Crocodile spotted near Keppel Bay; NParks monitoring situation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
An estuarine crocodile at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The animal spotted in the Keppel Bay area is likely to have been an estuarine crocodile, said an NParks official.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE – The National Parks Board (NParks) is advising the public to be careful near the water’s edge in the Keppel Bay area after a crocodile was spotted there on April 29.
In a media reply, NParks’ group director of wildlife management How Choon Beng said it is monitoring the situation and has put up warning signs in the area.
NParks has informed relevant stakeholders to exercise caution when planning any water activities, he added.
The animal is likely to be an estuarine crocodile, which is a species known to inhabit both the Strait of Johor and the Singapore Strait, he added.
An advisory sent by the management of Reflections at Keppel Bay condominium to its residents on April 30 said a crocodile had been spotted near the marina that evening.
It told residents to exercise “extreme caution when visiting the marina or Labrador Park”. It said they should remain on designated paths and ensure that children and pets are closely supervised at all times.
Mr How said those who encounter a crocodile should stay calm and back away from it. They should not provoke or feed the animal.
Members of the public should heed warning signs and advisory notices at areas where crocodiles have been sighted, he added.
They can contact NParks on 1800-476-1600 to report any encounters.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Herpetological Society of Singapore said that even if the crocodile swims away or is not seen, it does not mean it is safe to resume water activities.
“NParks will determine when it is safe to resume water activities,” it added.
There have been a few sightings of crocodiles in Singapore waters recently.
Water activities were suspended at three beaches on Sentosa in February after a crocodile was spotted in the waters off Sentosa Cove on Jan 31.
In another occurrence, a crocodile was spotted in waters off the eastern coast of Singapore between the late afternoon and evening of Feb 3.
More recently, in April, visitors to Pulau Ubin were urged by NParks to be cautious after large crocodiles were spotted in the area.
