Condo reinforces fencing after wild boars are again spotted in estate

Living in an estate close to nature, Mr Sheldon Trollope knew encounters with wildlife would not be uncommon.

He did not think they would pose too much of a threat, though, until a fence was erected around his Lakeview Estate condominium last month after sightings of wild boars within the estate became more frequent over the past year.

He told The New Paper: "I'd rather not have the fence, as my biggest concern is if wild boars find their way in somehow and cannot get out (back to the forest), they will be more unpredictable."

Despite the new fence, Mr Trollope spotted two boars on estate grounds last Friday. He took photographs and posted them on Facebook.

GAPS

The National Parks Board (NParks) was notified of the incident.

Following an investigation, it identified gaps in the condominium's fences through which the animals could have entered, said Dr Adrian Loo, group director of wildlife management at NParks.

On Saturday, advised by NParks, the estate's management council blocked off possible gaps and installed metal poles under the fencing to enhance it.

But Mr Trollope, 47, a father of seven-year-old twin boys, is still concerned.

"I have now instructed my family not to play around the area (near the fence), which is a bit sad as it is nice to be close to nature.

"I hope, for the sake of everyone's safety, that the fence works, but from my observation, if the boars get into the property once, they can easily do it again," he said.

Lakeview Estate consists of three privatised Housing and Urban Development Company blocks between Upper Thomson Road and the forest surrounding MacRitchie Reservoir.

The condominium's existing fencing separates it from the road, while the new fencing erected by NParks in March has "closed the loop", said Mr Derrick Kuek, chairman of the estate's management council.

Mr Kuek told TNP that some residents have voiced their concerns about wild boars entering the estate to an MP, and the management council subsequently arranged a meeting with the MP and NParks to address the issue in December.

The installation of fences was proposed by NParks, said Mr Kuek.

"As far as we are concerned, one attack (by wild boars) would be one too many.

"So while we do understand that there are some aesthetic issues, we feel the need to prioritise safety, which is not something that can be compromised."

He added that most residents were grateful for the fences and no official complaints have been brought to him so far.

Mr Philip Chua, 62, a resident who has lived in the estate for more than 36 years, feels that encounters with wildlife are "no big deal", although he would prefer that wild boars do not enter the estate. "We remind residents constantly to not leave food around or throw them down, because if there isn't food, the animals - not just boars but also monkeys, junglefowl and lizards - will not come," he said.

Ms Anbarasi Boopal, co-chief executive of wildlife rescue group Acres, said installing fences was the right move.

She added: "We'd advise that wild boar-proof fencing mesh is at least 50cm into the ground, as pigs are excellent diggers and even feed by uprooting vegetation looking for insects or tubers."

Mr Kuek said the management council will continue to reinforce the fences and perform regular checks to ensure the safety of residents living on the estate.

NParks' Dr Loo reminded members of the public that if they encounter a wild boar, they should remain calm and move slowly away from the animal.

While wild boars are generally shy, people should keep a safe distance and not provoke the animal, he said.

"If adult wild boars are seen with young piglets, keep a distance and leave them alone, as they tend to be more defensive when accompanied by their young," he said.

Any encounters can be reported to the Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600.