S2E23: How do we avoid human-animal clashes in S’pore?

Starting with Punggol, The Straits Times looks at how a city in
nature can co-exist with wildlife.


Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits
Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from
biodiversity conservation to climate change.


In recent months, a globally endangered monkey has unsettled
Singapore’s youngest housing estate Punggol, with dozens of
reports made against long-tailed macaques for entering human
homes.


In turn, the authorities have responded to the wild monkeys,
which are not considered threatened in the Republic, with an
arsenal of measures that range from sterilisation to pelting them
with water gel guns, a move that made headlines in August.


Following ST’s award-winning Green Trails podcast, co-hosts Ang
Qing and Shabana Begum return to discuss human-wildlife
coexistence in Singapore with Mr Kalaivanan Balakrishnan, chief
executive of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society
(Acres) and Ms Jasvic Lye, campaign manager of Our Wild
Neighbours, an outreach initiative. 


Find out more about how solutions to manage urban wildlife – and
people’s acceptance of the animals – can be improved. 


This episode was recorded and filmed last month in front of an
intimate live audience of 95 people who packed The Fashion Pulpit
in Jalan Besar. The evening was part of the ST Podcast Live!
Sessions celebrating 180 years of The Straits Times.


Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):


1:12 Gaps in Singapore’s approach to human-wildlife conflict


10:16 Biggest challenges when managing conflict


14:25 Common myths about wildlife that Singaporeans buy into


18:10 How wildlife can guide city planning


22:45 What young people can do to better manage human-wildlife
encounters


How we can beat the heat in Singapore: https://str.sg/952d


More on Our Wild Neighbours: https://str.sg/K8Jw


More on Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres):
https://str.sg/F6c6


Acres Wildlife Rescue Centre sanctuary expansion fundraiser:
https://str.sg/v443


Discover ST’s award-winning Green Trails series:
https://str.sg/rL6r


Follow Ang Qing on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ichp


Read her articles: https://str.sg/i5gT


Follow Shabana Begum on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/83Ge


Read her articles: https://str.sg/5EGd


Hosts: Ang Qing (aqing@sph.com.sg) & Shabana Begum
(nshab@sph.com.sg)


Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim


Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong


Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and get notified for new episode
drops:


Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf


Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY


Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag


Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg


SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg


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Follow more ST podcast channels:


All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7


Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts


The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa


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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player
section:


The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB


Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX


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