Operation No Release: Authorities to raise awareness on dangers of releasing animals

The Operation No Release campaign aims to spread public awareness on the dangers related to the release of animals into parks, including ponds, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways.
Channel NewsAsia 13 May 15;

SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks), PUB and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) will be stepping up education and enforcement efforts at 19 selected parks, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways, as part of an annual campaign called ‘Operation No Release’.

The campaign, from May 16 to 31, aims to spread public awareness on the dangers related to the release of animals into parks, including ponds, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways, the agencies said in a joint press release on Wednesday (May 13).

NParks and PUB will extend their outreach to more parks and reservoirs at Lower Seletar, Bedok, Punggol, Serangoon and Marina, in addition to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Volunteers and community groups such as Waterways Watch Society, Punggol South River Watch Group and Toddycats! will also join NParks and PUB officers in this year’s outreach efforts.

Besides keeping a lookout for any sign of animal release at parks, nature reserves, reservoirs and waterways, they will also educate and advise members of the public on the harm of releasing animals into the wild.

"Many of the released animals are unlikely to survive, and most often, face a slow and painful death, as they are unable to cope with their new surroundings,” says Mr Wong Tuan Wah, Director of Conservation, NParks.

“The release of animals by members of public into our reservoirs and waterways may have ecological impacts on our freshwater ecosystems. This year, we are extending our efforts to more locations and we hope to raise greater awareness on this issue,” said Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB’s Director of Catchment and Waterways.

First-time offenders caught releasing animals may be charged under the Parks and Trees Act and could be fined up to S$50,000, jailed up to six months, or both.

- CNA/eg

Authorities to ramp up enforcement at 19 locations to deter release of animals into the wild
Today Online 13 May 15;

SINGAPORE — Ahead of Vesak Day, authorities will be ramping up education and enforcement efforts at 19 locations to deter people from releasing animals into the wild.

From this Saturday (May 16) to the end of the month, the National Parks Board (NParks) and PUB will extend their outreach to more parks and reservoirs at Lower Seletar, Bedok, Punggol, Serangoon and Marina Bay, in addition to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

This is part of an annual campaign, Operation No Release, which aims to spread public awareness on the dangers related to the release of animals into parks, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways. Vesak Day is on June 1 this year, and during this period, some devotees mark the festival by releasing animals.

Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB’s Director of Catchment and Waterway, said: “As with any ecosystem, the health and functionality of reservoir habitats is influenced by the diversity and ecology of aquatic organisms living within them. The release of animals by members of public into our reservoirs and waterways may have ecological impacts on our freshwater ecosystems. This year, we are extending our efforts to more locations and we hope to raise greater awareness on this issue.”

Volunteers and community groups, such as Waterways Watch Society, Punggol South River Watch Group and Toddycats!, will also help out, said NParks, PUB and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore in a joint release today (May 13). They will keep a lookout for any sign of animal release at parks, nature reserves, reservoirs and waterways, and educate the public on the harm of releasing animals into the wild.

NParks Director of Conservation Wong Tuan Wah said: “Many of the released animals are unlikely to survive, and most often, face a slow and painful death, as they are unable to cope with their new surroundings.”

“Those that are bred or captured deliberately to be sold for ‘release’ usually become so stressed during their captivity that they are too weak to survive in the wild when released eventually,” he added.

Animals that were kept as household pets and released often may not survive as well as they do not have the natural instincts and ability to forage for food or fend for themselves in the wild. “It is irresponsible and cruel to abandon a pet,” said authorities, advising owners to re-home the pet.

Dying or dead animals may also have an impact on the environment, they noted.

And should the animal survive, they “often do so at the expense of native wildlife”, the authorities said. “They upset the ecological balance by preying on the native species, out-competing them for resources or introducing new diseases. For example, the American Bullfrogs are known to breed prolifically and compete with local frogs for food and space.”

First-time offenders caught releasing animals may be charged under the Parks and Trees Act and could be fined up to S$50,000, jailed up to six months, or both.

The list of parks, nature reserves, reservoirs and waterways taking part in Operation No Release 2015:

1. Bedok Reservoir
2. Bukit Batok Nature Park
3. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
4. Dairy Farm Nature Park (includes Singapore Quarry)
5. Jurong Lake
6. Kranji Reservoir Park
7. Labrador Nature Reserve
8. Lower Peirce Reservoir Park
9. Lower Seletar Reservoir
10. MacRitichie Reservoir Park
11. Marina Reservoir
12. Pandan Reservoir
13. Pulau Ubin
14. Punggol Reservoir
15. Punggol Waterway
16. Serangoon Reservoir
17. Springleaf Nature Park
18. Upper Peirce Reservoir Park
19. Upper Seletar Reservoir Park

Authorities to step up enforcement to prevent the release of animals into the wild
SAMANTHA BOH Straits Times 14 May 15;

SINGAPORE - The authorities will step up enforcement on people who release animals into the wild.

From Saturday to the end of the month, officers from the National Parks Board (NParks) and national water agency PUB will be stationed periodically at 19 parks, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways.

They will be joined by volunteers, including those from community groups Waterways Watch Society, Punggol South River Watch Group and Toddycats!.

The effort will be part of Operation No Release, an annual campaign aimed at raising awareness against releasing animals into the wild.

NParks, PUB and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority said in a joint media release that they will educate and advise members of the public on the harm of releasing animals into the wild.

Household pets, for example, often do not survive in the wild as they do not have the natural instincts and ability to forage for food or fend for themselves.

"Many of the released animals are unlikely to survive, and most often, face a slow and painful death, as they are unable to cope with their new surroundings," said Mr Wong Tuan Wah, director of conservation at NParks.

"Those that are bred or captured deliberately to be sold for release usually become so stressed during their captivity that they are too weak to survive in the wild when released eventually," he added.

The agencies advised pet owners who are unable to look after their pet to find a suitable second home for the animal, or seek the help of an animal welfare group in rehoming their pet.

Animals that do survive would affect the environment by upsetting the ecological balance. They do so by preying on the native species, out-competing them for resources or introducing new diseases, said the agencies. An example would be the American Bullfrogs which are known to breed prolifically and compete with local frogs for food and space.

Mr Ridzuan Ismail, director of catchment and waterways at PUB, said the health and functionality of reservoir habitats is influenced by the diversity and ecology of aquatic organisms living within them. The release of animals into reservoirs and waterways may have ecological impacts on the freshwater ecosystems.

"This year, we are extending our efforts to more locations and we hope to raise greater awareness on this issue," he said.

The operation takes place on the run-up to Vesak day. Animals such as birds, fish and red-eared terrapins, and more recently insects such as crickets, are usually released by devotees at reservoirs and parks as a symbolic gesture of compassion on Vesak Day, which falls on June 1 this year.

First-time offenders caught releasing animals may be charged under the Parks and Trees Act and could be fined up to $50,000, jailed up to six months, or both.

Patrols to curb releasing of animals
Samantha Boh The Straits Times AsiaOne 14 May 15;

Efforts will be stepped up to prevent people from releasing animals into the wild, during the two weeks leading up to Vesak Day on June 1.

From Saturday to the end of the month, officers from the National Parks Board (NParks) and national water agency PUB will conduct periodic patrols at 19 parks, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways. Volunteers - including those from community groups Waterways Watch Society, Punggol South RiverWatch Group and Toddycats! - will join them.

The patrols are part of Operation No Release, an annual campaign that spreads public awareness on the harm of releasing animals into the wild.

Animals such as birds, fish and red-eared terrapins are released at reservoirs and parks as a symbolic gesture of compassion to mark Vesak Day.

NParks, PUB and the AgriFood and Veterinary Authority said yesterday they will work together to educate the public on the issue. Said Mr Wong Tuan Wah, director of conservation at NParks: "Many of the released animals are unlikely to survive and, most often, face a slow and painful death as they are unable to cope with their new surroundings."

Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB's director of catchment and waterways, said the release of animals into reservoirs and waterways may have an ecological impact on the freshwater ecosystems. This can happen when non-native species prey on the native species, out-compete them for resources or introduce new diseases.

In recent years, insects such as crickets have also been released, with devotees believing that they are less likely to harm the environment. Nature Society president Shawn Lum, however, said it is not so much the type of animal being released but that releasing anything which is not native to the ecosystem is potentially detrimental.

Singapore Buddhist Federation president Seck Kwang Phing said: "Devotees can be compassionate in other ways, such as by being good to people or animals around them."

First-time offenders caught releasing animals could be fined up to $50,000, jailed up to six months, or both.