SINGAPORE - A 44-year-old man was injured when a wild boar attacked him outside a condominium at Hillview Avenue on Thursday (Oct 19) morning.

He suffered cuts and lacerations on both legs. The Straits Times understands that the man was walking towards Hillview MRT station when he spotted the animal approaching him.

As he tried to run, he lost his balance and fell. The wild boar subsequently charged at him.

The wild boar was then hit by a passing bus as it tried to escape, and suffered injuries. It later died.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said it was alerted to the incident outside 25 Hillview Avenue at 8.43am.

The man was taken conscious to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Photos posted on social media showed the wild boar lying on the ground. Republic Polytechnic student Agnes Chan, 19, who witnessed the aftermath of the attack, said she spotted the animal near the condominium bus stop.

"There were medics surrounding the injured man and police officers cordoned off the bus stop," she told The Straits Times.

"I had to alight from the bus just before the bus stop to walk to the MRT station."

Hillview resident Anita Srinivasan, 38, said she was shocked to hear about the wild boar attack.

"It's a residential area, so I thought it was very strange that there was an attack. If it's at Mindef or nearer to a park, we would expect it more, but not in a residential area, where it's supposed to be safe," the auditor added.

"I'm worried for my kids, especially in the early morning when they go to school, and late at night when they come home. The lights at our walkway is always dim, so it's hard to see animals."

While retiree Mr Khoo, 70, agreed that the attack came as a surprise to many, he is not worried about further attacks.

"I drive up to the nature reserve a lot so I always see the wild boars in groups. I don't disturb them, so they don't disturb me either," said Mr Khoo, who lives in Glendale Park condominium.

"Probably they're also forced under circumstances to look for food outside, like when their habitat gets removed. Most wild animals are like that."

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said in a Facebook post on Thursday evening that it was aware of this morning's wild boar incident at Hillview Avenue.

"We are monitoring the situation and working with relevant agencies to put up signages," it said. "We are also working with the community to create awareness and educate residents on what to do when they encounter wild boars."

Chua Chu Kang GRC (Bukit Gombak) MP Low Yen Ling wrote on Facebook about the incident, saying she has been in touch with AVA, LTA and Acres to ensure that follow-up procedures are in place with regard to the animal and also the safety of residents and pedestrians in that area.

While wild boar sightings are quite common in Singapore, attacks are relatively rare.

The last reported attack occurred on June 30, when a woman who was walking her dog near Windsor Nature Park was gored in the leg by a wild boar.

She received 60 stitches for her 10cm-long wound.

Last month, there were two road accidents involving wild boars in two days, which resulted in five people being taken to hospital.

Should members of the public encounter a wild boar, they are advised to:

- Be calm and move slowly away from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal.

- Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal such as by using a flash while taking pictures of it.

- If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. These are potentially more dangerous because they may attempt to defend their young.

Additional reporting from Raffaella Nathan Charles