Singapore ramps up pigeon control efforts after successful pilot sees 50pc drop in population
SINGAPORE, May 20 — Singapore will expand its pigeon population management pilot programme to additional areas following encouraging results from trials conducted in central parts of the country, Xinhua reported Tuesday.
Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said the pilot programme, which was launched in June 2024, targeted three locations in central Singapore and has since achieved a roughly 50 per cent reduction in the estimated pigeon population.
Public feedback related to pigeons also fell by about 34 per cent compared to expected levels, Tan said in a Facebook post.
Jointly implemented by the National Parks Board, the National Environment Agency, and the Singapore Food Agency, the pilot included public outreach and enforcement measures to improve refuse and food waste management at bin centres and hawker centres, while deterring illegal bird feeding.
Surveillance was conducted at known bird-feeding hotspots, resulting in enforcement action against 50 cases for feeding birds, Tan added.
The programme will next be extended to three additional areas in Singapore's northern and southern regions. 'If successful, we will scale this up across Singapore to help manage the pigeon population,' he said.
According to local media, the move is part of broader efforts to protect public health, as pigeons can carry bacteria, including salmonella, which leads to diarrhoea, fever, and stomach pain, and cause diseases such as ornithosis with symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting, and muscle aches. — Bernama-Xinhua
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