(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-21 11:30

Zhu Xiaohu attributed the frequent appearances of wild boars to the city's forest conservation efforts, hunting ban, and decrease of the number of the animal's natural enemies such as wolf and tiger in the past years.

"China's strict policy on gun control is also an important reason," he said.

Though no exact record of assaults or injuries made by wild pigs inside West Lake Scenery  Area is kept, their presence is not welcomed by locals and has hit tourism.

A woman surnamed Zhu, a resident, said she bumped into a wild pig several years ago when she was climbing the mountain near Lingyin Temple, but was surprised at the presence of wild pigs in large numbers inside the much-visited West Lake Scenery Area.

"I know wild pigs won't take the initiative to attack human beings, but it's dangerous if someone doesn't know that," said Zhu.

"I have warned my mom of the danger - she likes to do morning exercises around the Botanical Garden and the road to Lingyin Temple," she said.

Most tourists do not visit West Lake Scenery Area at night, when pigs are more likely to come out.

"I prefer visiting the West Lake during the day because it is the most beautiful time, the most important thing is that wild pigs won't appear during daytime," said a tourist surnamed Zhang.

"I do shopping at night," she said.

Culling for ecological balance

The hunt-and-kill drive at the West Lake Scenery Area and neighboring townships are actually parts of a province-wide campaign under orders of the Zhejiang Provincial Forestry Department and Public Security Department, Zhu Xiaohu said.

The campaign, lasting from October 20 till November 30, has been carried out in the name of "getting rid of a public enemy" to protect people from injury or damage to their property, Zhu said.

Zhejiang's forestry authorities estimate the current number of wild boars in the province to be more than 100,000, up from 29,000 in 2000, due to the improvement of ecological environment.

Zhejiang has launched similar campaigns to kill wild boars in recent years, and 1,360 were killed last year, Zhu said.

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