The otter population in Singapore was initially thought extinct between the 1960s and 1970s, but sightings in the 1990s confirmed their presence in the Sungei Buloh wetlands area. One of the first male otters sighted in the Marina Bay family was suspected to have been poisoned. Critically, the fish species that otters rely on as sources of food need to thrive in Singapore’s waterways for the otters to remain. Accessed March 1, 2019. The Wild Animals and Birds Act (WABA) protects wildlife, but the law requires evidence of the act, which can make things difficult when preventive action is required. The otters have their own food in the environment and their natural eating habits keep the ecosystem healthy. But the truth is the otter population is estimated to be around 90 individuals, with different families occupying the rivers, canals and basins throughout Singapore, a far cry from the 5.69 million people in Singapore. Netizens speculated that the incident happened at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Singapore, as otters were spotted on their premises. Homeowners in the gated-community enclave on the island of Sentosa reported in 2015 that their koi carp ponds had been emptied by otters, and one hotel in the same area lost 85,000 Singaporean dollars’ worth of ornamental fish over eight months, according to local news reports. There are 13 otter species found around the world, including the giant river otters, North American river otter, Asian small-clawed otter, European otter, Japanese river otter and African clawless otter, as well as many less well known species. Medieval elites used handwashing as a shrewd ‘power play.’ Here’s how. FAQs. Meet the otters who raided a spa during a coronavirus shutdown, sparking outrage Wild smooth-coated otters feed on a fish in the Singapore River on Feb. 21, 2019. Thankfully, several countries are concerned about stopping the trafficking of wild otters. (Photo: Ottercity) After watching the video by Mr Sanson, … January 10, and 2019 Paul Todd. Prime land next to Singapore’s sparkling waterways brimming with … 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. Singapore’s waterways today have enough marine life that otters can comfortably survive in them. When the animals first reappeared in Singapore’s waterways, they were so unknown to most that “people thought that they could be beavers or seals,” says Sivasothi, who launched the website OtterWatch to help educate locals about these new inhabitants. Does drinking water reduce side effects after a COVID-19 shot? https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/otters-of-the-world/. The rise of citizen science has also created an even wider pool of data on otter observations and documentation of species behaviour, with groups like the Otter Working Group actively helping in the management and rescue of otters. of course, This is also means what I've conflicts. https://www.nrdc.org/experts/paul-todd/asian-countries-propose-bans-commercial-trade-otters. In 1977, the Singaporean government launched its Clean River Campaign, and in 1998, otters began to return to the tropical island on their own. Otters emit a musky smell from paired scent glands at the base of the tail that helps mark their territory. Mp3. Image: Facebook. Sign up for more inspiring photos, stories, and special offers from National Geographic. Accessed January 14, 2019. In 2016, an otter family suddenly ran across the Singapore Marathon route, and Otter Working Group volunteers rushed to warn the runners of the otters’ presence, as well as also position themselves along the route to prevent the animals and runners from colliding. Many companies in Singapore have moved from 6 days to 5 days per week schedule. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Just keep swimming. Most have not been sighted in typical otter habitats—often the wilder plots of nature in the country. Source. There are four species of river otters in Asia: the smooth-coated otter, small-clawed otter, hairy-nosed otter, and Eurasian otter. N. Sivasothi, a senior lecturer from the Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, has been monitoring and following these otters with his students for years. Pages in category "Ethnic groups in Singapore" The following 38 pages are in this category, out of 38 total. We won't be giving details to protect it but we would like to share with you what an Asian Small-clawed Otter roaming Singapore looks like. Experiencing information fatigue? These otters are surprisingly intelligent, able to climb out of drains and travel across large patches of land to get to other waterways. Khoo, M de Yuan and Sivasothi, N (2018)b. In December 2017, a five-year-old girl on holiday in Singapore with her family was bitten by an otter near Gardens by the Bay. Smooth-Coated Otters in Singapore Sound Recording by Philip Johns. But the hospital has stepped forward to clarify that the video of the otters eating the koi fishes were not taken at the hospital, and must’ve happened somewhere else. These little-known sites help families connect to Asian American history. For National University of Singapore biologist Sivasothi N, the arrival of the Singapore otter—and its popularity among residents—is a welcome development. The two common species of otters in Singapore are the. They are taking a hit, changing their behavior when pups are around. Singapore´s otters, long adored by the city-state´s nature lovers, are popping up in unexpected places during the coronavirus lockdown but their … In the last three to four years, otter sightings have become the Singaporean equivalent of cat videos. Singapore's otters, long adored by the city-state's nature lovers, are popping up in unexpected places during the coronavirus lockdown but their antics have angered some and even sparked calls for a cull. Moretti, Beatrice, Omar F Al-Sheikhly, Monica Guerrini, Meryl Theng, Brij K Gupta, Mukhtar K Haba, Waseem Khan, Aleem Khan, and Filippo Barbanera. Now at least 90 otters, part of 10 thriving families, live within the island-state, and their population is growing, thanks to rich food sources—such as koi ponds—and lack of predators. Highly social creatures that move around in herds, otters do not take well to being sold as pets and kept individually. While most wild otters would leave their family at around two years old, Singapore’s otters will stay with their parents until three or four, as they wait for territory to open up. Despite these run-ins, the Singaporeans are generally fond of their cheeky neighbors. Though education alone is not enough to change behaviours around our wildlife, several impassioned otter watchers have been volunteering their services to help new otter watchers stay mindful of their subjects—a heartening gesture. Smooth-coated otters are not fussy eaters, and they tend to eat whatever is available where they are. Otter babies: Babies are born in a litter of 1-2, in a den dun in the river bank. Singapore has 2 species of otters, the Smooth-coated Otter and the very elusive Asian Small-clawed Otter. hello@kontinentalist.com. That said, the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), an American environmental organisation with global reach, says that enforcement at the species level has not been carried out thoroughly. It is not clear how many otter families there are as the animals move locations every day. As the sun rises from behind the baobab trees in the botanic gardens one morning, Johns points to an otter family—the same one commuting along the highway—foraging among the reeds. https://cdn-images.kontinentalist.com/kontinentalist-story-asset-1551411308.mp3. It’s a family of seven otters, likely on their way to their den at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Residents have erected fences to keep them out, but nature conservationists note that these fences, deployed neither adequately or appropriately, have been effective at stopping otters adapted to surviving in the urban environment. *Special thanks to the community of avid otter watchers of Singapore, which has been so helpful in providing us photos, information, and datasets for this story on their beloved otters. “But if you ask Singaporeans about the otters now, they could not only tell you what species they are, but which family they belong to, and how many babies the family has.” (Read how wildlife is hacking life in the city.). Thanks to the Singapore River clean up in 1977, its ecological conditions and biodiversity have proven ideal for supporting otters—a far cry from our once oxygen-starved waterways. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for a concise roundup of our stories. 35 (3): 171 - 182. Some of the features of Singapore English are similar to features in Mandarin Chinese. The bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the West, Survivors recall the terror of the first F5 tornado. All rights reserved. https://www.bfm.my/dr-philip-johns-smooth-coated-otters-singapore.html. This list may not reflect recent changes (). There is an active citizen science effort to study and monitor the otters, and there is a Facebook page ( OtterWatch ) … Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Negative interactions between people, pets, and otters as Malay, also Singapore! Clip, international otter Survival Fund currently an estimated 10 families of otters begin to increase 2015! The bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore biologist N! Family was bitten by an otter near Gardens by the Bay special offers National. 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