Motorists and cyclists have been urged to keep a lookout for a pack
of otters which have recently made East Coast Park their home.
This comes after one of the creatures narrowly escaped being hit by
a car on Sunday (May 8) morning.
It is believed that the otters have made regular crossings along
East Coast Park Service Road in recent weeks to get between the sea
and their holt at a playground near Fort Road.
A Facebook video by otter-watcher Nick Soo showed an
otter scampering across the road just seconds before a sedan drove
by.
Mr Soo, who posts regular updates about otter packs around the
island such as the famous Bishan 10 group, wrote that the otters
use this route when the tide is low, as they cannot reach the
entrance to a canal which is said to be at least 2m high.
The stretch of road is especially popular with cyclists on
weekends, leading Safe Cycling Task Force president Steven Lim to
post an otter advisory on the organisation's Facebook page on Monday morning.
Speaking to The Straits Times, Mr Lim called on authorities to
erect warning signs for motorists and cyclists alike to slow down
and be aware of otter crossings.
He said: "The frequency of crossings has been increasing in recent
days. I hope the authorities can act fast to avoid any
accidents.
"For example, if a car jam-brakes when there's an otter on the
road, cyclists could be affected too."
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a joint statement
from the Land Transport Authority and NParks said they are
aware of the situation and have worked together to put up new
signs along East Coast Park Service Road to alert motorists and
cyclists to watch out for the otters. Camera traps will also be
installed near the holt to monitor otter activities.
In Parliament on Monday, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs
Desmond Lee said safety is the primary requirement on whether all
motorists should stop if an animal is hit.
He also announced that the definition of "animals" under the Road
Traffic Act will be reviewed to see if it can be aligned with the
definition under the Animals and Birds Act.
Animal welfare groups in Singapore have called for the Government
to amend the definition of animals under the Road Traffic Act, so
that it includes other animals such as cats, and wild animals which
are potential victims of road accidents.
