Wild boars | The no-feeding zone is planned to be expanded to the whole of Hong Kong scholars: the order to kill pigs without immediate effect must still be maintained

Following the introduction of the "Swine Killing Order" last year, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department recently proposed an amendment to extend the no-feeding zone to the whole of Hong Kong. People who illegally feed wild animals can be fined up to 100,000 yuan and imprisoned for one year.

Hou Zhiheng, chief lecturer of the School of Biological Sciences of the University of Hong Kong, said in a radio program today (6th) that there is currently no awareness in society that feeding wild animals will disturb the natural ecology, and it will also cause wild boars to enter the urban area and cause danger. Educating the public, but the new case will not take effect immediately, so it is necessary to retain the "killing order", and suggest that the government follow the advice of the Wild Boar Concern Group and re-launch the "catch, sterilize, contracept, and release" plan to solve the problem of wild boar infestation through a two-pronged approach.

▼The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department first dispatched 7 wild boars on Shenwan Road to humane destruction after being anesthetized▼

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Hou Zhiheng said that the government has long been asked to expand the scope of the no-feeding area, because the society still does not understand that feeding wild animals will interfere with the natural ecology, and it will also cause subsequent management problems, that is, the current problem of wild boars. People who regularly feed wild boars should be advised and enforced, and relevant publicity should be strengthened to create a deterrent effect.

He pointed out that the current no-feeding zone is mainly aimed at feeding monkeys, so it is concentrated in the area of ​​"Ma Liu Shan" in Kowloon Reservoir. However, in the past ten years, more and more people have been feeding different wild animals, including wild boars. The scope is outside the restricted area, so the government must have a territory-wide ban on feeding in order to hopefully solve the problem.

The places where the feeding of wild animals is currently prohibited are Kam Shan, Lion Rock and Shing Mun Country Parks, parts of Tai Mo Shan Country Park, Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Caldecott Road area adjacent to Tai Po Road, and Pipa Hills section of Tai Po Road .

(Photo from the AFCD website)

As the nuisance of wild boars in recent years is mainly caused by human-feeding activities, the AFCD is studying to amend the Wildlife Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170) to expand the scope of no-feeding areas for wild animals and increase penalties.

(File photo/Photo by Li Zetong)

As for whether the habit of wild boars asking people for food can be changed after the amendments, Hou Zhiheng believes that after the amendments, wild boars that do not have the relevant habit can be prevented from developing intimate relationships with humans, but he believes that in the short term, the habit of asking people for food may not be solved. Regarding the problem of wild boars, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has already guided the humane destruction of wild boars that are easy to approach and cause danger, describing it as "a solution to the pain", and believes that the measures of humane destruction will still be maintained in the short term.

Regarding the Wild Boar Concern Group's urging the government to re-implement "contraception, capture, and release" to stop the humane destruction of wild boars, he believes that the government should try two methods in a two-pronged approach, and decide how to deal with wild boars in the future depending on the behavior and reactions of citizens and wild boars after the amendment. policy.

Wong Ho-yin, director of the Hong Kong Wild Boar Concern Group, also said that he does not oppose the government's expansion of the no-feeding area, but more importantly, the government has humanely destroyed more than 100 wild boars since November last year, causing the public to worry that under the "hog slaughtering order", The living conditions of wild boars will be more active in feeding wild boars.

Since they (wild boars) are all dead, it's better to give them a full meal.

Wong Ho-yin, Director of the Hong Kong Wild Boar Concern Group

He urged the government to immediately withdraw the pig slaughtering measures and re-launch the "catch, sterilize, contraceptive, and release" plan to increase the public's trust in the government's measures related to wild boars.

He also pointed out that the concern group has not seen the authorities stepping up inspections on the feeding of wild boars by the public, especially the hot spots of wild boar infestations, "You have so many resources to kill pigs, please explain why you can listen to the opinions of the public. It’s good to call back to enforce the law, to make inspections, and to dissuade citizens from feeding pigs.”

▼On November 26 last year, there was a wild boar trapped in the North Point and was seriously injured▼

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Wild boars｜The Hong Kong government plans to amend the regulations to expand the no-feeding zone for wild animals, and the maximum penalty for violators is 100,000 imprisonment for one year. The Agriculture and Fisheries Department has caught 2 wild boars on Mount Parker Road. Since November last year, 76 wild boars have been caught for humane destruction. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department plans to amend the regulations to expand the prohibited feeding areas and increase the penalty within the year