Poaching still going on in Singapore

There seems to be a trend going on - people bringing caged birds into our nature reserves.

This morning two men with five caged males White-rumped Sharmas were at the edge of the CNR. They were using the caged birds to lure the wild ones that are in the reserve.

Last week, I witnessed similar activity at Lower Pierce where a man with a caged White-rumped Sharma sitting in the reserve. The man walked out of the reserve with his caged bird when he noticed me walk by with my camera.

Makes you wonder why we have gazetted nature reserves when poaching is still going on right under our noses. I'm sure those of you who frequent the reserves would have seen: -

• Families with young children armed pails and nets wading into streams to catch fish on weekends
• Men with pails, nets and fish rods
• Men with catapults and knives
• Men with bird traps

I am probably just scratching the surface as these are but some of the activities that go on during the day.