The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department today appealed to the public not to approach, attempt to come into contact with or disturb wild pigs and stay away from these animals upon encountering them.

The department was responding to an organisation's appeal to citizens to help guide pigs away from urban areas.

Noting that wild pigs are dangerous, especially those that are accustomed to scavenging and being fed in urban areas or are huge in size, the department warned these wild animals may bite or knock down people who feed them.

Wild pigs may also transmit zoonotic diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis E, influenza A and Streptococcus suis which pose threats to public health, it added.