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The booming trade in wild animals and their parts- a multi-billion dollar business of which much is illegal- is wiping out the world’s wildlife and subjecting billions of individual animals to unimaginable horrors. Animals are snatched from the wild and cruelly smuggled around the world to be sold as exotic ‘pets’. They are snared, shot and butchered for their body parts to be made into medicines, jewellery or ornaments. In 2009, Singapore was named as one of the top ten major hubs for the illegal wildlife trade globally.
Tackling the Wildlife Trade
Through our 24-hour Wildlife Crime Hotline (97837782), regular undercover investigations, collaborations with NGOs and government bodies, working with the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) industry and public awareness programmes, ACRES is working hard to wipe out the illegal wildlife trade in Singapore and put a major dent in the global trade.
Our investigations have led to many wildlife criminals being brought to task. Our campaigns and engagements with the government have led to vast improvements to national wildlife protection laws. Click here for more information on wildlife crime.
Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation
Every year, scores of animal are confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Singapore. In 2009, ACRES established the ACRES Wildlife Rescue Centre (AWRC), Singapore’s first dedicated wildlife rescue facility, to provide these animals with a safe sanctuary to recover from the trauma of being caught up in the trade. Where possible, animals are repatriated to their native country of origin, but if this isn’t possible the AWRC provides permanent sanctuary.
The AWRC also serves as a rescue facility for injured native wild animals, who are released back to the wild once recovered. Responding to calls on the ACRES Wildlife Rescue Hotline (97837782), we have rescued, treated and rehabilitated hundreds of native wild animals since the AWRC’s opening in August 2009. We run our rescue services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. From injured monitor lizards to snakes trapped in buildings to pangolins and civets who have lost their way in the urban jungle, we are always on hand to help any wild animal in need.
Click here to find out what you can do when you encounter wildlife.
Click here to find out more about how we help rescued animals.
Zoo Animal Welfare
Throughout Asia, some animals languish in substandard conditions and impoverished environments in zoos and marine parks, their basic needs neglected. Some zoos fail to meet even the basic standards and guidelines laid out by the zoo industry itself. Animals may be forced to perform unnatural tricks in circus-style animal shows, or find themselves exploited in relentless photography sessions.
ACRES conducts scientific investigations into the welfare of captive animals in zoos, marine parks and similar establishments and uses the findings to work with the zoos themselves and the wider zoo industry, as well as governments and local NGOs, to improve welfare standards.
Promoting Cruelty-Free Living
Many of the everyday products we buy involve enormous animal suffering. Every year hundreds of thousands of animals are poisoned, blinded, and killed in product tests for personal care and household items. Farm animals are raised in their billions on modern “factory farms”, enduring lives of pain and suffering, for meat, eggs and milk. Animals who end up as clothing often suffer tremendously. Most people are simply unaware of this suffering and what they, as consumers, can do to end it.
Through our Cruelty-Free Living public awareness programmes and educational materials, consumers are made aware of cruelty-free products they can buy and the simple humane choices they can make in their everyday lives to reduce animal suffering. For more information click here!
Promoting Coexistence with Singapore’s Wildlife
As Singapore continues to urbanise and develop, natural habitats for wildlife are increasingly fragmented and diminished. Urban greening efforts, while beneficial, often attract displaced wildlife seeking food and shelter, leading to more frequent wildlife encounters in our City in Nature.
Human-Wildlife Coexistence
Coexisting with wildlife involves navigating shared spaces and resources, leading to complex interactions that can have both positive and negative effects on humans and animals. It is vital that we embrace compassion, tolerance, and behavioural adjustments to coexist with nature harmoniously. Fostering appreciation for wildlife will significantly contribute to public efforts in protecting biodiversity.
At ACRES, we are dedicated to promoting a culture of respect and understanding through several key initiatives:
ACRES regularly participates in consultations hosted by developers such as Jurong Town Corporation (JTC), Housing Development Board (HDB), Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), and Building and Construction Authority (BCA). As part of these nature group consultations, we:
- Provide critical input to minimise human-wildlife conflicts through a science-based, data-driven approach
- Ensure the welfare of wildlife that may be displaced or translocated
- Advocate for maintaining connectivity for wildlife in and around development areas
Based on our engagements with developers, ACRES conducts outreach at sensitive hotspots to empower residents and property users with knowledge of wildlife etiquette. We also offer wildlife etiquette training sessions for first responders to wildlife encounters, including construction personnel, security guards, estate managers, and outdoor educators.
ACRES carefully assesses requests for data from academic researchers and shares our filtered rescue data when it benefits biodiversity protection efforts in Singapore. To disseminate our wealth of knowledge and experience, we have published several resources, including advisory videos, downloadable wildlife advisories, and an e-handbook on wildlife encounters in Singapore.
As members of various wildlife working groups, such as the long-tailed macaque, otter, pangolin, reptile, and urban wildlife groups, ACRES collaborates with other stakeholders to share data and experiences. This collective effort aids in formulating policies related to the management of these species in Singapore.
Since 2022, ACRES has managed the nationwide outreach campaign “Our Wild Neighbours,” funded by Mandai Nature. This campaign, featuring outreach materials on 10 wildlife groups (Asian koel, reticulated python, other snakes, monitor lizards, otters, wild pigs, macaques, civets, pangolins, and crocodiles), reaches over 20,000 individuals annually.
Our Humane Education programme is designed for diverse age groups, from pre-schoolers to tertiary-level students, fostering a deeper understanding of wildlife behaviour, human behaviour, and the need for coexistence in Singapore.
Humane Education: Touching Hearts and Minds
The majority of widespread animal abuse and exploitation continues because the general public are unaware of it. Raising awareness of these issues through Humane Education programmes and, most importantly, empowering people with knowledge of what they as individuals can do to end animal exploitation, is therefore key to ending animal suffering.
ACRES reaches out to all sectors of society through our various Humane Education Programmes, from kindergarten children to adults. Additionally, our educational resources such as our website, information leaflets, roadshow exhibits and dedicated Education Centre and tours in our outdoor sanctuary expand the reach of our educational efforts even further. For more information click here!
Community Outreach
ACRES strongly believes in promoting community involvement in tackling animal welfare issues and in building partnerships with all related bodies to improve animal welfare.
ACRES strives to inspire and empower everyone, from young to old, from all walks of life, to make a positive difference for animals and the environment and to play an active role in the animal protection movement, creating a more caring and compassionate society.
Our Community Outreach Programmes are at the heart of all we do and include providing numerous rewarding volunteer opportunities, involving local companies in our work, organising forums, holding awareness roadshows and encouraging people to become involved in global animal protection campaigns. Click here for more information on volunteering.
