\n<\/p>\n
The radius of the safety zone around the shooter typically ranges from 15m to 100m, said Mr Soh Ze Bin, NParks\u2019 director for wildlife management and outreach.<\/p>\n
Each member of the team also has their role clearly labelled on the back of their vests, such as \u201ccrow culler\u201d and \u201coperation commander\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHouse crows are a non-native invasive species to Singapore. It poses a threat to our local biodiversity, and in great numbers, they also cause disamenities to our residents, causing incessant noise and also soiling and safety issues,\u201d said Mr Soh.<\/p>\n
He said that shooting is a last resort, with other measures including trapping, nest removal and reducing food sources for the birds.<\/p>\n
Before each culling exercise, NParks also reaches out to residents in nearby housing estates to inform them, so that they will not be alarmed, said Mr Soh.<\/p>\n
Crow shooting operations were stopped in 2020 following incidents in which pellets from shotguns struck nearby homes.<\/p>\n
This time round, the shootings are being carried out by licensed wildlife management contractors who are certified in the handling of firearms, NParks said.<\/p>\n
In the past, volunteer shooters from the Singapore Gun Club were involved in cullings, but the programme ended in the early 2010s after crow shooting licences were not renewed.<\/p>\n
The authorities also enlisted the services of Certis CISCO at one point, but that also stopped after an auxiliary police officer was jailed<\/a> for killing crows with a shotgun and without a safety officer present.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n