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The recent decision by the National Parks Board (NParks) to euthanise the saltwater crocodile that showed up along the shores of Marina East was criticised, with some calling for its relocation instead of euthanisation ( Nov 7). While the official reason provided for the decision was that it was made in the interest of public safety, there have been no recorded crocodile attacks on humans in Singapore. Another species of animal, the otter, is allowed to roam freely around Singapore, although there have been several recorded attacks here on people, in November 2021 and April 2022. In both these incidents, the victims had to be treated in hospital for their wounds, but no action was taken by NParks apart from putting up warning signs. Conversely, 19 wild boars in the Bukit Panjang area have been put down since May 2023, after two incidents where people were attacked. Why is there such vastly different treatment towards these different species, and what then is the right thing to be done in these situations? Otters in Singapore can be found in areas with heavy human traffic, including the Botanic Gardens, Gardens by the Bay and East Coast Park, while crocodiles are often found in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, where there are fewer visitors. Those who provoke the otters unintentionally face a higher risk of being attacked. Additionally, there are countless cases of otters intruding into people’s homes and killing pet fish, some costing thousands of dollars. Arguably, crocodiles do pose a greater threat to humans than otters, given the number of fatalities involving crocodiles elsewhere, and hence the decision is justifiable.  However, if Singapore is to pride itself on being a City in Nature, there is an imminent need to resolve human-animal conflicts, and the authorities must implement better standard operating procedures to deal with future incidents, considering equal treatment among the animals in our natural areas, and attempt to achieve the most humane solutions available.