Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on increasing population of animals such as monkeys and otters in recent years, and assessment of disamenities caused to public properties and residents’ lifestyles

Aug 2, 2022

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there is an overpopulation of animals such as monkeys and otters in recent years; and (b) what is the Ministry’s assessment of the disamenities caused to public properties and residents’ lifestyles due to such overpopulation.

Answer:

1          From 2017 to June 2022, the Government received about 2,500 cases of monkey-related feedback each year, including cases of intrusions, feeding and attacks.

2          NParks adopts a community and science-based approach to manage the population of wildlife in Singapore. It carries out research on the distribution of these species, as well as their behaviour and ecology. For example, NParks is conducting a study on the population trends of long-tailed macaques. Recent studies have also shown that there are around 10 otter families in Singapore, consisting of about 150 otters.

3          NParks will intervene to address intrusions and attacks by wildlife , to ensure public safety. NParks partners the Otter Working Group and the Long-Tailed Macaque Working Group, which include stakeholders such as agencies, academic experts and members of the nature community, to jointly develop solutions and implement measures for wildlife management. This includes monkey guarding to deter troops of monkeys from entering residential areas, which was recently carried out in response to monkey-related feedback in the Clementi area. NParks also cordons off areas with young otter pups to minimise the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict. To safeguard public safety, NParks implements population control measures where needed. These measures have been effective in managing the wildlife population, and in mitigating intrusions.

4          The most probable root cause of flare-ups in wildlife intrusion is feeding, whether in the form of intentional feeding or improper disposal of food waste. Such actions can alter the natural foraging behaviour of wildlife, and cause them to approach and rely on humans for food. We have to keep up preventive measures in order to avoid more intense intervention from time to time. Hence, NParks carries out habitat modification such as replacing or harvesting fruit trees to reduce the availability of food sources at macaque hotspots. NParks also works closely with other public agencies, grassroots organisations and Town Councils to engage the community on proper refuse management, and to deter illegal wildlife feeding.

5          Public engagement and outreach is key to NParks’ wildlife management approach. This includes efforts such as school assembly talks, engagement sessions, and public webinars to raise public awareness on wildlife management. In addition, NParks works with stakeholders to develop educational resources to advise the community on how to respond to wildlife sightings. For example, NParks launched the ‘Our Wild Neighbours’ initiative in April, together with partners from the nature community, to promote co-existence with Singapore’s wildlife.

6          With some care and vigilance, we can minimise wildlife intrusions – by refraining from feeding wildlife, keeping our residential areas clean, and appreciating wildlife from a safe distance.