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Otters’ coexistence with people should still be sought

The relocation of some otters has been mentioned as a solution to managing their population (

The relocation of some otters has been mentioned as a solution to managing their population ( , Oct 17). This was done in Seletar, and after reading the article, other home owners or business owners who keep koi or large fish in other areas may start to clamour for more relocations too. This instance of relocation should not set a precedent for future cases of human-wildlife conflict, whether they involve otters or other animals. Coexistence should still be sought, and preventing wildlife from accessing human compounds in the first place should continue to be the solution. We should also reflect on the idea of otter overpopulation and why there is a need to control the population. Shouldn’t we let the natural availability of food sources do the work? Proper research needs to be done before we implement sterilisation or relocation solutions. The process of educating people on wildlife etiquette has been ongoing, but there is a lack of transference of knowledge into action. One possible reason is that only people who are nature and wildlife lovers make a conscious effort to learn. Others in the wider community may not care as much. With Singapore becoming a City In Nature, Singaporeans need to learn how to be city dwellers in nature.