We thank Mr Kevin Ho for his letter “Humane way to control wildlife numbers” (Oct 25).
The National Parks Board (NParks) adopts a science- and community-based approach in managing wildlife in Singapore, including long-tailed macaques. Long-tailed macaques are forest-fringe creatures which move between forest patches in search of food and territory.
To manage the population of long-tailed macaques, NParks adopts a combination of management measures. These include undertaking studies to understand the population ecology of macaques, minimising human sources of food by ensuring proper waste disposal and enforcement against feeding, habitat modification like removal of fruit trees, guarding of macaques away from human areas and removal of intrusive macaques from human dwellings.
We are also working with stakeholders to carry out sterilisation as a long-term population control measure. NParks also consults overseas practitioners and experts to ensure that its strategies are in line with international standards.
NParks advisory
If macaques approach you in the open, remain calm and quiet and do not make any sudden movements or maintain eye contact with them. Instead, look away and back off slowly. Keep away from the area until they have left. Macaques have also associated plastic bags with the presence of food and will try to snatch them when they see them.
We advise members of the public to keep plastic bags out of the sight of macaques when spotted. Home incursions can also be deterred by storing food out of sight, double-knotting garbage bags, and disposing of waste in securely closed bins.
Visit the NParks website for more information on the wildlife species commonly encountered in Singapore, and the dos and don’ts when you encounter them.
Members of the public may also call the 24-hour Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600 for wildlife-related issues.
How Choon Beng
Group Director, Wildlife Management
National Parks Board
This post was originally published on here
