SINGAPORE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Singapore will expand its pigeon population management pilot program to additional areas following encouraging results from trials conducted in central parts of the country, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said on Tuesday.
Launched in June 2024, the pilot program targeted three locations in central Singapore and has since achieved a roughly 50 percent reduction in the estimated pigeon population. Public feedback related to pigeons also fell by about 34 percent compared to expected levels, Tan said in a Facebook post.
Jointly implemented by the National Parks Board, the National Environment Agency, and the Singapore Food Agency, the pilot included public outreach and enforcement measures to improve refuse and food waste management at bin centers and hawker centers, while deterring illegal bird feeding.
Surveillance was conducted at known bird-feeding hotspots, resulting in enforcement action against 50 cases for feeding birds, Tan added.
The program will next be extended to three additional areas in Singapore's northern and southern regions. "If successful, we will scale this up across Singapore to help manage the pigeon population," he said.
According to local media, the move is part of broader efforts to protect public health, as pigeons can carry bacteria, including salmonella, which leads to diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain, and cause diseases such as ornithosis with symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting, and muscle aches. ■