Ms Anbarasi Boopal, Deputy Chief Executive of ACRES, explains their guidelines: “When sighting wildlife, the golden rules are to appreciate from a distance and never to feed them. If you want to learn more about these primates, the Jane Goodall Institute and National Parks run monthly guided monkey walks at MacRitchie Reservoir, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Lower Seletar Reservoir (janegoodall.org.sg/event). It seems like otters are so popular in Singapore that there will be a pop-up attraction inspired by the little fellas. The Otter Working Group Singapore is really happy to host Mr Woo Chee Yoong from Malaysian Nature Society as he shares with us early news of his studies at the very precious Kuala Selangor Nature Park. Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae.The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates.Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals. The government put a bounty on tigers, starting with $20 for every tiger killed. Karola Clarke reports. According to National Geographic, there are roughly 90 otters that are part of 10 otter families recognizable to the general Singapore public. These shy nocturnal creatures are hard to spot in the wild. Our otters have been in the news recently, venturing beyond t ... heir usual haunts with lower human traffic during the circuit breaker. Marina Bay. The Bishan otters went south to prime territory Marina Bay and displaced the Marina otters. Last month, Malay Mail reported that smooth-coated otters could be spotted at the 222-acre public park popular with the residents of Selayang and Batu Caves, usually hunting, frolicking, or just basking in the sun. Dugong activity can also be seen in the ‘feeding trails’ they create through seagrass meadows as they methodically rip up the seagrass while swimming past. It’s rare to see crocodiles elsewhere, but in February of this year, a 1.7 metre crocodile was captured by National Parks officers at Lower Seletar Reservoir and relocated into the wild. In recent years they’ve been spotted off Pulau Ubin. In 2017, several were spotted near Pasir Ris Park, prompting warning signs at the beach. Trails have been seen off Changi, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Sekudu, Pasir Ris and the Southern Islands. These air-breathing mammals live underwater and exist on a diet of seagrass. teamseagrass.blogspot.com. There are more and more sightings of wild otters in Singapore in recent years. Otters in Singapore. Learning Chinese – Why You Should Start Them Young, TNAP X NMS Doraemon Collectibles Giveaway, TNAP Highlights: What’s New in Singapore January 2021, Where To Buy The Best Pineapple Tarts 2021, If you find this article useful, do click, Like what you see here? Jungle areas were extensively cleared in the mid-1800s for plantations, forcing the tigers into the open. #2 Coney Island. That otters have returned to this dense and growing city is itself remarkable, as is the fact that they have become a public craze and an international sensation. The coronavirus lockdown in Singapore might have turned the country’s once beloved otters into its currently belligerent others. This was soon increased to $100 to curb the growing problem. Estuarine crocodiles are listed as critically endangered – threats come from hunting (for skin and meat), and habitat loss. Get parenting tips and stories straight to your inbox! Of course, luck may not always be on your side to spot them and the only way to really see them without disappointing your kids is to visit one of the parks by Wildlife Reserves Singapore: If you happen to see wild otters, do follow the guidelines by NParks below for a pleasant experience for both you and the otters. In 2017, the AVA received over 160 complaints about monkey attacks and behaviour. As wild animals often wander into urban areas, it’s important to know what to do when you encounter them. Supertree Grove. Singapore once hosted a significant tiger population during early colonial times. Get parenting tips and stories straight to your inbox! Wild Singapore – Where to See Otters, Dugongs & Pangolin, Traditional Foodie Gifts for the New Year. You can also help the on-going research on the otters of Singapore by recording your sightings here. Roadkill claims an average of 6 to 8 pangolins a year.” To help pangolins, you can donate to the Wildlife Reserves conservation fund: wrs.com.sg, or volunteer with The Pangolin Story: thepangolinstory.wordpress.com, Yes, dugongs can occasionally be spotted in Singapore. Most otters are believed to have swum across the Johor Strait from Malaysia, which explains why past sightings of otters were often located at … Orangutans. For any of you interested, there's actually a story behind this. However, Woo and Ng are both stumped as to the origins of the otters. They are, to be sure, one highly visible outcome of this city-state’s commitment to supporting urban nature. “Some of the main threats are roadkill, entanglement in fishing line, and plastics,” says Sivasothi. “We attend to over 700 calls a month for wildlife in distress” explains Ms Boopal. They live in large family groups and are often seen around Singapore’s nature reserves and coastal areas.While you might think the monkeys are cute, they can be aggressive when they feel threatened. National Parks hosts regular crocodile talks at the Reserve (nparks.gov.sg). The Marina otters remained on the move, travelling between East … The bigger Bishan otter family of 15 had started out in Bishan Park with just three pups. Their diet consists of fish, frogs, crabs, turtles etc. Took this picture of otters frolicking on a #jalanjalan at the Singapore Botanic Gardens in March. Other good areas for otter spotting include Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Serangoon, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Punggol. In Alaska, there are more than 90,000 otters. If the animal looks distressed, lost or trapped call our 24hr wildlife rescue hotline 9783 7782 for assistance. You can view the playful otters from two levels, the open-air upper level and a lower tier that provides an underwater view of the otters. The smooth-coated otters were residents in the Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve in 1998, and the small-clawed otters have been around Pulau Tekong since the 1980s. Otters are both agile on land and water. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm displayed for this ‘sport’ led the tigers to extinction in Singapore, with our last wild tiger killed in the 1930s. Singapore Garden By The Bay. “As Singapore continues to rapidly urbanise, it is inevitable that pangolins start to venture into urban areas. National University of Singapore (NUS) biology lecturer N. Sivasothi, who heads the OtterWatch facebook group (www.facebook.com/OtterWatch), estimates the population at about 80. Kids are especially thrilled to see wild otters and here are some places that they have been spotted recently and you can try your luck: #1 Bishan Park Some scientists believe that extensive coastal development in Johor has forced some crocodiles further south into Singapore. Singapore is home to Estuarine Crocodiles, also known as saltwater crocodiles, which can grow to over five metres. Jurong Lake. Otters had almost disappeared from Singapore by the 1970s, due to waterway pollution. The kids will want to get close and hug them… but don’t. An entire village near Bukit Timah was abandoned due to frequent tiger attacks in the area. These are smooth coated otters living in Singapore. Angelica Teo of pangolin research group, The Pangolin Story (https://thepangolinstory.wordpress.com/), explains: “As pangolins are nocturnal animals, they’re only active for a few hours each day, this makes them notoriously difficult to track. Unlike most of us who have homes to return to, Singapore’s wildlife and stray animals may not be able to find easy shelter from the rain.. This combination of factors has led to their critically endangered status. Members of the Ottercity online community yesterday called on people suggesting the otters be hunted down and killed actually find some of the … Head to Flagham Brook to find both otters and water voles among birds such as nightingale, tawny owl, woodpeckers, lapwing and snipe. Small-clawed otters weigh around 5kg each and have been seen on offshore islands such as Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin in recent decades. Its enclosure is designed to simulate the flowing rivers where otters make their home. Like what you see here? Hope otters stay safe & warm in the rain. Otters are seen fleetingly, especially in … Otters had almost disappeared from Singapore by the 1970s, due to waterway pollution. They are highly aggressive and expansionist towards other otters, and are the most famous and well documented family in Singapore. There are two species of otters in SG – smooth-coated otters and Asian small-clawed otters. SINGAPORE: Three otters were spotted in the heart of Singapore's Central Business District on Sunday (Oct 28), swimming in a water feature … People are excited to see them especially in the urban jungle where sightings of wild animals are rare. For baby animals such as birds or squirrels, we urge public not to remove them or bring home but to look for adult animals or call us with a photo for further action.” The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) works in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation and has a dedicated wildlife rescue centre. There are several monkey species in Singapore, of which the Long-tailed Macaque is the most common. Wild boar But a general waterway... Pangolin. Small-clawed otters weigh around 5kg each and have been seen on offshore islands such as Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin in recent decades. Singapore Zoo’s key species is the Orangutan. While listed as critically endangered in Singapore, they are most regularly seen at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and have been seen there since 1990s. Kids are especially thrilled to see wild otters and here are some places that they have been spotted recently and you can try your luck: Image Credit: Ottercity #1 Bishan Park The larger group on the right is the Bishan family, the largest family of otters in Singapore. Dugongs often travel hundreds of kilometres for food and are difficult to find in the wild. The rescue centre currently houses 105 exotic wild animals from the illegal wildlife trade. The Marina otters remained on the move, travelling between East Coast and Singapore River before relocating to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. ACRES also works extensively against the wildlife trade, including conducting undercover investigations and public education campaigns. Humans feeding the macaques is a big source of concern, as it can change the feeding patterns of the monkeys, and cause aggression or illness. This led to the formation of the Macaque Working Group, comprised of agencies including the Jane Goodall Institute, National Parks, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), the AVA and several universities, to develop solutions to human-macaque tensions and educate the public on macaque behaviour. One of the most effective ways to help dugongs is to preserve Singapore’s seagrass meadows. Croc enthusiasts should head to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, where several crocs have made their home. The Bishan Otter Family, also known as the Bishan 10 and previously known as the Bishan 5, is a family of smooth-coated otters that reside in Singapore. PhillipCapital: Plan for Your Family’s Future with Baby and Child Insurance, Euky Bear: Natural Cough and Cold Remedies for the Little Ones, This Preschool Has an Open Secret that Will Give Your Child a Creative Edge. It will another lovely eye-opener for otter watchers in Singapore! For example, a jump in sea otter numbers in southern Alaska in recent decades led to drops in the catch of Dungeness crabs there. Singapore’s otter enthusiasts have fired back at calls to cull the seemingly emboldened critters to rein in their population. Smallbrook Meadows - Here water weaves through wet woodland, wildflower meadows, marsh, ditches and ponds. They inhabit mangroves and coastal areas like Marina Bay, Sungei Buloh, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Pulau Ubin, where freshwater is plentiful. But a general waterway clean-up, mandated by Lee Kuan Yew, saw their return, and thanks to a cleaner habitat the otter population began to flourish. They come out to catch fish in the morning from 7am to 9am and in the evening from 5pm to 7pm, returning to their holts, or … The main threats to pangolins in Singapore are urban development and roadkill. 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Otters likely repopulated Singapore by swimming across the Johor Straits from Malaysia in the 1990s. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Where Can I Find a Confinement Nanny in Singapore? On a trip to Singapore last year, I had the chance to see them for myself. The greatest threat is the loss of seagrass habitats. The Bishan otters went south to prime territory Marina Bay and displaced the Marina otters. People are excited to see them especially in the urban jungle where sightings of wild animals are rare. This otter species is the biggest in Southeast Asia, with a length of 1 to 1.3 metres, including its tail, and weighs up to 11 kilograms. Pangolins are the world’s most heavily trafficked mammal, according to Wildlife Reserves Singapore. These social animals usually live in family groups. 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According to the National Library Archives, during the 1860s more than 350 people were killed in tiger attacks. It’s easy to be fooled by their cute appearance, however otters are wild and have very sharp teeth, so be careful. In 2017, an otter bit a five-year-old girl at Gardens by the Bay. They can grow quite large, over 2.5 metres and weigh over 300kgs. . It’s thought the population is in the low hundreds.”  A few live at Central Catchment Nature Reserve (MacRitchie Reservoir), and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. In 2015, a big switch happened. Singapore’s numerous nature reserves and coastal areas are also home to rare and endangered animals, from long-tailed macaques, to turtles, monkeys, crocs, pangolins and the famous otter families. If you find crocodiles in an urban area, call the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) on 1800 476 1600. But we’re glad to see that this particular family of otters is safe and sound, and even enjoying the aircon weather.. We hope that they’ll continue to live happily among us, and survive in this concrete jungle. Jog or cycle 15 kilometres along the perimeters of Marina Bay to meet the Singapore otters. Visit the Team Seagrass website for information on this valuable habitat and volunteering opportunities. Although they seem very cute and cuddly, National Parks advisories warn that otters are wild animals and should be treated with caution, especially when otter pups are nearby. Co-existing with humans in these urban areas does present some problems. The island-state's waters have a distinct lack of predators, while the city's urban scape making it an ideal habitat for otter families in the area. Otters have … Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. On March 18th, a Facebook page posted a video of a family of (Singaporean) otters climbing up the steps out of a Singapore river.There wasn’t a large crowd of people at the time since many stayed home to fight the pandemic spread of Covid-19. Humans are the main threat to the dugong population, as they are still illegally hunted for their meat, skin (for leather) and for traditional medicine. They now live all over the island—from the … Join our mailing list here. Once thought to be extinct in Singapore, wild otters are making a comeback to the urban city state. How Can a Couple Resolve or Avoid Misunderstandings? Their scales and meat are prized in traditional medicine and for food. When you entered the garden, you will see giant man made … Lee Hsien Loong updated their cover photo. The otters have become a popular local and international attraction since they were first spotted in 2014. A population of 70 otters in Singapore is small compared to the hundreds of thousands lost across China. The otter species commonly seen here is the smooth coated otter, which can grow to nearly one metre long. National Parks estimates their population at around 1,500. 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