SINGAPORE: The injured otter that was spotted with a deep cut on its back at a Pasir Ris Park canal last month was successfully treated on Thursday (Nov 16).
The operation was planned over three weeks by several agencies and volunteer groups of the Otter Working Group including the National Parks Board (NParks), Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, PUB and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).
In an email to Channel NewsAsia, Mr Sivasothi who runs OtterWatch, said that the movements of the nine-month-old female pup – who was named Aquarius – and its family were closely monitored before capturing it for treatment.
The vets tending to the injured otter. (Photo: OtterWatch)
“Stress to the family was reduced by minimising the number of people on site and working relatively quiet,” said Mr Sivasothi, who is also a senior lecturer of biological sciences at the National University of Singapore.
The wounded otter with seven of his family members were eventually rounded up in an enclosure at Pasir Ris Park made by NParks at around 2pm.
The see-through enclosure ensured that the otters “could view their environs and not feel confined,” explained Mr Sivasothi.
A WRS vet darted Aquarius and the pup became drowsy within seconds. When it was deemed safe for the vets to approach the targeted pup, the enclosure was opened for the rest of the family to swim away.
In less than fifteen minutes, the team of WRS vets had snipped off the rubber “O-ring” around the pup’s body, which had cut into the otter’s abdominal muscle, and attended to its wound by applying antibiotics, said Mr Sivasothi.
The rubber “O-ring” which was found on the otter. (Photo: OtterWatch)
After a 30-minute observation period, where the pup rested within the enclosure, the otter was released.
It rested within the enclosure and the environs for a further 80 mins before walking out across the tidal flats and then swam away.
Mr Sivasothi said this was the first time that Otter Working Group had targeted a young adult amidst its family for capture. Previous cases have only seen the group working to rescue otter pups abandoned by their families.
The otter after treatment. (Photo: OtterWatch)
