SINGAPORE: The critically endangered Raffles' Banded Langur, which has not been seen in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve for over 35 years, could be making its way back to the area.
It was revealed last week that the monkey made a rare appearance on an ecological bridge connecting the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves in October 2023.
The sighting suggests that these rare primates, known to only reside in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, could be expanding their habitat.
The langur was captured by cameras placed on the Eco-Link@BKE on two separate occasions that month, said the National Parks Board (NParks).
With this rare sighting in focus, CNA looks at some critically endangered animals native to Singapore and where they have been seen.
These animals are either considered critically endangered locally or classified as such according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
The Raffles' Banded Langur is recognised by its black coat, prominent white eye rings, as well as the white stripe down its chest, belly and inner thigh. (Photo: NParks/Jeanne Tan)
If you are lucky enough to encounter one, the Raffles’ Banded Langur can be recognised by its black coat, prominent white eye rings, and a white stripe down its chest, belly, and inner thigh.
It also has a whitish crescent-shaped mark on each side of its face between its eye and ear.
Scientifically known as Presbytis femoralis, this species is native to Singapore and the southern Malaysian peninsular. As of 2021, only 68 individuals had been recorded in the wild in Singapore.
The langur is listed as critically endangered locally according to Singapore’s Red Data Book, which categorises species based on their conservation statuses.
Their “cute” features made them ideal pets in the 1900s, which led to widespread poaching and a sharp decline in their numbers, according to an NPark’s article from 2020.
The Raffles’ Banded Langur was once a "flourishing" species with reports indicating that they could be found in Tampines, Changi, Bukit Timah, Pandan and Tuas.
But by the 1980s, their habitat had shrunk to the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves. The construction of the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) in 1986 further divided the two reserves and inhibited wildlife movement.
The opening of the Eco-Link@BKE in 2012 linked both reserves once again and in October 2023, the Raffles’ Banded Langur was captured twice by a camera trap placed on a Sterculia tree.
The Singapore Red List uses a range of categories to indicate the conservation statuses of various animals.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global environment organisation, also has its own classification.
A Raffles' Banded Langur was spotted using the Eco-Link@BKE ecological bridge on Oct 16, 2023. (Photo: NParks)
On the first occasion on the evening of Oct 16, a monkey was captured sitting on a branch looking directly at the camera which was mounted about 10m above the ground.
The monkey appeared to be scratching itself and looking around before moving off from the branch.
Three days later, the Raffles' Banded Langur was spotted again on the same branch at about 4.30pm. NParks said it was unsure if it was the same monkey.
The sightings are an "encouraging" sign that the species is possibly using the ecological bridge to expand its range and habitat, said NParks.
Allowing wildlife to interact between the two nature reserves prevents genetic isolation and promotes a bigger spread of their genetic pool. This cuts down on inbreeding and gives the species a higher chance of survival, it added.
The Sunda pangolin, also known as the scaly anteater, is native to Singapore. (Photo: NParks/Max Khoo)
The Sunda pangolin, classified as critically endangered both locally and globally, is also known as the scaly anteater.
Some mistake it for a reptile due to its scaly exterior while others confuse it with the armadillo as both curl up into a ball when threatened.
The nocturnal creature is a mammal that prowls the forest floor and climbs trees for insects, with adults eating up to 70 million bugs a year, according to an NParks advisory.
Despite its sharp claws and long tail, the Sunda pangolin is considered "shy". When threatened, it rolls up and may also produce a foul smell to deter predators.
They are typically found in the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves. Those with a keen eye may also spot them in forested areas in Bukit Batok, the Western Catchment Area, Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong.
In Singapore, pangolins face the greatest threat from rapid urbanisation which results in habitat loss. The slow-moving animal is also often injured or killed by vehicles when they stray onto roads, said NParks.
Globally, pangolins are poached for their scales as some believe in their medicinal value. They are also hunted for their meat.
According to the Pangolin Crisis Fund, these scales are made of keratin, the same protein found in human hair and fingernails, rhino horns and lion claws.
Primarily nocturnal, the Sunda pangolin forages actively at night. (Photo: NParks/Law Ingg Thong)
If you see one in the wild, NParks advises against any alarm as the Sunda pangolin will not attack humans.
Remember to keep your hands to yourselves and observe them from a distance - do not touch, chase or corner them. And of course, please don't try to take one home.
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) regular was sentenced to probation in February for picking up a pregnant pangolin from a park connector along Yio Chu Kang Road and selling it for S$1,400 (US$1,050).
The straw-headed bulbul in Singapore. (Photo: National Species Action Plan straw-headed bulbul 2024-2028/Francis Yap)
Identified by its yellowish-orange crown, whitish throat and white streaks along its abdomen, this charismatic songbird is critically endangered internationally with fewer than 1,700 left in the wild.
Their numbers have dwindled sharply largely due to habitat loss and poaching for sale in Southeast Asia's songbird trade.
However, efforts are underway to protect the straw-headed bulbul population - especially in Singapore.
Last year, a working group led by NParks and Nature Society Singapore announced a five-year conservation plan for the species. Moves include habitat and population monitoring as well as raising public awareness.
The National Species Action Plan noted that the bird is likely to be either extirpated or close to extirpation in Thailand, Myanmar and Sumatra. This means that it likely no longer exists in the wild in those locations.
"Singapore is the only location where the population is known to be increasing, and the species is classified as an uncommon resident breeder," it said.
The straw-headed bulbul are critically endangered globally due to a booming caged-bird trade. (Photo: NParks)
"Though numbers in neighbouring regions have declined, the straw-headed bulbul population in Singapore has remained relatively stable. We are now considered a global stronghold for this highly threatened songbird," NParks said on its website. Singapore classifies this bird as nationally endangered.
Pulau Ubin is home to half of the bird's total population in Singapore, according to NParks, adding that it can also be found in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Mandai Road, Bukit Batok Nature Park and the Western Catchment area where it favours woodland close to water.
The action plan described the straw-headed bulbul as "more often heard than seen" due to their shy but vocal nature.
Have a listen to its melodious call in the podcast below and try to see if you can make out its song at dawn or before dusk.
The greater mousedeer was previously thought to have vanished from Singapore. (Photo: NParks)
Singapore is home to only two mousedeer species - the greater and lesser - according to the National Library Board's (NLB) Infopedia website.
The greater mousedeer is listed as critically endangered locally while the lesser mousedeer is classified as endangered.
As its name suggests, the greater mousedeer is characterised by its small stature, with adults having a head-to-body length of about 50cm to 60cm. It also sports pencil-thin legs and white markings on its brown fur.
The nocturnal animal feeds on fallen fruit and other vegetable matter from the forest floor.
Previously thought to have vanished from Singapore, NParks confirmed an official sighting of the native animal at Pulau Ubin in 2009. Footage of the encounter was captured by CNA in an exclusive clip.
The mousedeer, also found in the wider Southeast Asian region, has been a feature of folklore for generations. It is well-known in Malay stories as the sang kancil that always manages to outwit large predators like the crocodile and tiger, said NLB.
Singapore has also been likened to the sang kancil on occasion.
The greater mousedeer is a small creature with pencil-thin legs. (Photo: NParks/Marcus Chua)
According to the Singapore Infopedia entry on the mousedeer, then-Minister for Trade and Industry Lee Hsien Loong referenced the small but brave and intelligent character in 1990.
"If ever we are chased by a hound bigger than ourselves ... then we must, like the mousedeer, be prepared to turn around and give it a kick," he said during an address.
The critically endangered Singapore freshwater crab (Johora singaporensis) is among the 100 most threatened species in the world. (Photo: NParks/Daniel Ng)
The Johora singaporensis, also known as the Singapore freshwater crab, is only found in Singapore.
The freshwater crustacean - recognisable by its squarish brown body covered in short, stiff hairs - is deemed critically endangered by IUCN and also classified as endangered locally.
It is among the top 100 most threatened species worldwide, said NParks, adding that it has "very stringent" habitat requirements and is known to exist in five freshwater streams in Singapore in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak areas.
Their survival is precarious due to their specific habitat needs, such as “pristine water” and “hill streams”.
This freshwater crab is vulnerable to habitat changes. (Photo: NParks)
“They're unique to Singapore. That means, if you lose them here, you lose the whole world's population,” Associate Professor Darren Yeo, a freshwater ecology expert at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) department of biological sciences, told CNA previously.
A concerted effort to save the pebble-sized invertebrate was mounted in 2015 by NParks, NUS and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, leading to more than 100 crabs being released in the wild.
But the fate of the species remains precarious because its habitats are so limited. Research on its ecology is now ongoing to investigate possible threats to the species in the wild, such as stream acidification and drought, possibly due to climate change, said Assoc Prof Yeo.
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It was revealed last week that the monkey made a rare appearance on an ecological bridge connecting the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves in October 2023.
The sighting suggests that these rare primates, known to only reside in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, could be expanding their habitat.
The langur was captured by cameras placed on the Eco-Link@BKE on two separate occasions that month, said the National Parks Board (NParks).
With this rare sighting in focus, CNA looks at some critically endangered animals native to Singapore and where they have been seen.
These animals are either considered critically endangered locally or classified as such according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
RAFFLES' BANDED LANGUR
The Raffles' Banded Langur is recognised by its black coat, prominent white eye rings, as well as the white stripe down its chest, belly and inner thigh. (Photo: NParks/Jeanne Tan)
If you are lucky enough to encounter one, the Raffles’ Banded Langur can be recognised by its black coat, prominent white eye rings, and a white stripe down its chest, belly, and inner thigh.
It also has a whitish crescent-shaped mark on each side of its face between its eye and ear.
Scientifically known as Presbytis femoralis, this species is native to Singapore and the southern Malaysian peninsular. As of 2021, only 68 individuals had been recorded in the wild in Singapore.
The langur is listed as critically endangered locally according to Singapore’s Red Data Book, which categorises species based on their conservation statuses.
Their “cute” features made them ideal pets in the 1900s, which led to widespread poaching and a sharp decline in their numbers, according to an NPark’s article from 2020.
The Raffles’ Banded Langur was once a "flourishing" species with reports indicating that they could be found in Tampines, Changi, Bukit Timah, Pandan and Tuas.
But by the 1980s, their habitat had shrunk to the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves. The construction of the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) in 1986 further divided the two reserves and inhibited wildlife movement.
The opening of the Eco-Link@BKE in 2012 linked both reserves once again and in October 2023, the Raffles’ Banded Langur was captured twice by a camera trap placed on a Sterculia tree.
What makes an animal "critically endangered"?
The Singapore Red List uses a range of categories to indicate the conservation statuses of various animals.
- Endangered: Fewer than 250 mature individuals and no other evidence of decline or fragmentation.
- Critically endangered: There are fewer than 50 mature individuals, or if more than 50 mature individuals but less than 250, with some evidence of decline or fragmentation.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global environment organisation, also has its own classification.
- Endangered: A population of organisms at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters. It could also mean that there may be a lack of food and/or water due to deforestation. It is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
- Critically endangered: This is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN for wild species. It means a species' numbers have decreased or will decrease by 80 per cent within three generations. It is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
A Raffles' Banded Langur was spotted using the Eco-Link@BKE ecological bridge on Oct 16, 2023. (Photo: NParks)
On the first occasion on the evening of Oct 16, a monkey was captured sitting on a branch looking directly at the camera which was mounted about 10m above the ground.
The monkey appeared to be scratching itself and looking around before moving off from the branch.
Three days later, the Raffles' Banded Langur was spotted again on the same branch at about 4.30pm. NParks said it was unsure if it was the same monkey.
The sightings are an "encouraging" sign that the species is possibly using the ecological bridge to expand its range and habitat, said NParks.
Allowing wildlife to interact between the two nature reserves prevents genetic isolation and promotes a bigger spread of their genetic pool. This cuts down on inbreeding and gives the species a higher chance of survival, it added.
SUNDA PANGOLIN
The Sunda pangolin, also known as the scaly anteater, is native to Singapore. (Photo: NParks/Max Khoo)
The Sunda pangolin, classified as critically endangered both locally and globally, is also known as the scaly anteater.
Some mistake it for a reptile due to its scaly exterior while others confuse it with the armadillo as both curl up into a ball when threatened.
The nocturnal creature is a mammal that prowls the forest floor and climbs trees for insects, with adults eating up to 70 million bugs a year, according to an NParks advisory.
Despite its sharp claws and long tail, the Sunda pangolin is considered "shy". When threatened, it rolls up and may also produce a foul smell to deter predators.
They are typically found in the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves. Those with a keen eye may also spot them in forested areas in Bukit Batok, the Western Catchment Area, Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong.
In Singapore, pangolins face the greatest threat from rapid urbanisation which results in habitat loss. The slow-moving animal is also often injured or killed by vehicles when they stray onto roads, said NParks.
Globally, pangolins are poached for their scales as some believe in their medicinal value. They are also hunted for their meat.
According to the Pangolin Crisis Fund, these scales are made of keratin, the same protein found in human hair and fingernails, rhino horns and lion claws.
Primarily nocturnal, the Sunda pangolin forages actively at night. (Photo: NParks/Law Ingg Thong)
If you see one in the wild, NParks advises against any alarm as the Sunda pangolin will not attack humans.
Remember to keep your hands to yourselves and observe them from a distance - do not touch, chase or corner them. And of course, please don't try to take one home.
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) regular was sentenced to probation in February for picking up a pregnant pangolin from a park connector along Yio Chu Kang Road and selling it for S$1,400 (US$1,050).
STRAW-HEADED BULBUL
The straw-headed bulbul in Singapore. (Photo: National Species Action Plan straw-headed bulbul 2024-2028/Francis Yap)
Identified by its yellowish-orange crown, whitish throat and white streaks along its abdomen, this charismatic songbird is critically endangered internationally with fewer than 1,700 left in the wild.
Their numbers have dwindled sharply largely due to habitat loss and poaching for sale in Southeast Asia's songbird trade.
However, efforts are underway to protect the straw-headed bulbul population - especially in Singapore.
Last year, a working group led by NParks and Nature Society Singapore announced a five-year conservation plan for the species. Moves include habitat and population monitoring as well as raising public awareness.
The National Species Action Plan noted that the bird is likely to be either extirpated or close to extirpation in Thailand, Myanmar and Sumatra. This means that it likely no longer exists in the wild in those locations.
"Singapore is the only location where the population is known to be increasing, and the species is classified as an uncommon resident breeder," it said.
The straw-headed bulbul are critically endangered globally due to a booming caged-bird trade. (Photo: NParks)
"Though numbers in neighbouring regions have declined, the straw-headed bulbul population in Singapore has remained relatively stable. We are now considered a global stronghold for this highly threatened songbird," NParks said on its website. Singapore classifies this bird as nationally endangered.
Pulau Ubin is home to half of the bird's total population in Singapore, according to NParks, adding that it can also be found in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Mandai Road, Bukit Batok Nature Park and the Western Catchment area where it favours woodland close to water.
The action plan described the straw-headed bulbul as "more often heard than seen" due to their shy but vocal nature.
Have a listen to its melodious call in the podcast below and try to see if you can make out its song at dawn or before dusk.
Listen:
GREATER MOUSEDEER
The greater mousedeer was previously thought to have vanished from Singapore. (Photo: NParks)
Singapore is home to only two mousedeer species - the greater and lesser - according to the National Library Board's (NLB) Infopedia website.
The greater mousedeer is listed as critically endangered locally while the lesser mousedeer is classified as endangered.
As its name suggests, the greater mousedeer is characterised by its small stature, with adults having a head-to-body length of about 50cm to 60cm. It also sports pencil-thin legs and white markings on its brown fur.
The nocturnal animal feeds on fallen fruit and other vegetable matter from the forest floor.
Previously thought to have vanished from Singapore, NParks confirmed an official sighting of the native animal at Pulau Ubin in 2009. Footage of the encounter was captured by CNA in an exclusive clip.
The mousedeer, also found in the wider Southeast Asian region, has been a feature of folklore for generations. It is well-known in Malay stories as the sang kancil that always manages to outwit large predators like the crocodile and tiger, said NLB.
Singapore has also been likened to the sang kancil on occasion.
The greater mousedeer is a small creature with pencil-thin legs. (Photo: NParks/Marcus Chua)
According to the Singapore Infopedia entry on the mousedeer, then-Minister for Trade and Industry Lee Hsien Loong referenced the small but brave and intelligent character in 1990.
"If ever we are chased by a hound bigger than ourselves ... then we must, like the mousedeer, be prepared to turn around and give it a kick," he said during an address.
SINGAPORE FRESHWATER CRAB
The critically endangered Singapore freshwater crab (Johora singaporensis) is among the 100 most threatened species in the world. (Photo: NParks/Daniel Ng)
The Johora singaporensis, also known as the Singapore freshwater crab, is only found in Singapore.
The freshwater crustacean - recognisable by its squarish brown body covered in short, stiff hairs - is deemed critically endangered by IUCN and also classified as endangered locally.
It is among the top 100 most threatened species worldwide, said NParks, adding that it has "very stringent" habitat requirements and is known to exist in five freshwater streams in Singapore in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak areas.
Their survival is precarious due to their specific habitat needs, such as “pristine water” and “hill streams”.
This freshwater crab is vulnerable to habitat changes. (Photo: NParks)
“They're unique to Singapore. That means, if you lose them here, you lose the whole world's population,” Associate Professor Darren Yeo, a freshwater ecology expert at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) department of biological sciences, told CNA previously.
A concerted effort to save the pebble-sized invertebrate was mounted in 2015 by NParks, NUS and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, leading to more than 100 crabs being released in the wild.
But the fate of the species remains precarious because its habitats are so limited. Research on its ecology is now ongoing to investigate possible threats to the species in the wild, such as stream acidification and drought, possibly due to climate change, said Assoc Prof Yeo.
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