When we talk about wildlife in Singapore, a few examples that many of us have encountered include otters, wild boards, macaques, and even pythons in our urban environment. However, incidents have occurred where Singaporeans have been attacked by native wildlife. According to CNA, 8 wild boar attacks and numerous otter attacks have occurred in the year 2022 alone. It is increasingly important for Singaporeans to understand proper wildlife etiquette to ensure the safety of both humans and wildlife. Thus, Earthlink NTU had the privilege to be invited to the Eco Carnival 2023 at Punggol 21 Community Club on 4th November 2023. Earthlink NTU established a Human-Wildlife Co-Existence (HWC) booth to enhance public awareness of the vast wildlife presence across the island and promote the peaceful coexistence of humans and wildlife in our daily lives.
The HWC booth was featured with interactive games and engaging infographics for the public. Such infographics include wildlife that are commonly spotted in Singapore such as smooth-coated otters, long-tailed macaque, and wild boars. These infographics provide insight into identifying the behavioural patterns of wild animals and provide guidance on fostering harmonious coexistence with them. Besides this, the infographics detail the impacts of human activities on the natural habitats of wild animals and the importance of harmonious coexistence with wildlife. Recognizing and understanding wildlife behaviors not only enriches our connection with wildlife but also plays a pivotal role in preventing potential future conflicts or attacks.
In addition to our detailed infographic, Earthlink NTU has included an interactive game session where participants get to choose a ball from one of the three buckets, each bucket representing an animal – wild boar, macaque, and otter. Based on the ball they chose, participants will be asked a question related to a bucket-specific animal. Answers to the game are mostly contained within our infographics, encouraging the public to read through them and learn more about wildlife. Should participants get the correct answer, they will be awarded a stamp to redeem gifts from the Eco Carnival’s organisers.
Throughout the event, Earthlink NTU had the pleasure of enlightening the public on the dynamics of human-wildlife coexistence. As our booth had captivated a large number of younger audiences , we are delighted to know that our efforts were able to motivate the new generation of Singaporeans to coexist more harmoniously with wildlife. As Singapore transitions into a green city through our City in Nature efforts as outlined in the Singapore Green Plan 2030, we at Earthlink hope that through our efforts in educating the public on human and wildlife coexistence, we can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for the delicate balance between the two, paving the way for a harmonious and sustainable future.
Written by:
Nigel Chok Kin Chun