SINGAPORE - The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) received 39 reports of wild boar sightings from January to June 20 this year.

Last year, there were 77 reports for the whole of the year, said an AVA spokesman in response to queries from The Straits Times.

On Sunday, a video and photos posted to a Facebook group, of one woman feeding a group of wild boars near the Lorong Halus jetty area in Pasir Ris, sparked a debate about whether or not they should be fed.

The video, posted by a user on the Facebook group Love Cycling SG, showed about 10 animals moving about a muddy patch of land, while a woman near them emptied out the contents of several plastic bags which the boars ate.

The AVA said that when it receives feedback on wild boar sightings it will carry out surveillance in the area.

"If there are public safety or nuisance concerns, control operations will be carried out. Currently, control operations are ongoing in the Punggol area. So far, no wild boars have been caught from the Lorong Halus area," said the AVA spokesman.

Last month, a wild boar reportedly chased and injured a boy in Punggol.