wild animals living amongst them, the residents of Pasir Ris now have a say in whether these animals should go or stay.
A poll released by Chief Minister Teo Chee Hean on Sunday (November 22) seeks the views of residents on what to do with the wild animals in Pasir Ris, following a wild boar attack in the area last week.
A woman was in Sungei Api Api Park last Tuesday when a wild boar attacked her and knocked her down, leaving her with lacerations to her left leg and face.
The woman, a 50-year-old auditor identified by the Shin Min Daily News as Madam Yu, was with her husband in the park on Pasir Ris Drive 3 around 9:30 pm when the attack occurred.
In an earlier Facebook post, Teo, who is a deputy for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said on Saturday that his team was investigating the issue in consultation with the National Parks Board and the National Development Ministry.
“In the meantime, be vigilant and be careful when in that area,” he said.
Sunday’s wild animal survey at the Pasir Ris Estate asked residents for input on wild chickens, stray dogs and wild boars specifically, with an additional category for “other wild animals.”
Residents were asked to choose from three options on what to do with each group of animals.
The first was to let them continue to roam freely, the second was to let them roam freely but with controlled numbers, and the last option was to remove or relocate all those animals from the area.
Pasir Ris residents welcomed the survey, but some expressed concern that too much intervention could change the rustic style of the area.
Healthcare manager Sean Abdullah, 31, a Pasir Ris West resident for the past 20 years, said that while the survey was important, he hoped it would not result in the removal of all wild animals from the area.
“I really appreciate the wildlife that lives with us in this city. It is what makes the city unique because of its balance between greenery and urban jungle,” he said.
Others, like 14-year Pasir Ris resident Eileen Tan, 48, emphasized individual responsibility to ensure safe encounters with wild animals.
“We try not to go to the park with the clothes we had when we made dinner. We have noticed that strong food smells seem to attract the attention of wild boars,” he said.
Ms Tan, a learning facilitator, added: “I hope authorities will consider alternatives to the three listed actions. I agree that more needs to be done. I don’t think any of the listed options are ideal.”
In a statement last Friday, NParks said that people who come across wild boars should remain as calm as possible and move slowly away from the animal.
He also advised the public to avoid feeding the wild boars, as this could cause them to associate humans with food providers and therefore approach them.
The last reported incident of a wild boar attack was on August 28, 2018, near Punggol High School, when a pregnant woman was left with deep cuts on her right calf.
In October 2018, a woman was bitten by a 10-foot-long python while searching for her cat on Sembawang Drive.
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