A wild boar has been caught on camera attacking two snowboarders at a Japanese ski resort. The footage was shared online by the shocked employees at a local ski and snowboard shop.
The incident took place on February 7 at the Alpen Blick Snow Resort in Myoko City, Niigata Prefecture. In the video (which you can watch below) the boar can be seen rushing out of the woods and headbutting a snowboarder from behind, breaking his binding. The animal then rushes at a second person, who managed to deflect its charge using a board.
Japanese news site NHK reports that the animal fled when resort staff sounded a snowmobile alarm. Resort manager Hazawa Kazuhiko said he had never seen a wild boar on the slope before, and plans to take safety measures to protect visitors.
Staff at Joey's custom boot fitting store were skeptical at first, but after seeing the footage, decided to share it on Instagram.
"'Wild bore ran into me and broke my snowboard binding'. This is what our customer said when we came back into the shop," wrote an employee. "I said no way. A for effort, good story. Well believe it or not someone filmed it."
Wild boar are common throughout Japan, and are found in every prefecture except Hokkaido according to Ski Asia. Like all wild animals, they prefer to avoid close encounters with humans, but have been known to attack people on occasion. They can also destroy crops, damage infrastructure, and spread diseases including tuberculosis, influenza A and hepatitis E.
If you encounter a wild boar on the trail, the most important thing is to keep your distance. If the animal doesn't move, turn back or find an alternative route. If you have a dog with you, make sure it is secure to avoid startling the boar, and back away slowly.
Never attempt to feed wild boar, as this reduces their natural wariness of humans and can encourage them to stray into urban areas. For more advice, see our guide what to do if you see a wild boar while hiking.
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