Living close to nature can also be challenging, and there may be individuals who may not know how to manage encounters with wildlife. Click here to find out more on the Dos and Don’ts of how you should react if you encounter some of our animal friends in our green spaces. It is useful to bear in mind that these are wild animals, and some of our actions – for example, if we feed or intimidate them, may also alter their natural behavior. 

To continue to enjoy the biodiversity and greenery surrounding us, we need to learn to co-exist harmoniously with wildlife. This will also ensure the continued protection and conservation of Singapore’s natural heritage. 

While we continue to mitigate and monitor human-wildlife issues to ensure public health and safety, we also have to take proactive steps to manage wildlife encounters to minimise potential conflicts. These methods are based on sound science. We also work with partners and local communities to increase awareness on co-existing with wildlife. 

Many working groups have been set up to better coordinate efforts in dealing with more complex human-wildlife issues, and we have also launched studies and initiatives to better manage wildlife population. For example, NParks has designed studies to better understand the population ecology of the Long-tailed Macaques and Wild Boars. For example, we have used GPS collars to track the range and movement of the macaques in areas such as the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. This has helped us to understand the groups’ movements, and guide the development of long-term management strategies for the macaques.