Reports of Wild Boar Poaching Received and Enforcement Actions Taken in Past Three Years

26 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development for each year in the past three years (a) how many reports of wild boar poaching has AVA received; (b) how many of these cases have resulted in enforcement action being taken; and (c) what is the breakdown of the nature of enforcement action taken in these cases.

Mr Lawrence Wong: Over the past three years, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has received three feedback of sightings of illegal wild boar traps in forested areas. Two of the cases were related and the illegal trap was removed. In a recent case reported in April, AVA investigated and found two traps. AVA has disarmed these traps and is in the process of removing them.

Under the Wild Animals and Birds Act (WABA), it is an offence to kill, take or keep any wild animals without a licence. Penalties include fines of up to $1,000 per wild animal or bird, and the animal will also be seized. Under the Parks and Trees Act, anyone who captures or displaces an animal from a national park or nature reserve without permission can be fined up to $50,000 or jailed for up to six months, or both, upon conviction. The offence of capturing an animal, if it is committed in the public parks, is a fine of up to $5,000 upon conviction.