Sungei Buloh dogged by strays

Straits Times 27 Jun 10;

I read with interest last Sunday's article on the $50 million expansion plan for the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve ('Wetland reserve gets $50m makeover').

Being a regular visitor, I strongly appreciate the Government's willingness and ability to create and maintain this reserve.

I am sure this expansion will attract more Singaporeans and tourists alike. This will, in turn, help boost tourism income and greater appreciation of nature and conservation.

But I am not sure this expansion will result in a better environment for the animals there. As it is now, mammals there are scarce, considering the amount of wild food sources available.

I do not think human traffic alone is the cause of the problem because human traffic is restricted to the footpaths, and credit should go to the park rangers for making sure that visitors do not harvest plants or animals.

But there are packs of stray dogs that make the park their regular haunt. These dogs wander into all corners of the reserve and attack and kill any small mammals that cannot get away.

Any animal eggs that are laid on the ground are food for these dogs. They even tried to scare me off for intruding into their territory.

From previous press reports, it seems that both the National Parks Board and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority are aware of this menace, and have made efforts to solve this problem. But I still see these strays regularly at the park.

I suggest that before we spend another $50 million, we should make sure the place does not go to the dogs.

Lim Tian Soo

Efforts to trap stray dogs stepped up
Straits Times Forum 4 Jul 10;

We refer to last Sunday's letter by Mr Lim Tian Soo, 'Sungei Buloh dogged by strays'.

The stray dogs sighted in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve come from the surrounding areas, such as the nearby Kranji and Sungei Kadut industrial estates.

We are aware of this issue and have been working with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) to intensify the trapping of stray dogs at the reserve.

Over the last three years, 40 dogs have been caught.

We will continue to work with the AVA to explore different methods of trapping to catch the strays.

We also appeal to the public to exercise responsibility and not abandon their pets, as this adds to the stray problem.

James Gan
Assistant Director
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
National Parks Board