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Hong Kong, one of the world's most densely populated cities, is suffering from an outbreak of wild pigs that are increasingly straying into urban areas. Some people are optimistic about seeing pigs, especially in the Year of the Pig, which is the lunar new year that began on Tuesday, according to the Chinese calendar, but others believe that reports of wild boar attacks show that large mammals have become a danger. Hong Kong is not well known for its biodiversity, but 40 percent of its area is parks and reserves that include animals such as pigs, deer, hedgehogs, and others, and more than 530 bird species, some of which are severely endangered. But continued urbanization in the city of 7.4 million people is bringing hordes of wild boars closer to the city's outskirts. There were reports that pigs rushed towards hikers, attacked garbage dumps and camping sites, and even entered a shopping center and an airport runway. "Most of Hong Kong's wild pigs are no longer afraid of humans," said Ronnie Wong, a member of a wild boar conservation group. "The reason for this is feeding them, which makes them lose their natural instinct," he added, pointing to many places where people feed pigs, which is a violation of Hong Kong's wildlife protection laws. Human domestication of pigs has brought safety concerns. Complaints about wild boars have more than doubled since 2013, and more than 700 incidents were recorded in 2017, some of which included attacks on humans. You also follow on Euronews: Learn about the rarest pig in the world A large European campaign to combat African swine fever "Milk Pig" is a traditional Filipino dish for Christmas and New Year "Many of those who used to engage in recreational activities outside, especially at night, no longer do so. They are afraid," said Jeremy Young, an official in the upscale Peak District, where a large number of wild boars live in the forests. "They are afraid. Of course, you do not want to be attacked by a boar weighing 113 kilograms with two tusks." Authorities say they do not know how many wild boars there are in Hong Kong, nor whether their numbers have increased or if they are venturing into urban areas more frequently.