Bevy of otters invade Bukit Merah resident's fish tank, devour seven koi fish
He was out for dinner when a neighbour called to tell him that his prized koi collection was under attack – from a bevy of otters.
The Bukit Merah resident rushed home immediately, but by then it was too late; all but one of his fishes were decimated.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the resident, surnamed Wu, said the fish tank was placed outside his ground-floor flat at Block 111 Bukit Purmei Road when the incident occurred on Sunday (July 23).
"My fish tank is placed next to the stairs at the back gate, so it can be seen easily, and that's how my neighbour could inform me," said the 61-year-old retiree.
"I believe there was a family of five otters, and they ate six of the seven koi in the tank.”
In a video Wu shared with Shin Min Daily News and later published on social media, several otters of various sizes could be seen in and outside the tank — two of them with fish dangling from their mouths.
He said that when the otters left the scene, there was one fish left in the tank.
But not for long.
After changing the water in the tank and going to bed, Wu said he heard noises at about 6am the next morning.
"I went out to investigate and saw two otters eating the last fish," he said.
Wu told Shin Min he began rearing the fish about 10 months ago while recuperating from a stroke.
"It took so long to rear them to this size, and in just two days they're all gone, it's such a pity."
This was the first time he had seen otters in the area.
"A neighbour once spotted some otters at a nearby canal, but it is still quite a distance away from the estate," said Wu.
On its website, NPark has an advisory on how to prevent otters from entering your compound and eating your fish.
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