Did you know that we share our city with a litany of wildlife? Singapore is home to a diverse community of tropical animals, which, like us, really like hanging out around the Singapore River and Kallang Basin. If you know what to look out for, you might spot these critters when you visit Singapore Sports Hub. The usual suspects include monitor lizards, squirrels and, of course, otters.
Singapore is home to at least ten families of otters, which use waterways to get around Singapore. Their namesake ‘smooth coat’ comprises a layer of guard fur that keeps their underfur dry. They love sunbathing and in South Asia, fishermen train this species to help drive fish into nets.
Otters
“In 2014, a family of wild smooth-coated otters were sighted with their pups in the heart of the city,” recalls otter spotter Yane Kang. “Otters are native animals which disappeared from Singapore when our waters became dank and filthy. In recent years, they have made a dramatic comeback, attracted by the now clean waterways and plentiful fish.”
“The smooth-coated otters seen around the Kallang Basin belong to the celebrity Bishan family — Singapore’s most famous otter family with their own wiki page. They can be seen feeding close to the shoreline or drying their fur on sand patches near iconic tourist spots like Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Flyer, or even basking at the Water Sports Centre.”
Yane shares that Singapore’s otters have been documented by local and international film crews from the BBC, NatGeo and NHK, and that fans have travelled from countries like Germany, Japan and Australia just to see them. Otters reappeared in Singapore after our waterways were cleaned up.
“They are highly social creatures and squeak to each other. They form close-knit families and travel many kilometres patrolling their territory. The best time to spot them in Marina Bay, the Singapore River and Kallang River, is between 7 and 9am, and between 4 and 6pm. Remember to give them space, especially if they have pups with them, and slow down if you spot them crossing the park connectors.”
Birds
Besides being a travel hub for human travellers, Singapore is also a popular rest stop for migratory birds, which stop in Singapore to refuel during their long annual journeys between Siberia and Australia.
Birdwatchers love visiting Marina Reservoir because it’s where you can find a variety of avian species. Keep your eyes peeled and you might also spot egrets, which grow to about half a meter in height, and hunt for small fish, crustaceans and insects along the riverbank. A variety of heron species can also be seen hunting around Marina Reservoir and the Singapore River. Adult herons grow to between half a metre to one metre tall and feast on larger-sized fish and even squirrels.
Thanks to their flamboyant colors, kingfishers are easy to spot, but migratory birds on the other hand, such as redshanks, greenshanks and sandpipers use their dull-colored feathers to camouflage themselves. One of Singapore’s most distinctive native birds, the oriental pied hornbill frequents the Kallang Basin. It is omnivorous and its population has been gradually growing in size.
Other coastal animals
It’s not uncommon to see monitor lizards crawl out of the water. Monitor lizards are timid creatures that like eating crustaceans, fish, insects and snakes. They have sharp eyesight and shy away from humans. They like areas like the Kallang Basin because its natural predator, the crocodile, rarely comes here. Monitor lizards usually live between 8 to 30 years. In the banks of Marina Reservoir, you are also likely to see a variety of crustaceans and mudskippers digging holes and looking for food.
Let’s go!
Ready to see our city centre’s wildlife? Remember to slap on some sunscreen and perhaps invest in a pair of binoculars before you embark on your expedition. “Singapore (is) one of the most densely populated countries on earth,” Sir David Attenborough once remarked. “Even with 5.4 million people, there is a wild side.”
Happy trails!
