Bishan otter family: Difference between revisions
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The Bishan Otter Family, also known as the Bishan 10[1] and previously known as the Bishan 5,[2] is a family of smooth-coated otters that reside in Marina Bay, Singapore. The otters have become a popular attraction since they were first spotted in 2014.[1][3][4]
Background[edit]
The Bishan otter family were first sighted at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in 2014.[5] Originally dubbed the “Bishan 5”, the otter family gained national attention in 2015 when the National Parks Board uploaded pictures and videos of them on their Facebook page.[6] That same year, the Bishan otter family relocated to Marina Bay after chasing out another otter family that had been living there.[7] They became known as the “Bishan 10” after the birth of five new pups in 2016.[2]
The smooth-coated otter is currently classified as a critically endangered species in Singapore, and until 1998 there had been no reported sightings since the 1970s.[1][3][5] The emergence of the Bishan otter family, along with several other otter families, was noted by The Economist as a reflection of the success of Singapore’s greening policy, which included a notable increase in water quality.[3]
Celebrity status[edit]
The otter family starred in the David Attenborough documentary Wild City and their exploits are frequently covered by the Singapore media.[1] In 2016, the otter family was voted by The Straits Times readers to represent Singapore on her 51st birthday, beating Singlish, the thumbdrive (which claims to be invented by a Singaporean company), the Singapore passport and the Caméra d’Or-winning Singaporean film Ilo Ilo.[8] They also had received other international press coverage from the French magazine Terre Sauvage.[9]
Incidents[edit]
Marina otter family[edit]
The Bishan otter family had been involved in several fights with another otter family, dubbed the Marina otter family by the local media.[10] In 2015, the Bishan otters relocated to Marina Bay after chasing out the Marina otter family.[7] Another clash between the two otter families resulted in the death of a Marina otter pup.[10] On 11 June 2017, members of the public intervened to protect the Marina otters from their Bishan rivals by scaring the latter off with loud noises….
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