25 years of ACRES: Local charity continues wildlife rescue efforts with eye on expansion

SINGAPORE – The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) turns 25 on May 24 and shows no sign of slowing down as it continues to push for stronger animal protection with plans to expand its wildlife rescue centre in Sungei Tengah.

The Straits Times looks at how far the wildlife charity has come, where it is headed and some of its wild encounters along the way.

Former MP Louis Ng was inspired to start ACRES in 2001 when a baby chimpanzee named Ramba ran towards him while being trained to sit for a photography session at the zoo.

“She would often cry and hug me during the photography sessions, and I tried my best to comfort her,” said Mr Ng, who was then a volunteer at the zoo.

With the help of nine friends, he set up ACRES on May 24 that year with the aim of advocating for needy wildlife. One of its first achievements: campaigning successfully to end the use of chimpanzees in photography sessions at the zoo.

ACRES used to share an office with a casket company in Mandai before it moved to 91 Jalan Lekar in Sungei Tengah in 2006. The 0.5ha site, about the size of a football field, houses its office, education centre and a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre.

There were 129 animals at ACRES’ wildlife rescue centre as at August 2025, including snakes, tortoises, turtles, lizards, birds and small mammals.

Native wildlife are often released back to the wild after they have been rehabilitated. Where possible, animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade are repatriated to the country of origin.

The blue dancing monkey in ACRES’ logo is a nod to the first animal the group rescued from the illegal wildlife trade – a vervet monkey named Blue that was repatriated to a sanctuary in Zambia, Africa.

Human-wildlife conflicts are becoming more common with a growing population and more than 537 species of birds, reptiles and mammals in Singapore, ACRES said.

The charity aims to reduce such conflicts by guiding people on appropriate ways to interact with wildlife, including through a handbook of tips for wildlife encounters and roadshows at habitat hot spots.

ACRES was granted the Institution of Public Character status in June 2007, which means donations to the group qualify for a 250 per cent tax deduction.

The group focuses on wildlife rescue and advocacy. Companion animals, such as pet cats, dogs and birds, do not fall under its remit.

Wildlife rescue missions may not always involve a thrilling wrangle with a snake or a brush with charismatic species such as pangolins.

The highest volume of animal rescue calls that ACRES receives are for injured or orphaned birds.

ACRES has about 30 full-time staff, who focus on wildlife advocacy and rescue. Some of them work regular office hours, while the rescue teams work on a rotating schedule, with the latest shift running through the night till 1am.

The charity also has more than 600 volunteers across three areas of focus: wildlife rescue, wildlife sanctuary and education and outreach.

Its longest-serving volunteer, Ms Alpana Ahuja, 63, started her journey with ACRES in 2005, helping to create posters and other educational materials for school outreach events. She is now an ACRES board member.

“Naming rights usually go to whoever rescues the animal,” said ACRES chief executive Kalaivanan Balakrishnan.

Some names are linked to a rescued animal’s traits; some to the manner of rescue.

A pig-nosed turtle found with a fishing hook pierced through its body was nicknamed Captain Hook.

A blood python that was particularly chunky when it was first rescued took its name from British DJ Fatboy Slim. It turned out to be a female snake, “but ‘Fatgirl Slim’ does not have the same ring”, Mr Kalai quipped.

A pig-nosed turtle named Kermit currently clinches the top spot as ACRES’ oldest resident. He has been at the facility since 2009.

In 2015, to combat the illegal trade of wildlife parts and pets, ACRES launched the Animal Crime Investigation Unit. The unit investigates animal cruelty, goes undercover to detect animal crime and works with the authorities to increase enforcement against animal abusers.

One of ACRES’ most unusual wildlife rescues involved a bonnet macaque that found her way to Singapore’s shores on board a ship from India in 2016.

The primate was named Seraya after the road in Jurong Island, near where she was rescued.

Some years after, a long-tailed macaque began frequenting Seraya’s enclosure at ACRES’ facility.

The visiting primate is likely a “transient male”, Mr Kalai said.

The pair are often seen holding hands and grooming each other. “They keep each other company and give each other a sense of hope,” he added.

Calls to the ACRES hotline rose from 9,800 in the 2019 financial year to 16,459 in 2025, reflecting more human-wildlife interactions in Singapore.

The hotline services now run only from 7am to 1am daily, with the group forced to cease 24-hour operations in June 2024, owing to a lack of funds.

In the financial year 2025, ACRES spent about $45,000 on food for animals at its facility. Some species require special diets, which can cost more.

ACRES is holding its annual charity gala on May 16 as part of its silver jubilee celebrations, with the aim of raising $400,000.

Some of the money raised will go towards funding the expansion of its rescue centre. The funds will also help cover the operating costs of its rescue hotline, veterinary facilities and public awareness programmes.