Wildlife enthusiast Bernard Seah was up early at the Marina Bay area at 7:10 am. He was eagerly waiting for the cause of his arrival at the place even before the sun rose and hoped that his targets would not move too far.
He asked a volunteer from Singapore's Nature Society to inform members in a WhatsApp group to meet at Marina South Pier which worked wonders. "Otters now nearby that area," read the message.
To catch a glimpse of the Bishan family of Otters, people arrived hurriedly, few on cycle, others on foot and the remaining opted for personal conveyance.
For the next couple of hours, these wildlife enthusiasts followed the course of the 11 Otters as they sprinted and swam around Marina South Pier, up towards Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
Singapore's Nature Society for the first time organized the delightful event "Fun With Otters At Marina Bay-Kallang River" where numerous wildlife photographers and enthusiasts voluntarily participated, as reported by The Straits Times. Bernard Seah, a 48-year-old wildlife digital photographer shared his passion and knowledge on the Otters and how he enjoys capturing them in his frame.
"I've been a wildlife enthusiast for years, but it's when I got into digital photography in 2011 that my passion went up a couple of notches," said the professional emcee, who also volunteers with the National Parks Board and has a Facebook photography page covering the wildlife extensively.
The gathering proved to be extremely informative as Seah ended up sharing facts on these wildlings as to why they are termed as the "Bishan family" and how one should be alert while approaching them reminding them of the distance they should maintain.
Marian Ang, another wildlife admirer and a yoga instructor, was up early with her pair of binoculars and her nine-year-old daughter Trinity to closely watch the Otters.
"I've seen Otter families before, but it was only for a few seconds. This is the first time I'm able to follow a group," said Marian Ang. "I'm very happy. It's so nice to be able to go so near, and learn from Bernard what to do."
A Nature Society's spokesman focused on the fact that Otters are exceptionally charming creatures and people should be well informed about this species and how to protect and preserve them. Furthermore, she stated that no event was organized previously on following the Otters.
"Otters have been in the news, yet we haven't gotten around to organising an event following them. So it's about time we did this" she said. "They are an icon, so it's good that we get to know about these charismatic creatures."
