Poachers @SgBulohWR 20Mar2011

Was at main bridge looking inland when I saw, at about 200m away, a yellow-booted man in shorts walking on the mudflat carrying what seemed to be a cast net. At first I thought he was one of the park workers or a researcher taking a sampling of the fish in the water. However, the man seemed nervous and his demeanour did not fit that of an authorised person.

The SBWR (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve) park wardens were on top of things immediately and suspected that there were 2 or 3 others out of sight hidden in the adjacent mangrove. The wardens hatched a quick plan, coralling support from some of the park workers.

They swiftly hopped into the buggies and rode out to the access track close to where the poachers were. The mud was thick and soft and so made walking out difficult. Nevertheless, the poachers (3 of them) were flanked by two sets of pursuers. They were taken by surprise and did not make a fuss.

Bari had to walk across part of the estuary to get to an isle of mud and mangrove trees where the poachers had kept their loot in order to make sure that they gave up all of it including their nets. [Unfortunately, the water was deeper than expected and Bari later found out that his mobile phone in his pant pocket would not accept the salt water well at all. Indeed it looked like a mini-fishtank with water sloshing in it. Collateral damage in professionally answering the call of duty! Hope his boss will agree to replacing it without too much trouble (hint! hint!)].


The poachers were escorted back to the SBWR visitor's centre with their gear and loot. After their IDs were recorded, they were given a warning not to fish in the reserve again and let off. All this was done in a relaxed atmosphere and I was pleased to see that the park wardens handled the whole episode professionally. Good job!!

The nets (a cast net and also a long gill net) and a long pole with a metal hook were seized. The pole with hook was possibly for harvesting the tree-climbing crabs which are commonly found high on the wetland reserve's mangrove trees.

The poachers had filled an entire bag with snails. Looks like these snails were saved from becoming soup that evening!

There was also another bag with green clams and a rather large catfish. According to the wardens, the catfish and green clams had been taken from another poacher slightly before the gang of three were spotted.

All the rescued animals were quickly released into the water and the catfish casually swam off as if nothing had happened.

Here is a short clip unfolding the event :

poachers from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.


Kudos to the staff and workers at SBWR!
A difficult job done well! :)