'Close to panicking': Kayakers mistake wild boar swimming off Pasir Ris Park as crocodile

Several kayakers had a scare after mistaking what appeared to be a crocodile in the waters off Pasir Ris Park turned out to be a wild boar enjoying a swim.

In a TikTok video shared by Singaporekayakers on April 1, the group said: "We were this close to panicking."

The clip, taken from a distance, showed the object that "did not look like a floating log". 

"We observed for a while (and) were ready to report back and cease all water activities at once," they said.

Upon closer observation, it turned out to be a false alarm, and a close-up video showed the lone wild boar bobbing in and out of the water.

The video has since garnered around 100,000 views.

Several social media users were amused by the wild boar.

"It was so hot that it needed to dive in," one of them said.

Others urged the kayakers to maintain a safe distance from the wild animal.

"Leave them alone and don’t disturb nature, please," said a social media user.

@singaporekayakers We were THIS close to panicking… Turns out, the ‘crocodile’ had other plans 🐗💀 (pardon me on my shaky hands) #fyp #sgtiktok #kayaking #sgkayakers #viral ♬ Comedy Scenes - Comical, stupid, odd, lovely (Drumless)(1441321) - Ponetto

According to the National Parks Board (NParks), wild boars, although generally shy, are unpredictable and may pose risks to public safety.

"Like many wild animals, they typically attack only when cornered or threatened," it added.

“Do not talk loudly and do not use flash photography,” said NParks. “Noise and light may scare and provoke the wild boars.”

The public are advised to call the animal response centre at 1800-476-1600 if they come across wild boars that are injured, trapped or in distress.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com