Crow culling at Aljunied MRT

On July 17, the National Parks Board (NParks) said over 500 crows have been culled since shooting operations began in March, with further operations planned in Bukit Panjang, Marine Parade, and Tanah Merah.

These locations were selected due to their large crow populations that are averse to traps, NParks added.

NParks’ group director for wildlife management How Choon Beng said shooters must follow strict safety protocols, including firing pellets upwards.

Commuters support population control efforts

When Stomp visited Aljunied MRT station on the morning of Oct 16, a crow’s body remained on the grass patch, but the other equipment had been cleared away.

Crows could still be heard cawing from the trees, although few birds were seen flying across the area.

Several commuters Stomp spoke to were unaware of the culling operation the previous evening.

Mr Wang, a 90-year-old retiree, said he did not notice that there were excessive numbers of crows in the area when he passed by. However, he felt the culling was necessary, describing the birds as “pests” that would “attack humans”.

Another commuter, 84-year-old Lin Ben Ji, agreed that the population management measures were a step in the right direction.

“It’s important to let the public know not to feed the crows or to throw rubbish around that might attract them,” he said in Mandarin.

A 65-year-old engineer, Romeo, said he often saw bird droppings in the area, and felt the large crow population was a serious issue.

“No choice, there’s no other way because the crows populate easily,” he said, adding that the birds would often flock to nearby eateries.

However, hawkers at the nearby coffee shop, who wished to remain anonymous, said they did not notice the birds entering the eatery, which they said was largely kept clean.

Resident views birds as threat

For Aljunied resident Ms Goh, safety is her main concern.

The 34-year-old human resources manager said that she would often see at least five to 10 crows along each alley across Geylang, perched near open rubbish bins and in trees.

“Whenever I walk through Geylang, it can get quite intimidating as the crows perched on the fences and lampposts would watch me as I walk past, and it is pretty scary,” she said.

She felt that the birds pose a “real risk” to children walking through the area to get to school, particularly if they were carrying food that might attract the crows.

As for the crow culling operation, Goh described it as a “great move”.

“Given the environment in Aljunied/Geylang, with its high concentration of F&B establishments, hostels, and hotels, it would be difficult to manage the crow population without external intervention,” she added.

Stomp has reached out to NParks for comment.

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