(Image taken from http://miriadna.com/preview/fairy-forest)

Throughout Singapore’s history of development, the coastal village has been transformed into a metropolitan city today. Large segments of primary forests were cleared mostly for infrastructure development. Unfortunately, the impact of human activities on the natural environment is significant. The most dramatic impact is the loss and change of habitat for many of the world’s most threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Owing to that, the alteration and loss of original habitat for the species may pose a critical issue – increased probability of extinction. 

Over the years, the high land conversion rate had led to many forest fragments. Banded surilis was formerly found in various places such as Changi, Tampines, Bukit Timah, Pandan and Tuas. However since the construction of expressway in 1983 that separated the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) and Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), this species has disappeared from the BTNR and is now confined to CCNR.

This issue will likely escalate as the monkeys are now faced with another new threat.