You might go to banks for loans, deposits and withdrawals, but this family of wild boars seem to go to banks for a swim.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s central business district, business workers came across quite the sight. A family of wild boars had ventured into the heart of the city and decided to take a dip in the Bank of China’s fountain.
Footage from the day showed five boars in the family - one older boar leading four smaller ones, trudging through the fountain with their snouts stuck proudly in the air. Passerbyers couldn’t resist capturing this sight on camera, even the bank security guard had his phone in one hand recording and the other one on his walkie talkie, asking for help.
The police later arrived on the scene at around 5pm. All the other smaller boars had already left the fountain, but the eldest boar remained. Once staff from the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department arrived, the boar returned to the hillside area, away from the city. No one was hurt during this encounter, but sights like these are becoming more and more common in Hong Kong.
There has been a gradual increase in sightings like these. Wild boars have been venturing from their homes in wooded hillside areas into urban Hong Kong, in search of food. These animals may seem cute and harmless, but not all encounters with them have been as peaceful and humorous as this one. Wild boars have been known to attack, especially when they are placed in high-stress situations, along with the unfamiliarity of the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.
Wild boars seem to be liking the transition from life in the rural woodlands of Hong Kong to life in one of the busiest cities in the world. Who knows, these boars might become regulars at Hong Kong’s Bank of China.
Photo credit Maggie Chen on Facebook
Bio: Stephanie is a first-generation Chinese-Australian from Hong Kong. She is in her final year of completing a Bachelor of Communications in Public Relations and Journalism at the University of Technology Sydney.
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