SINGAPORE - A mynah stuck to a tree branch with a glue-like substance was rescued in the nick of time by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) on Wednesday (Oct 20) morning.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Oct 21), Acres said it received a call to its Wildlife Rescue hotline at about 8.30am on Wednesday about the stranded bird at Block 503 Choa Chu Kang Street 51.
Mr Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan, 35, co-chief executive of Acres who was at the scene, told The Straits Times: "To our horror, the bird, a white vented mynah, had its feet and wings glued to a twig. The twig was cable-tied to a tree.
"This raised suspicions that the incident was... a deliberate attempt to trap or forcefully attach the bird with glue and let it hang there, torturing the poor animal in the process."
Mr Kalai oiled the bird's feathers to ease the rescue process. It was rescued at 8.50am and the bird is currently recovering.
Acres said: "Without that timely call from the concerned caller, the bird would have died from stress and trauma from losing its feathers/dehydration, or a predator could also end up getting stuck to the substance."
Ms Jessica Kwok, group director of National Parks Board's Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), told ST it was alerted to the case and concerned by it. She added that AVS is looking into it.
Acres said it has provided all pertinent information, including closed-circuit television locations to the board.
Although mynahs are not protected under the Wildlife Act, Acres said this alleged incident and other cases of tying mynahs' feet with cable tie or plastic sheets and suspending the birds via string from a height are acts of cruelty under the Animals and Birds Act as they cause suffering and pain.
A person found guilty of cruelty to animals can be fined up to $15,000, jailed for up to 18 months for the first offence or both. For subsequent offences, the offender can be fined up to $30,000, jailed for up to three years or both.
Acres is urging members of the public who have useful information related to Wednesday's incident to e-mail the society photos, videos and text at acrescrime@gmail.com
They can also report to AVS at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback or call its Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600.
