Do not release animals into the wild Outreach efforts extended to more parks, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways Singapore, 13 May 2015 – The National Parks Board (NParks), PUB, the national water agency and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) will be stepping up education and enforcement efforts at nineteen selected parks, nature areas, reservoirs and waterways from 16 to 31 May 2015, as part of ‘Operation No Release’. ‘Operation No Release’ is an annual campaign that aims to spread public awareness on the dangers related to the release of animals into parks (including ponds), nature areas, reservoirs and waterways. Besides the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, NParks and PUB will also extend their outreach to more parks and reservoirs at Lower Seletar, Bedok, Punggol, Serangoon and Marina (see Annex for full list). Volunteers and community groups such as Waterways Watch Society, Punggol South River Watch Group and Toddycats! will join NParks and PUB officers in the outreach efforts this year. Besides keeping a lookout for any sign of animal release at parks, nature reserves, reservoirs and waterways, they will also educate and advise members of the public on the harm of releasing animals into the wild. "Many of the released animals are unlikely to survive, and most often, face a slow and painful death, as they are unable to cope with their new surroundings,” says Mr Wong Tuan Wah, Director of Conservation, NParks. “Those that are bred or captured deliberately to be sold for ‘release’ usually become so stressed during their captivity that they are too weak to survive in the wild when released eventually.” Household pets, too, often may not survive after release, as they do not have the natural instincts and ability to forage for food or fend for themselves in the wild. It is irresponsible and cruel to abandon a pet. Pet owners who are unable to look after their pet anymore should find a suitable home for the pet, or they can approach an animal welfare group for help to re-home the pet. Dying and dead animals may have an impact on the environment. In instances where animals do survive and proliferate, they often do so at the expense of native wildlife. They upset the ecological balance by preying on the native species, out-competing them for resources or introducing new diseases. For example, the American Bullfrogs are known to breed prolifically and compete with local frogs for food and space. “As with any ecosystem, the health and functionality of reservoir habitats is influenced by the diversity and ecology of aquatic organisms living within them. The release of animals by members of public into our reservoirs and waterways may have ecological impacts on our freshwater ecosystems. This year, we are extending our efforts to more locations and we hope to raise greater awareness on this issue.” said Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB’s Director of Catchment and Waterways. First-time offenders caught releasing animals may be charged under the Parks and Trees Act and could be fined up to $50,000, jailed up to six months, or both. *** End *** About National Parks Board (NParks) National Parks Board (NParks) is responsible for providing and enhancing the greenery of our City in a Garden. Beyond building green infrastructure, NParks is actively engaging the community to enhance the quality of our living environment. NParks manages over 300 parks and 4 nature reserves. Adding to this is the extensive streetscape, or roadside greenery, that forms the backbone of our City in a Garden. An island-wide Park Connector Network is also being developed to link major parks, nature areas and residential estates. As the lead agency on biodiversity conservation, NParks has developed an urban biodiversity conservation model, which aims to conserve representative eco-systems in landscarce Singapore. NParks also monitors and coordinates measures to enhance the presence of biodiversity in our urban landscape. NParks is working closely with partners in the landscape and horticulture industry to increase productivity, and provide training for all levels of the workforce. Enhancing competencies of the industry will support Singapore’s vision of being a City in a Garden. For more information, please visit www.nparks.gov.sg and www.facebook.com/nparksbuzz. About PUB PUB is a statutory board under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. It is the water agency that manages Singapore’s water supply, water catchment and used water in an integrated way. About PUB’s tagline: Water for All: Conserve, Value, Enjoy PUB has ensured a diversified and sustainable supply of water for Singapore with the Four National Taps (local catchment water, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water). To provide water for all, PUB calls on all to play our part to conserve water, keep our water catchments and waterways clean and build a relationship with water so we can enjoy our water resources. If we all play our part, we can have enough water for all our needs – for industry, for living, for life. Find out more about us Like us at www.facebook.com/PUBsg Follow us on www.instagram.com/PUBsingapore and www.twitter.com/PUBsingapore Subscribe to our channel at www.youtube.com/sgPUB For our latest event photos, visit www.flickr.com/PUBsg or www.pinterest.com/PUBsg Download our mobile apps: MyWaters for iOS, Android or Windows Phone and PURE Magazine for iOS, Android, Blackberry or Windows Phone Visit our website at www.pub.gov.sg About Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) is responsible for ensuring a resilient supply of safe food, safeguarding the health and welfare of animals, safeguarding the health of plants and facilitating agri-trade. AVA is constantly on the lookout for new and potential food sources, through our push for source diversification in collaboration with the food industry. AVA works closely with the industry through various platforms like food business clusters, taskforces and dialogues. Simultaneously, AVA continues to help raise local agricultural productivity to enhance Singapore’s food supply. We have in place integrated food safety programmes which incorporate risk management, and leverage on industry engagement and public outreach to ensure food safety as a shared responsibility. AVA’s comprehensive animal and plant health system prevents the introduction of exotic animal and plant diseases. AVA also takes steps to ensure compliance with animal health and welfare standards. With the world as Singapore’s marketplace, AVA facilitates agri-trade through our inspection, testing and certification services. ANNEX List of parks, nature reserves, reservoirs and waterways taking part in Operation ‘No Release’ 2015 1. Bedok Reservoir 2. Bukit Batok Nature Park 3. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park 4. Dairy Farm Nature Park (includes Singapore Quarry) 5. Jurong Lake 6. Kranji Reservoir Park 7. Labrador Nature Reserve 8. Lower Peirce Reservoir Park 9. Lower Seletar Reservoir 10. MacRitichie Reservoir Park 11. Marina Reservoir 12. Pandan Reservoir 13. Pulau Ubin 14. Punggol Reservoir 15. Punggol Waterway 16. Serangoon Reservoir 17. Springleaf Nature Park 18. Upper Peirce Reservoir Park 19. Upper Seletar Reservoir Park .