Hong Kong wildlife chiefs to get tough on people who feed wild boars
- Conservation department vows to step up the fight against people who feed the city’s feral animals
- They are also expanding the team that deals with sightings of the pigs, which are venturing more regularly into urban areas
Wildlife managers in Hong Kong are to step up their fight against people who illegally feed boars and other animals, having recorded 12 cases in the past month.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said on Thursday that it conducted a series of special operations in feeding-ban areas such as country parks in March and saw a dozen cases of illegal feeding of wild animals, including pigs and monkeys.
A department spokesman said it was still investigating the cases and it was yet to decide whether to prosecute the offenders, who could face a maximum fine of HK$10,000 (US$1,270).
A total of 27 cases were prosecuted from April 2018 to February 2019, with an average fine of HK$1,000.
Feeding wild animals not only leads to the loss of their foraging instincts and changes their behaviour, but also poses nuisance and environmental hygiene problems
“Feeding wild animals not only leads to the loss of their foraging instincts and changes their behaviour, but also poses nuisance and environmental hygiene problems,” the spokesman said.
