A monkey that had been causing disturbances in the Punggol area over the weekend has been captured, according to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). The authority told The Straits Times that it had received “15 pieces of feedback from the public on monkey-related issues at Punggol Waterway” since Sept 1, including concerns for the safety of the residents in the vicinity.
Apparently, the monkey was spotted at Waterway Sunbeam over the weekend evenings, according to a resident named Joseph Tan. He told ST that he glimpsed the monkey on Friday at a playground and documented it eating oranges and eggs, before notifying the AVA and the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society. It is believed that the animal was seen at Block 663C Punggol Drive from 5pm to 6:20pm three days in a row.
According to Tan, who assumes the monkey came from Coney Island, the cheeky creature’s shenanigans included climbing outside the units of flats, scratching the leg of a kid, snatching eggs from a woman carrying bags of groceries, and taking a dip in a condo swimming pool.
On Tuesday (Sept 5), the AVA said that “the monkey has been caught to safeguard public safety” and that it is “exploring relocation options”. It also added that aggressive monkeys could pose a risk to public safety, and that some monkeys could carry zoonotic diseases harmful to public health. Basically, if you see a monkey, don’t feed it, as it’ll cause the animal to become dependent on humans for food.
If the wild animals are not a serious cause for concern, the AVA advised residents to plug up access points for wildlife and remove sources of food. In cases where animals pose significant public health or safety threats, AVA said it would “explore removal or relocation options where possible”.
