'It's no longer funny or cute': Otters crossing road outside City Hall leaves netizens divided

Another day, another family of otters strolling about in central Singapore.

It was only last Thursday (March 10) that the nation cooed at the sight of otters crossing the street at Plaza Singapura, with the help of Istana police guards no less.

In this latest encounter, a family of otters was spotted at an intersection between North Bridge Road and Coleman Street, standing on the sidewalk along Funan Mall with over a dozen commuters.

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A 38-second video clip of the incident was shared on various social media platforms last Sunday (March 13) showing some members of the public holding up their hands to alert traffic to the animals crossing the road towards St Andrew's Cathedral.

This time round, it seems that some netizens aren't too enamoured by the increasing presence of these otters in our cityscape.

One Facebook user posted that these otters have "become a nuisance, the authority need(s) to act" while another pointed out that it "won't be funny when they cause (a) traffic accident". 

Others were uncomfortable that some Singaporeans are not recognising the danger by being so close to the otters.

"It's no longer funny or cute. They have grown too comfortable in the urban environment which is bad for them and us," lamented one Facebook user.

On the other hand, there were those who felt that some netizens were simply blowing things out of proportion.

"If we human beings can roam around freely, what gives us the right to stop them," the netizen reasoned.

From university campuses to condominium swimming pools, the issue of otters entering Singapore's urban landscape is nothing new.

However, Singaporeans have tended to view these incidents through a rose-tinted lens with words such as 'run-ins' and 'cheeky' to describe the mayhem otters can cause.

There have been numerous cases of people being attacked by otters in public over the years.

Just last December, a man was bitten 26 times by otters at Singapore Botanic Gardens and had to be admitted to Gleneagles Hospital.

National Parks Board (NParks) has also made it clear that members of the public should not come into close contact with otters.

ALSO READ: Otters feast on koi and luohan fish after sneaking into houses along Jalan Kayu

amierul@asiaone.com