We refer to the letter "Move captured crocodile to River Safari" (June 25), and thank Mr Edwin Pang for sharing his concerns about the estuarine crocodile that was relocated from the drain in Sungei Kadut Drive.
There are limited areas to which crocodiles can be relocated in Singapore. When a crocodile is rescued from an urban area and needs to be relocated, the National Parks Board (NParks) considers factors such as the age, size and health condition of the crocodile, public safety and the carrying capacity of habitats for relocation.
In February , we relocated a 1.7m crocodile to the core area of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, which is not accessible by the public.
In this case, this mature crocodile was found to have a severely injured left hind foot. It had to be placed in a location where it can continue to be monitored, and where it has a higher chance of survival than in the wild. It could not be absorbed into Wildlife Reserves Singapore's collection as the zoo already has a saturated crocodile population. It was therefore relocated to the crocodile farm.
We value and understand the importance of the conservation of our wildlife, and NParks' decision to relocate the crocodile to the farm was taken only after it had reassured us that it would care for the crocodile.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public that should they encounter a crocodile, they should stay calm and back away slowly. They should not approach, provoke or feed the animal. The public may also call the Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600 or contact us at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback to report the encounter.
How Choon Beng
Director, Wildlife Management
National Parks Board