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More animals released into wild
Released creatures often die or disrupt ecological system here: NParks
By Grace Chua
May 21, 2010
This pond in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is one site where people often release animals. Ten people were caught trying to release 150 animals last year, up from three people in 2008. These are usually people tired of their pets or those practising religious rites. -- ST PHOTO: BRYAN VAN DER BEEK
MORE people are releasing animals into the wild, reversing a downward trend.
The number of them caught trying to do so in the parks and reserves here - in a free fall from the 44 cases in 2004 to just one in 2007 - saw an uptick with three cases in 2008.
Last year, the figure climbed to 10 - either people tired of their pets or those setting free animals in religious rites.
The 150 animals on the brink of being released last year included domesticated pets like rabbits, dogs and cats, as well as turtles and birds.
The National Parks Board (NParks) and water agency PUB, hardly thrilled with this trend, have beefed up their 'Operation No Release' squad, which patrols the parks, reserves, waterways and the coast and advises those releasing animals against doing so.
These volunteers number more than 250, more than triple the number since the programme began in 2004.
Released creatures often die or disrupt ecological system here: NParks
By Grace Chua
May 21, 2010
This pond in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is one site where people often release animals. Ten people were caught trying to release 150 animals last year, up from three people in 2008. These are usually people tired of their pets or those practising religious rites. -- ST PHOTO: BRYAN VAN DER BEEK
MORE people are releasing animals into the wild, reversing a downward trend.
The number of them caught trying to do so in the parks and reserves here - in a free fall from the 44 cases in 2004 to just one in 2007 - saw an uptick with three cases in 2008.
Last year, the figure climbed to 10 - either people tired of their pets or those setting free animals in religious rites.
The 150 animals on the brink of being released last year included domesticated pets like rabbits, dogs and cats, as well as turtles and birds.
The National Parks Board (NParks) and water agency PUB, hardly thrilled with this trend, have beefed up their 'Operation No Release' squad, which patrols the parks, reserves, waterways and the coast and advises those releasing animals against doing so.
These volunteers number more than 250, more than triple the number since the programme began in 2004.
