Singapore
The common pigeon that is seen widely in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Try Sutrisno Foo)
21 Jul 2023 02:17PM
SINGAPORE: A man who was previously fined by the court for feeding pigeons was again caught for a similar offence.
He threw slices of bread on the pavement and grass verge, and despite being told that it is an offence to feed wildlife without written approval, the man continued to do so on 15 other occasions.
Singaporean V Rajandran, 67, was fined S$4,800 by a court on Friday (Jul 21) for four charges under the Wildlife Act. Another 12 charges were taken into consideration.
Rajandran paid the fine in full. If he did not pay the fine, he would have had to serve 16 days' jail in default.
The court heard that enforcement officers spotted Rajandran in the vicinity of Aljunied Crescent on the morning of Aug 26, 2022.
Rajandran was feeding birds by throwing slices of bread on the pavement and grass verge.
The officers told him that it was an offence, but he continued to feed birds on another 15 occasions, with the last being in December 2022.
He would buy about S$20 to S$30 worth of bread each time, or take rice from his leftover meals to feed the birds around the Geylang area.
Despite repeated engagement from enforcement officers asking him to stop, Rajandran continued to feed the birds.
The court heard that Rajandran was fined S$450 in February 2018 for flouting the Animals and Birds (Pigeons) Rules. In January 2020, he was fined another S$500 for feeding stray pigeons.
The prosecutor from the National Parks Board (NParks) asked for a fine of between S$4,800 and S$5,600 for Rajandran, noting that he had been convicted of similar offences before and faces 16 charges in total.
He had just been fined S$3,700 earlier on Friday for littering, noted the prosecutor.
Rajandran was unrepresented and listened to proceedings quietly.
When asked if he had anything to say in mitigation, he said: "Nothing to say."
The offence of intentionally feeding wildlife is punishable by a fine of up to S$5,000 for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders face fines of up to S$10,000.
The Wildlife Act defines wildlife as "an animal that belongs to a wildlife species, and includes the young or egg of the animal".
"Their droppings dirty the environment and cause disamenities like the soiling of clothes," said the agencies.
NParks said it takes a community- and science-based approach towards the management of invasive bird species.
This involves the removal of human food sources, habitat modification, population management and studies to understand the ecology of the pest birds such as their roosting and foraging patterns.
"The public can help to reduce the pigeon population growth by not feeding these birds and ensuring that food scraps are properly disposed (of)," the letter continued.
The agencies stressed that feeding pigeons is illegal and that NParks undertakes active enforcement against such practices.
Since February 2021 to the time the letter was published in March 2023, NParks said it had issued letters of advisory, letters of warning and composition fines to more than 270 offenders
Repeat offender fined S$4,800 by court for feeding birds 16 times
The 67-year-old man was seen throwing slices of bread on the pavement and grass verge in the Aljunied area and told to stop, but he did not.
21 Jul 2023 02:17PM
SINGAPORE: A man who was previously fined by the court for feeding pigeons was again caught for a similar offence.
He threw slices of bread on the pavement and grass verge, and despite being told that it is an offence to feed wildlife without written approval, the man continued to do so on 15 other occasions.
Singaporean V Rajandran, 67, was fined S$4,800 by a court on Friday (Jul 21) for four charges under the Wildlife Act. Another 12 charges were taken into consideration.
Rajandran paid the fine in full. If he did not pay the fine, he would have had to serve 16 days' jail in default.
The court heard that enforcement officers spotted Rajandran in the vicinity of Aljunied Crescent on the morning of Aug 26, 2022.
Rajandran was feeding birds by throwing slices of bread on the pavement and grass verge.
The officers told him that it was an offence, but he continued to feed birds on another 15 occasions, with the last being in December 2022.
He would buy about S$20 to S$30 worth of bread each time, or take rice from his leftover meals to feed the birds around the Geylang area.
Despite repeated engagement from enforcement officers asking him to stop, Rajandran continued to feed the birds.
The court heard that Rajandran was fined S$450 in February 2018 for flouting the Animals and Birds (Pigeons) Rules. In January 2020, he was fined another S$500 for feeding stray pigeons.
The prosecutor from the National Parks Board (NParks) asked for a fine of between S$4,800 and S$5,600 for Rajandran, noting that he had been convicted of similar offences before and faces 16 charges in total.
He had just been fined S$3,700 earlier on Friday for littering, noted the prosecutor.
Rajandran was unrepresented and listened to proceedings quietly.
When asked if he had anything to say in mitigation, he said: "Nothing to say."
The offence of intentionally feeding wildlife is punishable by a fine of up to S$5,000 for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders face fines of up to S$10,000.
The Wildlife Act defines wildlife as "an animal that belongs to a wildlife species, and includes the young or egg of the animal".
Woman fined for repeatedly feeding wild birds, throwing food out from vehicle window
In a letter that was published in March this year in response to a letter in Lianhe Zaobao, the National Environment Agency and NParks said that rock pigeons are not native to Singapore but are an invasive species that compete with the native species."Their droppings dirty the environment and cause disamenities like the soiling of clothes," said the agencies.
NParks said it takes a community- and science-based approach towards the management of invasive bird species.
This involves the removal of human food sources, habitat modification, population management and studies to understand the ecology of the pest birds such as their roosting and foraging patterns.
"The public can help to reduce the pigeon population growth by not feeding these birds and ensuring that food scraps are properly disposed (of)," the letter continued.
The agencies stressed that feeding pigeons is illegal and that NParks undertakes active enforcement against such practices.
Since February 2021 to the time the letter was published in March 2023, NParks said it had issued letters of advisory, letters of warning and composition fines to more than 270 offenders
