Once thought to be extinct in Singapore, wild otters are making a comeback to the urban city state.

There are more and more sightings of wild otters in Singapore in recent years. There are two species of otters in SG – smooth-coated otters and Asian small-clawed otters. Their diet consists of fish, frogs, crabs, turtles etc.

People are excited to see them especially in the urban jungle where sightings of wild animals are rare. Kids are especially thrilled to see wild otters and here are some places that they have been spotted recently and you can try your luck:

where to see otters in singaporeImage Credit: Ottercity

1. Bishan Park




2. Coney Island

3. Kallang River

4. Marina Reservoir / Gardens By the Bay

family of otters at marina reservoir

5. Peirce Reservoir Reservoir

6. Pandan Reservoir

7. Punggol Waterway

otters in singapore

8. Sentosa

9. Singapore River

10. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

11. Pulau Ubin

12. Pasir Ris Park

13. Singapore Botanic Gardens

14. Jurong Lake Gardens

15. Canal near Jurong Point

16. Bedok Reservoir


Of course, luck may not always be on your side to spot them and the only way to really see them without disappointing your kids is to visit one of the parks by Wildlife Reserves Singapore:

Night Safari

River Wonders

otter in river safari

Singapore Zoo


If you happen to see wild otters, do follow the guidelines by NParks below for a pleasant experience for both you and the otters. You can also help the on-going research on the otters of Singapore by recording your sightings here.

NParks Otter Sign

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