This is the moment two of Singapore’s most famous otter families clashed in a bitter territorial feud.
Video of the war shows the two families, the Bishan otters and the Marina otters, screaming furiously as they charge at each other in the calm waters of Singapore’s Kallang Basin.
The two families clash in the water before the conflict reaches the muddy shores of the city centre.
As the two families violently attack each other, the Marina family is seen separating and withdrawing from the Bishan family.
The otter families were seen screaming in anger as they charged at each other in the calm waters of Singapore’s Kallang Basin.
The two families clash in the water before the conflict reaches the muddy shores of the inner-city basin
Subsequent footage was reported to have shown the Bishan otters chasing their rivals on land
The Straits Times reported that subsequent footage showed the Bishan otters chasing their competitors on land.
The 2018 footage reportedly showed just a glimpse of the hours-long battle for territory between the two otter families, which have been at odds for years.
The Bishan family, known locally as Bishan Ten, originally lived in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, but moved a few kilometers south to Marina Bay in 2015, displacing the Marina otter family.
Since then, they have fought several times, with a fight in 2017 resulting in the death of one of the Marina family’s otter puppies.
Biology lecturer N. Sivasothi, head of the OtterWatch group that monitors otter activities in Singapore, told The Straits Times that physical contact rarely occurs during otter fights.
“Physical contact occurs when one family is much stronger than the other, there is a very strong motivation to drive another group away, or when repeated encounters manifest themselves in extreme action.”
Otters are territorial carnivores and must control large territories to feed their families
In 2016, Straits Times readers voted the Bishan Otters to represent Singapore at the country’s 51st anniversary
The Bishan family, known locally as Bishan Ten, originally lived in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park but moved a few kilometers south to Marina Bay in 2015.
“In the footage, the marina otters escape without making contact – they must have assessed the odds and aborted.”
Otters are territorial carnivores and must control large territories to feed their families, Sivasothi said.
“There are limits to the number of animals in each area, such as food and space. Weaker individuals are killed or moved to poorer habitats that cannot support large families,” he added.
“Intervention efforts are ultimately unsuccessful because environmental boundaries enforce these wildlife collisions.”
Despite the feud, the vibrancy of the otter families is a point of pride for Singaporeans, reflecting the success of the city-state’s efforts to improve water quality.
In 2016, readers of The Straits Times chose the Bishan Otters to represent Singapore on the country’s 51st birthday, and gave “Singlish”, the name for the mixture of English, Chinese and Malay spoken in Singapore, the passport of Singapore and punched out the USB flash. drive, allegedly invented by a Singaporean company.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
