A saltwater crocodile decided to pick Yishun as a sightseeing destination, as shown in a video posted on the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook page by Wilson Toh.
The encounter occurred on the morning of 8 July at Yishun Dam, which separates Lower Seletar Reservoir from the open waters between Singapore and Johor.
Crocodile Goes for Swim at Yishun Dam
In the video, the croc swims quietly and effortlessly through the waters. With no frame of reference, there’s no way to tell the size of the regal reptile.
From an eye test, it looks pretty fricking big though.
Two awed spectators chat as they watch the crocodile tour the Yishun waters.
One of them seemingly brings up that the croc or crocs “always comes here” but even so he “seldom sees them” there.
Mr Toh then pans the camera to the surroundings, showcasing Yishun Dam in its mildly ugly glory.
Judging from the buildings in the distance, the saltwater crocodile is in the open waters between the two countries.
Many netizens on the Facebook post shared similarly impressed comments. One brought up that a Johor farm owner told them the open waters between Singapore and Malaysia were practically teeming with crocodiles, although the commenter never personally saw one.
Others, however, felt concerned about the video’s mere existence.
Not for the nearby residents, since people living in Yishun already have to deal with worse than a big flesh-eating apex predator.
Rather, they felt that NParks would track down and kill the filmed crocodile.
The concern stemmed from a previous incident in 2023.
NParks announced they would put down a large three-metre crocodile photographed near East Coast Park.
The agency cited the animal as a threat to public safety and ruled out relocation as a sufficient measure.
The move sparked criticism from many people in wildlife groups, some pointing to their role in Singapore’s ecosystem as the top predator.
As such, numerous netizens expressed concern for the crocodile spotted close to Yishun Dam.
The chance of you running into a crocodile is low, of course, but it’s still good to learn what to do just in case.
According to NParks, saltwater, or estuarine, crocodiles are usually encountered in coastal waters and mudflats. They can camouflage well in their surroundings and be hard to spot.
In such habitats, stay on designated paths. Do not approach or try to feed it for the TikTok views unless you want to be in the next newspaper obituary.
For urgent matters, you can call NParks at 1800-476-1600.