People in Singapore don’t need to go to an aquarium or zoo to see otters—they can just walk outside! The semiaquatic animals are a common sight in the bustling Asian nation. They run across busy streets, burrow in the ground between skyscrapers, and paddle in community pools.
Two species, the smooth-coated otter and the Asian small-clawed otter, are native to Singapore. But pollution and deforestation drove them to near-extinction there in the 1960s and ’70s.
Singapore’s government took action soon afterward. It cleaned up local rivers and added green spaces throughout the island.
As a result, otters started returning in the late 1990s. Although experts consider some otter species vulnerable to extinction globally, in Singapore, the animals’ numbers are growing.
Today, the nation has about 90 otters—up from about 50 five years ago.
The creatures aren’t loved by everyone, however, especially when they eat expensive fish from backyard ponds. But their devoted fans have their backs. Self-proclaimed “otter watchers” even press crosswalk buttons to help the animals navigate busy roads during their daily adventures.