Pigs still cannot fly: Wild boar intruder at Hong Kong airport sparks police chase

HONG KONG - A wild boar that wandered into Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday afternoon (Dec 20) was subdued by four airport policemen armed with shields.

In a video posted to Facebook by Hong Kong's Wild Boar Concern Group, the animal was shown running away from police on the airport apron, an area where aircraft are parked.

A man in the video is heard exclaiming in Cantonese from inside a vehicle where the video was filmed: "Wow, such a big pig!" Four policemen eventually caught up with the boar and held it down with clear shields.

The animal was taken away by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily reported on Tuesday.

Police at the airport on Chek Lap Kok island dispatched many officers when the incident occurred at 2.18pm, as they were afraid the boar would affect flight movements, said Apple Daily.

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The wild boar appears to be fully grown, about 1.5m long.

The Wild Boar Concern Group and netizens have expressed concern over the way the animal was handled, as it was shown in pictures to be bleeding from its snout.

Wrote Facebook user Cheung Ka Lo in Chinese on the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Wild Boar Concern Group's page: "This is too much! Even if it endangered flight safety, must you beat it till it bled?" Facebook user Yau Leo had a different perspective, adding: "Isn't it better for it to bleed than to be sucked into a plane engine?" In May last year (2015), a 25kg female wild boar caused havoc when it wandered into a shop at a mall in the crowded Chai Wan district.

The animal had a stand-off with about 10 officers lasting several hours and was eventually tranquillised and taken to an animal centre for observation.

Up to 40 per cent of Hong Kong's land area is made up of country parks and nature reserves, and it is common for wildlife to find their way to urban areas.

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