Singapore residents who repeatedly feed wildlife illegally to face jail, stiffer fines

People who repeatedly feed wildlife illegally will, for the first time, face a jail term of up to 12 months.

It will also be more expensive for them as the maximum fine has been doubled from $10,000 to $20,000.

First-time offenders will feel the pinch, too, as their maximum fine has also doubled from $5,000 to $10,000.

The revised penalties for illegal wildlife feeding will also increase the range of sentencing options available to the courts by including community-based orders.

The amendments to the Wildlife Act, a wildlife protection law to strengthen deterrence against illegal wildlife feeding, were part of the reading of the Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill.

Announced by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development Syed Harun Alhabsyi in Parliament, the new penalties were passed on May 7.

Illegal wildlife feeding is an ongoing issue in Singapore’s urban environment, particularly involving invasive pest bird species such as rock pigeons and house crows.

These species have adapted well to urban settings and tend to congregate at areas where human food sources are readily available. Persistent feeding of these birds has resulted in the soiling of public areas and open-air eateries due to their droppings.

Rock pigeons can potentially spread germs that cause zoonotic diseases such as salmonella, which infects the intestinal tract through contaminated food, water or animal contact.

Other infections include toxoplasmosis, caused by a parasitic worm that forms cysts in tissues and often remains dormant in the body for life, while Escherichia coli is bacteria in the intestines that can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea and urinary tract infections.

In recent years, the National Parks Board (NParks) has stepped up enforcement efforts against illegal wildlife feeding.

According to NParks, the total number of illegal wildlife-feeding cases, where action was taken against offenders, has more than doubled – from close to 150 cases in 2021, to more than 380 cases in 2025, with the majority involving pigeon feeding.

Repeat offenders accounted for about 42 per cent of cases in 2025.

Between 2023 and 2025, on average, NParks received reports of nearly 320 cases of illegal bird feeding a year.

In a CNA report in March, Mr How Choon Beng, NParks’ group director for wildlife management, said that around half of these cases involved seniors aged 65 and above.

Several MPs who gave their views in Parliament on May 7 described seniors feeding wildlife as “a reflection of social isolation and a lack of purposeful engagement”.

Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim (East Coast GRC) and Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (Sengkang GRC) asked if the Government would strengthen its partnership with social service agencies to engage residents, especially isolated seniors, on the consequences of wildlife feeding.

Ms Hazlina also asked if the Government would consider “engaging individuals through frequent home visits, counselling, finding alternative activities or interactions with family members or volunteers, so that the offenders would make themselves feel less socially isolated”.

Ms Elysa Chen (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) cited a recalcitrant bird feeder who told enforcement officers from the National Environment Agency that he continued to feed birds because his wife had appeared in a dream and told him to do so.

Dr Syed Harun told the House that his ministry’s approach is not merely to penalise.

“NParks also partners with the Agency for Integrated Care, town councils and other agencies to engage elderly offenders and those with mental health or psychology needs to understand their underlying needs and motivations that drive such behaviour, address misconceptions and raise awareness on the negative impacts of bird feeding,” Dr Syed Harun said.

He added that NParks offers wildlife feeders with mental health needs nature-based activities such as community gardening and birdwatching as alternatives to feeding.

The revised penalties will come into effect later in 2026.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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