Hong Kong’s Pig‑Terrific Problem: Wild Boars on the Move
While fireworks and skinny‑tide celebrations gear up for the Year of the Pig, Hong Kong is wrestling with a very real, very furry foe: a growing pack of wild boars that seem to have turned the city into their personal buffet.
1. From Skyscrapers to Squirrels‑in‑the‑Mountains
- Diverse Terrain – Hong Kong isn’t just concrete; it’s also steep, subtropical cliffs and country parks.
- New Residents – Eurasian wild pigs have taken up residence in those green spaces.
- Urban Heat‑Up – As city life expands, these animals swell, peppering the streets with muddy tracks.
2. Boars Are a Bit Too Much for the Big City
- On roads – Boars racing beside traffic, as if the streets were racetracks.
- On beaches – Chasing sunbathers like startled lawn gnomes.
- At airports – Oinking around the tarmac, probably chasing contrails.
- In shops – Breaking ceilings at the kids’ fashion outlet, proving they’re not lazy.
When lunch‑boxes and barbecue pits are left untended, the boars cheerfully chow on whatever free‑wheeling food they find, eventually leaving a soggy map of their visits across the city.
3. Citizens and Bills Are Stressed
Local councillor Chan Chit Kwai says, “They’re not just cute; they’re dangerous: rushes, bites, traffic jams, and pedestrians’ nightmares!” He’s pushing for swift action.
Stats are no joke: sightings and nuisance reports rose from 294 (2013) to 679 (Jan–Oct 2014) – swiping a quick double‑take on the rate.
Bites & Brasers have happened: In October, two elderly residents were mauled near a public estate; four months before, a star‑stud university campus saw two people needing stitches.
4. The “Cut‑and‑Loose” Game Plan
- Target “high‑risk” boars – euthanise with tranquilizers if they’re proven aggressive.
- Reduce numbers – sterilise 54 boars near the city.
- Relocate – Move 92 more to remote, less inhabited areas.
- Give it a “what if” moment – Some politicians talk about putting predators, hunting the ardent, or moving the boars to uninhabited islands (but those pigs will just swim).
5. “I’m Not Scared!” – A Human Perspective
In Aberdeen Country Park, a 73‑year‑old card‑player, Mr. Fung, confidently says, “I’m not scared. As long as you don’t poke them, it’s all good.” Meanwhile, Mr. Lai points out that the park has turned into a wild Boar attraction.
The AFCD admits that they can’t pin down the exact number of wild pigs, but camera ho… multiple counties confirm a rise in both numbers and range over the last two decades.
6. Wild Boars: Legit Lovers of Grass, Not Human Snacks
Experts note that 90% of their diet is plant‑based. They avoid humans unless offered food. Feeding them is essentially inviting trouble.
Nevertheless, some locals ignore signage: On one visit, a man tossed bread crumbs onto the grass, summoning a grateful boar. “We feed them out of kindness,” he said. “But it’s feeding them people.”
7. “We’re All in This Together” – The Conservation Angle
Veronique Che tells us that the visible problem is a consequence of human expansion, not the boars themselves. “Many of the problems we see are human‑created.”
Below the park is a public housing block; boars burrow under metal fences and rummage through bins. Residents and children meet them by snapping photos and nodding “oink.”
Che says, “We need harmony: we’re not pets, not threats.”
Final Thought
Hong Kong’s wild‑boar saga proves that even a city famed for skyscrapers struggles when the wild enters. The key? A careful blend of education, humane population control, and a healthy respect for the natural residents that share the city.
