View source for Biology:Bishan otter family

{{Short description|Family of otters in Marina Bay, Singapore}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox animal
| name                    = Bishan Otter Family
| image                   = Otters in Singapore.jpg
| image_size              = 280
| image_upright           = 
| caption                 = Otters spotted in Jurong Lakeside Park
| othername               = Bishan 5, Bishan 10
| species                 = ''[[Biology:Smooth-coated otter|Lutrogale perspicillata]]''
| breed                   = 
| gender                  = 
| residence               = {{plainlist|
*{{flag|Singapore}}
*Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
*Marina Bay
*Jurong Lake
}}
}}
 
The '''Bishan Otter Family''', also known as the '''Bishan 10'''<ref name=bbc>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36700728|title=Singapore's celebrity urban otter family|work=BBC News|date=5 July 2016|first=Rebecca|last=Bailey}}</ref> and previously known as the '''Bishan 5''',<ref name=STbishan5>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/bishan-5-now-bishan-10-with-new-otter-pups|title=Bishan 5 now Bishan 10 with new otter pups|work=The Straits Times|date=13 February 2016|author=Nurulnadiah Md Noh}}</ref> is a family of [[Biology:Smooth-coated otter|smooth-coated otter]]s that reside in Marina Bay, Singapore. The otters have become a popular attraction since they were first spotted in 2014.<ref name=bbc/><ref name=economist>{{cite web|url=https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21705834-return-long-absent-otters-sign-citys-greening-move-over-merlion|title=Move over, Merlion: The return of long-absent otters is a sign of the city’s greening|work=The Economist|date=25 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-video-showcases-footage-of-50-strong-otter-population-in-singapore|title=New video showcases footage of 50-strong otter population in Singapore|work=The Straits Times|date=10 August 2016}}</ref>

==Background==
The Bishan otter family were first sighted at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in 2014.<ref name=ST2016/> Originally dubbed the "Bishan 5", the otter family gained national attention in 2015 when the National Parks Board uploaded pictures and videos of them on their [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]] page.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asiaone.com/singapore/5-new-pups-bishan-ang-mo-kio-park-otter-family|title=5 new pups for Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park otter family|work=AsiaOne|date=12 February 2016}}</ref> That same year, the Bishan otter family relocated to Marina Bay after chasing out another otter family that had been living there.<ref name="Chew">{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/five-new-baby-otters-draw-crowds-at-singapore-river|title=Five new baby otters draw crowds at Singapore River|work=The Straits Times|date=10 April 2017|first=Hui Min|last=Chew}}</ref> They became known as the "Bishan 10" after the birth of five new pups in 2016.<ref name=STbishan5/>

The [[Biology:Smooth-coated otter|smooth-coated otter]] is currently classified as a [[Biology:Critically endangered|critically endangered]] species in Singapore, and until 1998 there had been no reported sightings since the 1970s.<ref name=bbc/><ref name=economist/><ref name=ST2016>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/mad-about-otters|title=Mad about otters: Enthusiasts look out for charming animals|work=The Straits Times|date=24 July 2016|first=Lea|last=Wee}}</ref> The emergence of the Bishan otter family, along with several other otter families, was noted by ''[[Finance:The Economist|The Economist]]'' as a reflection of the success of Singapore's greening policy, which included a notable increase in water quality.<ref name=economist/>

==Celebrity status==
The otter family starred in the [[Biography:David Attenborough|David Attenborough]] documentary ''Wild City'' and their exploits are frequently covered by the Singapore media.<ref name=bbc/> In 2016, the otter family was voted by ''The Straits Times'' readers to represent Singapore on her 51st birthday, beating Singlish, the [[Engineering:USB flash drive|thumbdrive]] (which was allegedly invented by [[Company:Creative Technology|a Singaporean company]]), the Singapore passport and the Caméra d'Or-winning Singaporean film ''Ilo Ilo''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/st-readers-choose-bishan-otters-to-represent-singapore-in-her-51st-year|title=ST readers choose Bishan otters to represent Singapore in her 51st year|work=The Straits Times|date=7 August 2016|first=Min Kok|last=Lee}}</ref> They also had received other international press coverage from the French magazine ''Terre Sauvage''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.terre-sauvage.com/le-magazine/le-magazine|title=LA FORCE DU VIVANT : Les loutres de Singapour, une affaire de famille|work=Terre Sauvage|date=2019-01-06|access-date=7 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107181025/http://www.terre-sauvage.com/le-magazine/le-magazine|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 7 August 2023, the otter Family was featured as a doodle on the Google search engine's home page. The doodle depicted five otters huddled up against a backdrop of Marina Bay Sands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrating the Bishan Otter Family |url=https://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-the-bishan-otter-family |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=www.google.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Google celebrates Singapore's Bishan otter family with their own Google Doodle |url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/google-doodle-bishan-otters-singapore-367241 |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=CNA Lifestyle |language=en}}</ref>

==Incidents==
===Marina otter family===
The Bishan otter family had been involved in several fights with another otter family, dubbed the Marina otter family by the local media.<ref name=humanintervention>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/to-help-or-not-to-help-human-intervention-in-otter-family-feud-sparks-online|title=To help or not to help: Human intervention in otter family feud sparks online debate|work=The Straits Times|date=12 June 2017|first=Timothy|last=Goh}}</ref> In 2015, the Bishan otters relocated to Marina Bay after chasing out the Marina otter family.<ref name="Chew"/> Another clash between the two otter families resulted in the death of a Marina otter pup.<ref name=humanintervention/> On 11 June 2017, members of the public intervened to protect the Marina otters from their Bishan rivals by scaring the latter off with loud noises. The incident sparked an internet debate concerning human intervention in fights between the two otter families.<ref name=humanintervention/>

===Illegal fishing===
There have been reports of wild otters, including the Bishan otters, being injured by illegal fishing activities in Singapore.<ref name=fishhook>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/otter-hurt-by-fishing-hook-at-marina-bay|title=Otter hurt by fishing hook at Marina Bay|work=The Straits Times|date=17 April 2017|first=Min Kok|last=Lee}}</ref> In January 2017, a female otter believed to be one of the Bishan otters was found with a [[Engineering:Fishing line|fishing line]] and hook embedded in its body.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/bishan-mum-otter-with-new-litter-spotted-with-fish-hook-in-its-body|title=Bishan 'mum' otter with new litter spotted with fish hook in its body|work=The Straits Times|date=2 January 2017|first=Lydia|last=Lam}}</ref> In April 2017, another otter, also thought to be one of the Bishan otters, was injured when a fishing hook became entangled in one of its front paws.<ref name=fishhook/>

On 14 June 2017, a suspected member of the Bishan otter family was found dead in an illegal fishing trap along the Marina Promenade. The Public Utilities Board stated that they would take enforcement action against the man caught setting up the traps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/dead-otter-found-in-cage-along-marina-promenade-pub-catch-man-setting-traps|title=Dead otter found in cage along Marina Promenade, man caught setting traps: PUB|work=The Straits Times|date=16 June 2017|first=Lydia|last=Lam}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Otters]]

{{Sourceattribution|Bishan otter family}}