26-7-2023 (SINGAPORE) A tranquil evening turned into a heartbreaking scene for a resident in Bukit Merah when he returned home to find a family of otters feasting on his cherished koi. The unfortunate incident occurred outside his ground floor flat at Block 111 Bukit Purmei Road.
The resident, Mr. Wu, recounted the distressing event to Shin Min Daily News, revealing that he had gone out for dinner at a local coffee shop on a Sunday evening when a concerned neighbor informed him about the “intrusion.” Rushing back home, Mr. Wu was met with a devastating sight.
“There were what I believe to be a family of five otters, and they ate up six of the seven koi in the tank,” lamented the 61-year-old retiree.
In a video he shared with the news outlet and later on social media, the otters of varying sizes could be seen in and around the tank, with two of them holding fish in their mouths.
The fish tank, strategically placed next to the back gate stairs for easy viewing, caught the attention of Mr. Wu’s neighbor who alerted him about the otters’ presence.
Once the otters left, only one fish remained in the tank, but it too met the same fate early the next morning. Despite changing the water in the tank before retiring for the night, Mr. Wu was awakened by strange noises at 6 am. To his dismay, he discovered the “parents” among the otters devouring the last remaining fish.
This incident was especially disheartening for Mr. Wu as he had been nurturing the koi for nearly 10 months while recovering from a stroke. “It took so long to rear them to this size, and within two days they’re all gone, it’s such a pity,” he expressed sorrowfully.
Mr. Wu admitted his surprise at encountering otters in the area, as it was the first time he had seen them in the vicinity. While a neighbor had previously spotted some otters in a nearby canal, the creatures were still relatively distant from his estate.
National Parks Board (NParks) offers an advisory to the public, advising them to avoid getting too close to otters to prevent startling the animals. Residents are also encouraged to take precautions to keep semi-aquatic mammals out of their homes and fish ponds, such as fencing up entry points and covering ponds with netting or panels.
