Wild Otters Seen in Singapore

This is a true story.

Comic Poem

By Angela Lansbury

 

[10:30, 26/03/2023] Angela Lansbury BA Hons:

 

The otters came to eat pond fish

All three of them, a family

Large fish, carp, are a tasty dish

‘Chase them off!’ “Rather you than me!’

 

The guards ran up, they shouted loud,

The otters scarper, we're a crowd,

A dead fish thrown into a bin

Pristine, curved eye - and fanned out fin?

 

Dead fish, after attack by otters. Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

But stiff, still, with a gaping mouth?

‘Don't eat it, it will make you ill !’

‘What’s to be done? High barriers?

Tough love - big otter carriers!’

 

Although our link with nature’s lost

‘We must think of safety, of health

The condo must count costs, what’s lost

Consider all, not just oneself.’

 

‘No matter what we did, or saw

Call the Otter Society

Today hang back, obey the law

Let them act - with propriety

 

‘Block the canal, their route, but do

Let raging water filter through …’

Then we won't see, another night,

Such charm, delight, and fright, excite.

 -ends-

Copyright Angela Lansbury

 The otter crossing sign picture is from the Hebrides in Wikipedia.

The Singapore otters seen in Cashew Heights Condominium in Bukit Panjang, Singapore, seem to be the larger Smooth-coated otters which eat fish rather than the smaller, paler Small Clawed coloured otters which eat shellfish. Otters have attacked expensive koi in the past.

Safety for otters and members of the public

https://www.otter.org/public/AboutOtters_OttersAroundTheWorld_Asia.aspx 

Please bookmark, follow, comment, and share links to your favourite posts with friends and family. 

Angela Lansbury's books and chapters in anthologies are on Amazon and Lulu.com

Look for Angela Lansbury poet, Angela Lansbury travel writer, and my photo. Books include Poetry Workbook. Improve your English. How to be the Best Man. Grief and Us.

Otters in the city of Singapore - are you safe? How to protect otters and yourself

 

Otters are being protected and encouraged to make themselves at home in the city. The water of the Singapore river was cleaned up some time ago.

Neighbours saw otters by the fish ponds in the grounds of Cashew Heights Condominium near Bukit Panjang in the North west of Singapore. The neighbour who took this photo said she could smell the fish. She told the building management. They checked their cameras and found that the otters, which are mammals, had not sneaked in through fencing as had first been thought. The otters had brazenly entered through the front entrance past the security guard. At the time when the guards were changing over at about 8 pm. 

Next morning when I was swimming with my friendly swimming pal, Vee, (from another block), she hailed the management. My neighbour, Vee, told me that after the otters had left, she noticed a strong smell of fish. 

Otters eat only the heads of the fish. Funny, that. Fish head curry is a local delicacy of the Indian restaurants in Singapore.

The otters also left another strong smell because they urinate marking their territory and making it easy to smell their way back. 

They have a strong sense of smell. They had travelled a distance to find the fish.

The otters had not eaten all the fish. The ponds are large and well stocked with fish. Enough to feed the otters again, should they choose to make a return visit. No need to stock up again.

I remember when the Night Safari opened in Singapore, that it was the first in the world and a great novelty. Now it seems the Night Safari is coming to us!

Are you safe?

Keep a safe distance. Especially if they are with young. Don't run up to take a photo. How would  you feel if an unknown animal galloped towards your baby! The otter is anxious as you approach from a distance, then angry and aggressive when you get near. One tourist ran up to them and spooked them. A second approaching slowly, was attacked and badly hurt.

So admire from a safe distance. It is a privilege to see them. 

If another otter attacked anybody, the poor otters might be shot or carted away. To be sure that the otters are not culled or captured and moved away from the city, don't get too near.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otter

https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/dos-and-donts/animal-advisories/otters

Otter crossing sign, Outer Hebrides.