Singapore; Local media reports that a 67-year-old man was fined S$4,800 (US$3,600) in Geylang, Singapore, on Friday after repeatedly disobeying orders to stop feeding pigeons there.
V. Rajandran, a citizen of Singapore, received the punishment for breaking four laws outlined in the nation's Wildlife Act. A further 12 charges against Rajandran were also taken into consideration, according to local media outlet CNA on Friday. He paid the penalty in full. A 16-day jail sentence could have been imposed for failing to comply.
According to information provided to the court, on August 26, 2022, Rajandran was seen in the Aljunied Crescent neighborhood feeding neighborhood birds. He was informed that his actions had violated local laws, but it was later discovered that he had broken the rule 15 more times, the last of which occurred in December 2022.
According to CNA, Rajandran would use leftover rice and spend about S$20 to S$30 (US$15 to US$20) on bread to feed the wild birds. Rajandran was also fined by the authorities in 2018 and 2020 for feeding pigeons, it was noted during the trial. During court proceedings, the prosecutor allegedly stated that Rajandran had also received a separate monetary fine of S$3,700 (US$2,780) earlier on Friday for littering.
When asked if he had anything to say to the court, Rajandran, who was not represented by a legal team, stated that he had "nothing to say," according to CNA.
The Lianhe Zaobao newspaper was informed in March by Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) and National Parks Board (NParks) that rock pigeons, which are not indigenous to Singapore, are an invasive species and that they compete with local species.
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The agencies claimed in their statement that "their droppings dirty the environment and cause disamenities like the soiling of clothes." It continued, "The public can help reduce the pigeon population growth by not feeding these birds and by ensuring that food scraps are properly disposed [of]."
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NParks added that it employs a scientific strategy to manage the rock pigeon population, which includes eliminating human-based food sources and introducing techniques to anticipate their foraging and roosting patterns. The government organization added that it had warned or fined more than 270 people for feeding birds between February 2021 and March 2023.