MY PAPER THURSDAY JULY 30, 2009
MY SAY
Don’t take food meant for wild animals
REGULARLY hike up Bukit Timah Hill for my daily workout.
The sounds of burbling streams and whispering trees, along with the occasional encounters with reptiles and playful monkeys, make every trip unique and delightful.
However, I am troubled to see visitors to the nature reserve helping themselves to wild fruit such as jackfruits, mangoes and durians. It may be a thrill to harvest these seasonal fruit, but the visitors do not realise that they are, in fact, robbing wild animals of their food.
If this situation goes unchecked, animals such as monkeys may turn aggressive in
their search for food. They will start looking for other food sources and thus become a nuisance to nearby residents.
I have seen monkeys patrolling the overhead bridge across Jalan Anak Bukit towards Beauty World Shopping Centre. If they wander into the building, imagine what chaos could ensue when they raid the shops there.
Sadly, I have also come across some long-tail macaques killed along the stretch of PIE next to the nature reserve. Were the animals trying to look for food too?
Let’s be more considerate to the animals of the nature reserve.
We must protect these creatures and not deprive them of their food supply.
I implore the authorities to monitor the situation and put up educational posters to drive home the message of conservation.
Mr Simon Nagarajan
