Reunited, the family forms a v-formation as they glide across the mirrored lake. They are highly aggressive and expansionist towards other otters, and are the most famous and well documented family in Singapore. — AFP pic. Most of Singapore’s otters are the smooth-coated variety, classified as “vulnerable”. “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.). Smooth-coated otters, native to the area, had disappeared and were in danger of being locally extinct. With no onlookers at the unusually empty Merlion Park, the seven otters were observed swimming up to the steps near Merlion Park and running around the trees there. Privacy policy. Perhaps due to recent Covid-19 measures, there wasn't a large crowd that would usually observe the otters, allowing them to wander around more freely. 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. Due to water pollution, habitat loss, and other factors, smooth-coated otters are considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Sumita Thiagarajan Local groups are trying to minimize negative interactions between people, pets, and otters. In the early 1990s, he recalls traveling to Penang in Malaysia to study the species, walking through the mangroves for hours, hoping to spot a single otter. The Singapore otters’ main cause of death is vehicle strikes, with about five to six animals killed a year, according to Bernard Seah, a member of the Otter Working Group, a coalition of charity workers, government officials, and academics who monitor the otters and carry out awareness programs. | In 1977, the Singaporean government launched its Clean River Campaign, and in 1998, otters began to return to the tropical island on their own. That’s really exciting,” he says. SINGAPORE, May 30 — 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. Ottercity. The otters rise up out of the water, and suddenly the pups disappear. It’s a family of seven otters, likely on their way to their den at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. “The only problem we foresee now is a lack of space for these territorial animals.”. Singapore's otter families all have names. (Learn more about Singapore’s urban innovations.). “Five years ago, people still knew very little about the otters,” Teo says. 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A cute Facebook video showing a family of otters climbing up the steps out of the Singapore River was posted today (Mar. There, two pups are nestled safely among the muddy tree roots, waiting for their parents to give the all-clear. The amount of space an otter needs depends on how much food is available, but they can maintain a large territory; one animal can travel nine miles a day. The incident took place at Aramsa The Garden Spa which is owned by … The Bishan family swins in Marina Bay with the iconic Singapore skyline in the background. After spending the morning fishing, the Bishan family rest ashore for a few hours. 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. PETALING JAYA, May 15 — It was a gnarly sight for Singaporean former actress Jazreel Low when she spotted wild otters chowing down on her pet fishes, including a prized arowana. On a grassy strip along the highway, a blur of brown fur moves quickly, a small head popping up every so often to check for danger. On a grassy strip along the highway, a blur of brown fur moves quickly, a small head popping up every so often to check for danger. In the face of climate change and urbanisation, we will continue to expand and enhance our green spaces, and protect our native biodiversity. The Mandarin Oriental Singapore hotel can be seen in the background as cars and buses pass by. Contact us At the edge of the lake, two leashed dogs strain toward the Zouk family. (Photo: AFP) This photograph taken on May 29, 2020 shows a smooth-coated otter next to a canal in Singapore. There are two species of otters in SG – smooth-coated otters and Asian small-clawed otters… Now, to do his research all he has to do is step outside his house to see the sleek, playful creatures that are doing just swimmingly in Singapore. Such research may also be crucial information for how the species—found throughout much of Asia, from India to Myanmar (Burma) to Malaysia—can adapt to new environments. When asked to vote for a mascot that would represent Singapore in its 2016 National Day celebrations, citizens voted wholeheartedly for the otter. Philip Johns, a biologist at Yale-NUS College in Singapore, is part of a team studying the urban otters and has created an app, Otter Spotter, for locals to report sightings. In 2017, news outlets reported that an otter bit a five-year-old girl at a nature park, the Gardens by the Bay. Otter pups stay with their parents longer than otter pups in other more rural populations. Commuters sitting in evening traffic appear oblivious, likely already accustomed to seeing the charismatic mammals traipsing about this Southeast Asian metropolis of 5.7 million. Woodlands had dinosaurs before it was cool. Singapore has seen over 50 years of major road projects, from the PIE to the North-South Corridor. A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on April 26, 2020, with the headline 'Otters play in streets as they look for new home'. Here's the video of the otters hanging out at Marina Bay: If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates. Published 11 Mar 2020, 11:31 GMT, Updated 5 Nov 2020, 05:13 GMT. As citizen interest in urban otters has deepened, so has scientific research, as biologists seek to learn how urban otters fit into such a bustling landscape. 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