Anger Grows at Govt's Culling of Seven Wild Boars

A hungry wild boar taking advantage of someone's picnic

The anger at how the Hong Kong government is dealing with the issue of wild boars encroaching into urban areas continues to simmer, with some 350 people in the veterinary sector signing a petition.

They are urging the authorities to stop the capture-and-kill strategy for wild boars and return to the original plan of neutering them so that they cannot reproduce.

Seven wild boars were killed last week

People who signed the petition included practicing vets, nurses and veterinary students.

One of the students who initiated the petition said overseas studies show contraception is the most effective way to reduce the wild boar population in the long term, so the government should not suspend the scheme after contraceptives were only used on about 300 wild pigs.

Another student said they learned about animal welfare and ethics in school, and believe they have a duty to speak up for wild animals in Hong Kong against the "unfair" strategy.

"Only a small number of wild boars have hurt people. And why did they do so? It's because humans invaded their habitats. They have no other options than to come into the city to search for food," she said in a radio show.

"It's not the wild boars' fault that they appear in the city. We should not kill them, but should step up education so people will not feed or get too close to them," she added.

Many roam in the urban areas in search of food

Indeed. Many Hongkongers feel the seven wild boars that were killed last week were innocent victims and should not be first of all lured with food -- which is against the authorities' advice -- and then killing them.

How about stepping up education around not feeding the boars and really fining or punishing people for giving them food? If police can constantly stop people from gathering in more than groups of four, surely they can patrol well known areas where wild boars are found and catch people who are feeding them...