Some monkeys trapped in Punggol last year euthanised due to 'aggressive' behaviour: NParks

The National Parks Board (NParks) euthanised some of the monkeys it previously trapped as they were deemed "aggressive".

Responding to queries from AsiaOne on Tuesday (May 20), group director of wildlife management at NParks How Choon Beng said majority of the 50 long-tailed macaques trapped in the Punggol vicinity in 2024 were sterilised and released back to Coney Island Park in the interest of public safety.

"The remaining aggressive macaques that were not suitable for translocation were euthanised humanely," he added.

Macaques deemed aggressive include those which are intrusive, keep returning to housing estates and entering homes for food, How explained.

NParks received 200 reports regarding long-tailed macaques in Punggol between Sept 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.

These included monkey sightings as well as instances where they managed to get into homes or were found rummaging through rubbish bins.

Long-tailed macaques are forest fringe creatures that move between forest patches in search of food and territory.

They have been regularly spotted in Northern Punggol, a new residential area which was previously forested, for the past several months.

Punggol resident Li Ting told AsiaOne that she encountered a group of about 20 macaques near blocks 433A and 433B along Northshore Drive while walking with her mother and baby on Monday afternoon.

Describing one of the primates as "quite aggressive", the HR professional, who is in her 30s, said it nearly attacked her baby.

Her mother, who tried to protect the child, barely avoided getting injured during the course, Li added.

"⁠My mum and I were taken aback — I was shocked and couldn’t react in time," she said, adding that her mother shouted at the monkey which caused it to get scared and run away.

When asked about the measures taken to control the monkey population in the area, Li said it was "not very effective" as was still seeing a lot of them at the void deck area of her block.

"Yesterday was not my first encounter with these monkeys. Sometime in April, more than 10 monkeys were 'fighting' at the link bridge and I was so scared that I had to make a detour to go home."

Li also said: "I feel that it's very dangerous to have monkeys running around the neighbourhood as there are many young kids around and there’s an infant care and childcare centre at Block 433B.

"That’s my greatest concern, the safety of these young kids and infants."

While at Punggol Coast Bus Interchange on Tuesday morning, an AsiaOne reporter spotted six macaques just outside the building.

The reporter said he was startled when they ran in his direction as he believed they were looking to snatch his cup of coffee.

However, they went past him and crossed the road to join a bigger group of macaques near a construction site before running off together. 

Fate of monkeys 'deeply unfortunate and saddening': Acres

When asked about the macaques in Punggol being put down, co-CEO of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) Kalaivanan Balakrishnan told AsiaOne that he sincerely hopes Singapore will take stronger, preventive measures to ensure that no more macaques meet the same fate.

"It is deeply unfortunate and saddening that the macaques had to be euthanised... Though long-tailed macaques may appear common locally, they are globally endangered," he said.

The Acres co-CEO also pointed out that deeming them "aggressive" might not always be fair.

"I believe an important question we must ask is whether the animals were truly aggressive-or simply being defensive. In many cases, wildlife reacts out of fear, not hostility. They feel threatened and respond accordingly," he said.

Kalaivanan also said that he hopes residents can shift their mindset on wildlife and coexist peacefully with the macaques.

Speaking about Acres' recent outreach efforts for parkgoers and residents in Punggol to raise awareness on how to respond appropriately to wildlife encounters, he said: "Being on the ground and having direct conversations with the community is crucial. This initiative not only allowed us to listen to people's experiences but also helped us better understand the landscape."

"We were able to identify key hotspots where monkey-proof bins are especially needed and engage with individuals who had been feeding animals, emphasising the impact such actions can have."

Macaques triggered by sudden movements, plastic bags

NParks has advised members of the public to remain calm and quiet should macaques approach them in the open.

"Do not make any sudden movements or maintain eye contact with them. Instead, look away and back off from the area slowly. Keep away from the area until the macaques have left," the board said.

It also strongly suggested keeping plastic bags out of the sight of macaques when they are spotted as they often associate these bags with the presence of food and might try to snatch them.

Members of the public can also call the 24-hour Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 for any wildlife-related issues, said NParks.

It also stressed that the feeding of wildlife is illegal.

Under the Wildlife Act, first-time offenders caught feeding wildlife could be fined up to $5,000 and repeat offenders up to $10,000.

"NParks will continue to conduct enforcement patrols against wildlife feeders," it said.

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com

xingying.koh@asiaone.com

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