Of Boar and Men: My article on POSKOD

Chek Jawa is home to many creatures large and small, but few other animals manage to thrill and excite visitors like the resident herd of friendly wild boar (Sus scrofa vittatus). Feeding has made some of the pigs very used to humans, and it is now common to see sows with piglets out in the open, allowing people to get very close to them. Such habituation has its benefits, and there have been countless peaceful interactions between wild pigs and humans, but there is an uneasy tension. With some of the wild boar starting to approach people to beg for food, are people at risk of being harassed or even attacked? And are visitors aware of how to behave appropriately around wildlife so as to allow this coexistence to continue? I write about this interesting relationship between humans and wild pigs in my first article for POSKOD.

Chek Jawa in June with the Naked Hermit Crabs

(Photo by Kok Sheng)

With it being the June holidays, the Naked Hermit Crabs received an overwhelming response for our monthly guided tour on the Chek Jawa boardwalk. And so 5 guides showed up on Saturday morning, ready to take on the crowds and share the sights and sounds of this very special place.

Seven Links Blog Project: A Milestone Year

We're almost a week into the new year, and while I'm not really the sort who likes to reflect on the past year and mull over my successes and failures, Crystal Riley from Crystal and Bryan in Singapore has tagged me to take part in the Seven Links Blog Project, where I repost links to seven of my posts from different categories. Although I was tagged last year, I only found out last night, and I guess it's still not too late for me to look back on 2011.

Macaques, Conflict and Keyboard Warriors

(Photo by John 3000)

About a week ago, someone named Paul Chan wrote in to the Straits Times Forum, in response to reports of several long-tailed macaques attacking visitors to the Forest Walk along the Southern Ridges.


Long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis);
(Photo by gamebit)
(The photos in this post feature several macaques that have been encountered by visitors to various parts of the Southern Ridges over the past few years)

Cull monkeys if over-population is the problem (Mirror)

I WAS shocked to read that a search was on for a monkey believed to have attacked three people over the past three weeks ("Attacks spark hunt for monkey"; last Friday).

I was also disappointed with the response of National Parks Board (NParks) officials that the monkey-feeding problem might have reached a tipping point and that sometimes, animals just go crazy. Did NParks do an extensive survey or study to arrive at such conclusions?

Despite many reports of rogue monkeys attacking people and foraging for food at bus stops and households, NParks prefers to pin the blame on human feeding or provocation.

The attack on Hort Park visitor Tang Mae Lynn was apparently due to the monkey pack invading her personal space at the Forest Walk; she carried no food or drink. The problem could be due to monkey over-population or lack of monitoring by NParks officials.

I disagree with NParks about not going after the monkeys because the creatures belong there as much as humans. Does that mean we should silently accept monkey attacks as normal?

It is the job of NParks to ensure monkeys behave where they co-exist with us. NParks has a duty to patrol and monitor the growth of the animal population within the forest boundaries. The animals should be culled if they encroach on human living space and disturb our peace. They should also be punished if they misbehave.

NParks could install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along the Forest Walk and areas prone to monkey attacks to check on the culprits while initiating programmes to control such disturbances so that both animals and people can share the limited space on our island in peace.

Paul Chan

Monkey spotted at Choa Chu Kang Ave 3

Monkey see, monkey do: Monkeys open lids of recycling bins at MacRitchie Park

If you spot wild boars at Lower Peirce Reservoir, do not disturb them as they may attack

Wild boar spotted at Punggol Riverside gets 'friendly' with passers-by

Woman feeds birds in open field: Can or not?

A woman brought a red plastic bag out to an open field and started feeding the pigeons there. STOMPer Marie spotted her actions and wondered if it was legal for her to do so.

In the STOMPer's email, the STOMPer wrote:

"I saw this woman bring a big red plastic bag and throw the food to the birds.

"Within a few minutes, many birds gathered.

"This occurred at around 3-4 pm beside CCK shopping centre.

"I am just posting this as I am not sure that this is a right thing for her to do."

TC: Posters and circulars put up to educate residents against feeding pigeons

In response to STOMPer Welt's complaint that nothing has been done about the pigeon population problem despite feedback, Marine Parade Town Council has put up circulars and posters to educate residents against littering and feeding pigeons.

The town council said in a response via email:

"We refer to the article posted on STOMP.

"Our Town Council has put up circulars and posters to educate residents against littering and feeding pigeons out of their windows.

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind residents not to litter or feed the pigeons irresponsibly.

"We will continue to work with the relevant agencies and will not hesitate to take action against those who are found littering.

"Should members of the public wish to provide further feedback or suggestions, they may contact us at 1800-241-6487."

Related post: TC and NEA have yet to solve pigeon population problem (30th April 2010)

Monkeys getting more daring at Forest Walk: One snatches food from passerby

29-year-old engineer Chris was shocked by how bold these monkeys at Forest Walk were, when they snatched a packet of yellow curry gravy from a passerby.

The STOMPer told STOMP about the incident which occurred last week (Jan 23) at about 1pm.

"The monkeys just snatched the yellow curry gravy from a person just enjoying a walk through the forest walk part of the southern ridges, furthermore making a mess of the place as it spills the gravy all over the bridge.

"Trekkers were scared and intimidated by the behaviour.

"Please don't feed the monkeys as it will promote aggressive behaviour to humans."

Yet another example illustrating why feeding the monkeys is a bad idea.

The long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) which are commonly encountered in our forests and nature areas may look cute and endearing, but they certainly can become a nuisance. Once they have learned to associate people with food, they soon find out that it is easy to intimidate, harass and bully people in an attempt to get them to surrender any edible items. Bags are stolen and ransacked, and one should never underestimate the possible damage a macaque may deal with its canines, not to mention the risk of disease transmission due to such close contact.

One does wonder; what on Earth was a person doing, carrying a bag of curry into the forest? The idea of an idyllic picnic in the woods is but a myth, and possible only in places where much of the larger fauna has been trapped, shot, and poisoned out of existence, or wisely chooses to hide away so as not to offend trespassing humans.

Crows feast on food waste which neighbour throws down everyday

STOMPer AMK Poster's inconsiderate neighbour throws food waste down his window everyday which dirties the pathway below the block and attracts crows to that area.

The food waste even lands on this STOMPer's freshly washed clothes.

AMK Poster says:

"My inconsiderate neighbour keeps throwing food waste down from his window on an almost daily basis.

"This happens at Blk 561, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

"Not only does he makes the common space below dirty and unfit for use, he also adds to inviting crows to this location.

"Crows are sometimes seen perched on my kitchen window sill and on my laundry waiting for the food.

"As they constantly come and sit on my laundry, they leave their droppings on the laundry.

"Also, sometimes the food lands on my baby's clothes, left out to dry.

"I think these people should really be educated on high rise living and how their dirty habits cause inconvenience to others living here.

"Hoping for the TC to take some action."

This isn't really a crow problem, it's a problem created by human behaviour. These house crows (Corvus splendens) are merely capitalising on this source of food. True, this does pose problems for other residents, but I'm sure the best solution is not to cull all the crows, but to take necessary action to correct the behaviour of the person who is tossing food out of the window.

Monkeys roam freely in Pasir Ris

So much rubbish for these small bins at Henderson Waves

These bins along the Henderson Waves bridge are too small to handle the volume of rubbish picnickers leave behind them on weekends, says STOMPer May.

Here's what she wrote in an email today:

"I took these pictures today (Nov 1) at 7:50am.

"I hope NParks will look into this matter. There are only four small bins along the entire length of the bridge, and the bins are of a relatively small capacity.

"Over the weekends there are many people picnicking on the bridge and their leftover food is not placed into the bins as they were already full."

Note the pair of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) foraging among the trash in the first photo.

It certainly does pose a problem when there are insufficient rubbish disposal facilities in our parks and nature areas. If left uncleared, the garbage will attract scavenging animals, and might also end up polluting the environment. However, these photos also indicate a problem with the mindsets of many people who use our parks and nature areas. Instead of complaining about a lack of bins along this stretch, why don't people just hold on to their garbage until they find another one that isn't full?

Here in Singapore, we have become used to the idea of having a dustbin conveniently situated every few metres, even in the middle of our nature reserves. However, this is not the case elsewhere; in most other countries, when out hiking or camping, it is basic decency to take all trash with you when you leave. Perhaps it would be a good idea to introduce and reinforce the idea of a hiker's basic code of conduct here in Singapore; it does seem that basic hiking etiquette is sorely lacking in many people who use our parks and nature areas.

Monkey population in Bukit Panjang growing too fast

STOMPer icebleue says that the monkey population at Bukit Panjang has been growing because residents feed them, and worries that this could become a problem.

Says the STOMPer:

"I wish to highlight the monkey problem surfacing in Bukit Panjang.

"It all started with two or three monkeys appearing at Zhenghua Park along Petir Road, near Blk 203.

"Recently, due to irresponsible feeding from a resident at Blk 203, throwing oranges and food around 4-5pm daily, the monkey population has grown to about 20.

"Today, a fed up resident, also from the block, started throwing water bombs to frighten the monkeys away.

"I hope the irresponsible resident could stop his/her ugly act of throwing food for the monkeys.

"The monkeys need to survive on their own.

"Imagine 100 monkeys next year at the same park."

People just don't understand why feeding of wildlife is a bad idea, do they?

Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) may seem cute and amusing, but feeding brings a whole lot of problems, creating unnecessary conflicts that usually leads to the monkeys being culled.

Here's a page giving more details as to why we should not feed the monkeys.

Monkey in East Coast tries to attack students

A STOMPer was in East Coast F2 car park yesterday (Aug 3) when he witnessed this monkey attempting to bite students.

Michael says:

"The monkey was running around near the toilets.

"It's very unusual to see a monkey in East Coast, it almost bit some students as they were exploring."

Here's a very interesting record of the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). I've never heard of macaques inhabiting the East Coast Park area, although I would not discount the possibility of wandering individuals dispersing from other forested areas. There's also the possibility that this is a former captive that has been released or escaped.

In a park that is so heavily used, I'm sure the macaque will start scavenging for leftovers left by visitors, or rummaging through garbage bins for tidbits. I certainly hope no one starts feeding it, which will only make things worse; it will surely then start to harass and intimidate people and steal their belongings. This will definitely create a conflict that the monkey is bound to lose.

The person who submitted this post to STOMP could have provided further details about the alleged attack. Was it being cornered or chased by the students? Were they feeding it? Was the macaque rushing at them because it was being threatened? I've been chased by an angry macaque before, but that was only because I was taking photos of it from behind, and it definitely also did not appreciate the attention from all the people converging on its position.

Interestingly enough, there seem to be quite a few recent records of lone macaques popping up in the eastern part of Singapore, which traditionally hasn't been a stronghold for the species. There were sightings of a single macaque in Pasir Ris in April, while in May, I found another lone macaque at Changi Village.


This was the very same macaque that charged at me when I was taking photos of its back.

What could possibly account for all these sightings and records? Are wandering macaques using our park connectors and the trees along our roads and pavements as corridors, dispersing out from their usual haunts in search of food and new territory?

Whatever happens, now that it has been accused of posing a threat to public safety, I have a feeling that this particular macaque's days are numbered.

Killing of pigeons is last resort, public also has role to play, says East Coast Town Council

Pigeon culling is used as a last resort to prevent spread of diseases, says East Coast Town Council. A new standard of procedure has also been implemented so that pigeon carcasses will now be cleared after each culling exercise.

In response to a STOMPer's concerns over pigeon poisoning exercises at Upper Changi Road, the council also says that the measure is used because residents have not refrained from feeding the pigeons despite being told not to do so.

East Coast Town Council says in an email:

"With reference to the post 'Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them', we appreciate STOMPer David's feedback.

"The culling of the pigeons is always our last resort to curb the population of the pigeons.

"We have instructed our staff and pest control contractor to be more vigilant the next time they carry out such an exercise.

"They will stay on site to remove all dead pigeons and remaining breadcrumbs immediately, after the treatment.

"We have been receiving complaints on the nuisance created by pigeons in the neighborhood for the past few months.

"Although we have advised and educated our residents not to feed pigeons, the pigeon population has increased drastically.

"Some residents even try to feed the pigeons by throwing down food from their kitchen window which makes it more difficult for us to identify the culprits.

"Pigeon droppings are known to transmit Cryptococcosis and other diseases. Humans with weaker immune system are susceptible to such infections.

"We will continue to educate our residents and work closely with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to take enforcement action against the culprits, who fail to heed our advice.

"Once again, we thank the residents for their understanding and we will continue working together for a safe and healthy environment for our Town."

Related story:
Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them

Related posts: Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them (14th July 2009)
Geylang RC member feeding birds result in unhygienic bird poo all over the place (7th June 2009)
Old woman feeds pigeons and crows illegally in park, chases student away (24th May 2009)
How unhygienic! Pigeons feast on leftover food at Bendemeer Market (12th April 2009)
Dead bird spotted in Ang Mo Kio. How did it die? (24th February)
Bird droppings everywhere because of too many pigeons (29th January 2009)
Crazy pigeon is not afraid of people and steals food from their plates (23rd January 2009)
Uncle feeds pigeons despite 'No Feeding' sign at Bencoolen Street (22nd January 2009)
Neighbour always leaves food for birds! (21st January 2009)
Dead birds found near Taman Jurong market (4th January 2009)

Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them

STOMPer David was appalled to find that pigeon poisoning exercises had been commissioned near his home in Upper Changi Road recently simply because educational efforts to prevent feeding have failed.

Such knew-jerk solutions do not solve the problem but create more problems such as accidental poisoning of pets and other animals.

The sight of dead pigeons is also unpleasant and scary for young children in the neighbourhood.

In an email, STOMPer David says:

"This morning (July 13) at 12.35pm, I came across three dead pigeons and a dying pigeon at the back of Blk 28 New Upper Changi Road.

"This property officer later confirmed that the pest controller was told to carry out the poisoning as education of the residents to refrain from feeding the pigeons have failed.

"However, I feel that poisoning the pigeons is ineffective as these recalcitrant residents will continue to throw food down.

"These real human culprits must be the ones caught and fined.

"The knee-jerk solution of poisoning the pigeons is a waste of resources and also poses danger to pet dogs which may just eat the bread crumps baited with poison.

"A few kids who saw dead pigeons and the dying pigeon were horrified!

"The property officer must have the courage and patience to explain to complainants, including the RC members, that the most effective solution is still education and catching the human culprits."

Related posts: Geylang RC member feeding birds result in unhygienic bird poo all over the place (7th June 2009)
Old woman feeds pigeons and crows illegally in park, chases student away (24th May 2009)
How unhygienic! Pigeons feast on leftover food at Bendemeer Market (12th April 2009)
Dead bird spotted in Ang Mo Kio. How did it die? (24th February)
Bird droppings everywhere because of too many pigeons (29th January 2009)
Crazy pigeon is not afraid of people and steals food from their plates (23rd January 2009)
Uncle feeds pigeons despite 'No Feeding' sign at Bencoolen Street (22nd January 2009)
Neighbour always leaves food for birds! (21st January 2009)
Dead birds found near Taman Jurong market (4th January 2009)

Do check out the video posted on STOMP.

This person does raise a very good point. This problem isn't exactly caused by the birds, which are merely responding to the fact that well-meaning people are offering them food. We can poison as many pigeons as we want, maybe even go to the extent of killing every pigeon in the neighbourhood, but it's only a short-term solution. As long as feral pigeons (Columba livia) exist somewhere in the vicinity, they're just going to keep flying in to replace those removed by poisoning. Ultimately, it is the people's behaviour which needs to be managed and controlled if this so-called pigeon 'problem' is to be resolved.

At Alexandra Village foodcourt, you get extra ingredient of bird droppings in your kway teow

Geylang RC member feeding birds result in unhygienic bird poo all over the place

This Residents' Committee (RC) member has been feeding birds with rice, causing bird poo to be found all around the railings and corridor of this HDB block in Geylang.

Her neighbour, STOMPer Jerviel, who thinks of this as unhygenic, told STOMP:

"A neighbour of ours, who stays on the 11th floor at Block 125 Geylang East Avenue 1, is causing great distress to the environment.

"When I was young, she has been placing a pool of rice on the walkway. Then, I had no idea why the rice was for.

"However, over the years, I witnessed birds coming to feed on the rice. What's worse, they end their meals by passing motion at the railings, on the corridor and even on her own plants.

"This is totally unacceptable.

"This will cause diseases and an unglam sight for other residents.

"Moreover, she is a member of the RC, who is so selfish and irresponsible.

"I have contacted HDB together with the photos, hoping that they will take action."

Related posts: Old woman feeds pigeons and crows illegally in park, chases student away (24th May 2009)
Bird droppings everywhere because of too many pigeons (29th January 2009)
Crazy pigeon is not afraid of people and steals food from their plates (23rd January 2009)
Uncle feeds pigeons despite 'No Feeding' sign at Bencoolen Street (22nd January 2009)
Neighbour always leaves food for birds! (21st January 2009)

I wonder if the person who submitted this to STOMP has tried to speak to her neighbour about this matter in the first place. I agree that feeding of birds is an undesirable practice, especially since it only seems to benefit the common urban species (which definitely don't need additional assistance in finding food), but I'm sure that if someone took the time to patiently talk things over instead of going straight to the authorities, I am sure that such an issue can be amicably resolved with a minimum of tension and conflict.