Written answer by Ministry of National Development on reclassification of protected species’ status of wildlife animals that have caused repeated economic damage to private properties

Nov 4, 2025

Question No: 522

Question by: Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat 

To ask the Minister for National Development (a) under what conditions will the protected species’ status of wildlife animal be reconsidered when it causes repeated economic damage to private property; (b) what criteria are used to classify an animal as a pest animal; and (c) whether otters meet such criteria.

Answer:

Protected wildlife species listed under the Wildlife Act are identified based on criteria such as their national conservation status, whether they are native to Singapore, and international conservation frameworks such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For instance, otters are designated as protected wildlife species as they are native to Singapore and listed in CITES.

2. NParks also assesses factors such as the risk to public safety and health, and disamenities, to guide its approach to wildlife management. To manage human-otter conflicts, NParks works closely with community partners like the Otter Working Group, which includes government agencies, academic experts and members of the nature community. We have jointly developed measures, such as trapping and relocating otters away from areas of intensified human-otter conflict, cordoning off areas where adult otters may display protective behaviour in the presence of young otters, and using olfactory irritants to guide otters away from residential areas.