Seven wild pigs put down by vets in Aberdeen

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) on Wednesday said vets had put down seven wild pigs in Aberdeen, after first tranquilising them with dart guns. The operation took place between 8 pm and 10 pm on Shum Wan Road, where the pigs often went in search of food.

In a statement, a department spokesman said the goal had been to reduce the number of wild pigs there and to protect the public.

The spokesman said that, due to regular feeding at Shum Wan Road, wild pigs had often approached passers-by and had even chased vehicles.

He said from 2018 until last month, the AFCD had tried to solve the problem through 12 capture and relocation operations at the site. He said 35 wild pigs had been relocated to remote countryside locations, with 27 of them being either sterilised or subject to some kind of contraception. But, he said, these operations had not been able to control the problem.

The spokesman appealed to the public not to feed wild pigs, saying they were not pets but potentially dangerous large animals.

He also said the pigs posed a public health risk, and could pass on tuberculosis, hepatitis E, influenza A and streptococcus suis.