Back to school? Family of wild boars turn heads outside NTU
A family of wild boars was caught on camera wandering near Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Stomper Kelvin alerted Stomp to the TikTok video, which was posted by user @mmmagnificent on Sept 14 and has since garnered over 285,000 views.
In the 13-second clip, several wild boars can be seen huddled together at a traffic junction outside NTU, close to a zebra crossing and traffic lights.
The sight left netizens divided with some amused and others worried about the animals' safety and shrinking habitats.
One user quipped: "They schooling at NTU?" while another joked: "I guess they've moved from Pasir Ris and Punggol to… NTU."
Others commented more seriously about the boars' plight.
"Poor things 😢 no place for them," one netizen said.
"We are destroying far too many of their habitats," another commented.
A TikTok user reminded viewers to stay calm around the animals: "Family day… Don't disturb them. At The Singapore Island Country Club, it's normal to see families of them wandering near the area. They mean no harm."
Wild boars are occasionally spotted in urban areas across Singapore.
According to the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), wild boars are generally shy but can be unpredictable and may pose risks to public safety.
Like many wild animals, they typically attack only when cornered or threatened.
Here is what to do when encountering wild boars:
- Be calm and move slowly away from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal.
- Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal. i.e. by using a flash while taking pictures of it.
- If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. These are potentially more dangerous because they may attempt to defend their young.
- Do not touch or pick up any sick or dead wild boars. If you do encounter any sick or dead animals, call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 to report these sightings.
