NParks investigating clips showing taped-up bird being ‘scolded’

SINGAPORE – The National Parks Board (NParks) said it has launched an investigation after videos emerged on social media last week showing a woman appearing to handle a bird whose beak and wings had been taped up.

In a reply to queries from The Straits Times on Oct 7, the board’s group director for enforcement and investigation Jessica Kwok said that it is in the process of speaking to relevant parties and noted that “appropriate action will be taken if any wrongdoing is established”.

NParks, which is the lead agency for wildlife and animal health, added that it takes all feedback received from the public on animal cruelty seriously.

Three of four videos accompanying a Sept 29 Facebook post, which is now unavailable, show a woman “scolding” a restrained bird, which looks to be a mynah. In the clips, the bird’s beak, wings and legs appear to be taped up.

According to the woman, whose face does not appear in the videos, the bird had flown into her home repeatedly to eat her food.

In the first video, the woman can be heard referring to the bird as “huai dan”, a Chinese term used to refer to someone who has behaved poorly.

“I’ll untie you if you admit you have been bad,” the woman says.

The bird, with its eyes wide open, can be heard shrieking loudly.

She then appears to prod the restrained bird in a plastic bag in the second clip, claiming in Hokkien that it had attempted to bite her after being caught.

The third video shows the bird trapped in a shoebox with several holes on its lid. The woman claims she tried to release the bird, whose beak is no longer restrained, but it did not fly away.

The last clip shows the bird immediately flying away once the shoebox lid is lifted.

The text accompanying the videos described the bird as a “bold little mynah” and “Gordon Ramsay on a mission”.

“The bird didn’t just get caught... it got a full-on TED Talk lecture about manners, respect and why you don’t mess with someone’s home-cooked meal,” the text said.

A screenshot from a conversation in what appears to be a family chat was also posted online, where a member wrote “whoever did this... committed animal abuse, criminal offence”.

In response, another member explained that the woman had caught the bird after “it come inside, s*** everywhere” and “go in our pot to eat our food”.

Punishment of this nature misguided: SPCA

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), in a reply to ST’s queries on Oct 2, joined animal welfare group ACRES in condemning the act.

SPCA said it was particularly troubled by “the apparent intentional nature of the act” and insisted that “an animal entering a home, no matter how frustrating or inconvenient, can never justify cruelty”.

It added: “Punishment of this nature is also fundamentally misguided. Animals do not necessarily make the same connection between an action and subsequent punishment that people may expect them to... Causing suffering under these circumstances serves no constructive purpose.”

SPCA added that there are humane and effective ways to prevent birds from entering homes, including keeping food covered and ensuring rubbish is stashed away in sealed bins.

It noted that should birds enter a home they “should be calmly and gently guided towards an exit without being harmed” and if incursions persist, window mesh, magnetic screens or other appropriate physical barriers can be installed.

Additionally, SPCA noted: “Singapore is home to wildlife that shares our increasingly urban environment, and encounters between people and animals will inevitably occur. Coexistence sometimes requires patience and practical adjustments on our part.”