A boar drowned in West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province after swimming in the icy water for about half an hour on Tuesday.

After a 100-kilogram boar was discovered swimming in West Lake, patrol employees set out in several boats trying to round up it and warn tourist boats to stay away.

Experts from the Hangzhou Zoo rushed to the site with a tranquilizer gun, only to find the boar had drowned after running out of energy.

According to a custodian surnamed Huang, she came across a strange object swimming in the lake. As she got closer she realized it was a boar. After seeing her the boar swam to the center of the lake in a panic.

West Lake employees said the boar may have come down from the nearby forest, and slipped into water after an accidental encounter with park visitors.

A witness surnamed Zhang said, "I'm amazed it lasted over half an hour. I take part in a winter swim in West Lake every year, but no one can ever stay in the water for more than 20 minutes."