NParks to euthanise crows following spate of attacks in Bishan

The National Parks Board (NParks) said that it is working with Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council (BTPTC) to remove crow nests, prune trees and conduct crow trapping after a spate of crow attacks.

In response to a Stomp query, Dr Adrian Loo, group director of wildlife management at NParks said that they have been monitoring the area around Block 110 Bishan Street 12 for crow nests since Feb 7.

The trapped birds will be euthanised.

In an earlier Stomp report, a Stomper shared a video of a man being attacked by a crow while walking near Block 110 on Sunday afternoon (Feb 12).

The Stomper said that crows have been attacking residents without provocation for over a week.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the crows had attacked 10 people in a 20-minute period near the same block on Monday (Feb 13).


PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

Dr Loo said: "House Crows (Corvus splendens) are not native and are an invasive species in Singapore, posing a threat to our native biodiversity.

"Additionally, they are particularly protective of their young (fledglings and chicks) and may attack when the chicks are in the nest or when they sense that their young are threatened.

"Management of invasive bird species requires a holistic and science-based approach, incorporating the removal of food sources, habitat modification, population control strategies such as nest removal and crow trapping, and studies to understand the population ecology of the birds such as their roosting patterns and movements.

"To ensure that population control is carried out in a humane and safe manner and does not result in animal cruelty, NParks benchmarks against internationally accepted and science-based standards when choosing suitable depopulation methods. 

"Thus, we adopt the more humane method of trapping and subsequent euthanasia to manage the crow population."


ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Dr Loo added that NParks conducts estate-wide crow nest surveys monthly and works with organisations such as town councils to remove these nests on a regular basis to minimize such crow attack occurrences. 

"The public can help to mitigate population growth and congregation issues by not feeding birds and disposing of food scraps properly," he said.