Do S'poreans know how to live with wildlife in a 'City in Nature'?

Recent incidents over macaques stem from animals' habitat loss and human behaviour

- Isabelle Liew

Days after Punggol resident Gordon Hoo moved into his landed home in Ponggol Twenty-Fourth Avenue in November 2023, a troop of monkeys showed up and climbed up and down his fence and trees. In the months afterwards, the long-tailed macaques would damage plants, steal bread and clothes, and were a general nuisance.

"I had to close all the windows and doors all the time, and, even then, they still come and sit on the balcony or our trees," said the 62-year-old business coach.

Mr Hoo's complaints echo those of residents at a nearby Build-To-Order project in Northshore Drive.

In September, The Straits Times reported that residents there were alarmed after seeing the monkeys at park connectors and climbing up Housing Board blocks.

Their concerns are not unusual, and could arguably just be part and parcel of Singapore's vision of being a "City in Nature", what with forests and parks so close to urban areas.

It is not the first time residents and wildlife have come into conflict. Other animals including otters and wild boars have also made the headlines for destroying property or injuring people.

From 2020 to 2023, the National Parks Board (NParks) received an average of about 8,400 wildlife-related reports each year. Many of these reports involved animals such as monkeys, snakes, bats, civets and monitor lizards.

Such complaints will likely grow more common as Singapore continues to develop, and its green spaces are cleared for housing and other developments.