Macaques Spotted Snacking at Woodlands Void Deck
Residents in Woodlands were greeted by an unusual sight when at least 11 long-tailed macaques were seen loitering at an HDB void deck, casually munching on bananas and other fruits. The troop was captured in a short video that quickly spread on social media, showing macaques gathered near Block 874 along Woodlands Street 82, not far from Woodlands North Plaza.
In the clip, some macaques were busy chewing on food while fruits lay scattered across the floor. At one point, a banana was even tossed towards the animals from off-camera, prompting one macaque to turn its head, though it remained focused on the snack it already had in hand.
The sight drew mixed reactions online, with some amused by the scene, while others expressed concern that the animals were clearly being fed by people — a practice that is discouraged and even illegal in Singapore.
Why Feeding Macaques is Dangerous
According to the National Parks Board (NParks), feeding macaques encourages them to lose their natural foraging instincts and instead seek out human settlements in search of food. This not only increases human-wildlife conflict but also puts both parties at risk.
NParks has introduced several measures to manage the macaque population, including sterilisation programmes and habitat enhancement projects at areas like Coney Island Park, where more native fruit trees are being planted to provide natural food sources. In residential estates such as Punggol, officers have even deployed water gel bead blasters to safely herd macaques back into forested areas.
Residents are reminded to secure food waste properly, keep plastic bags out of sight, and most importantly, avoid feeding the animals under any circumstances.
Acres Calls for Stricter Enforcement
Animal welfare group ACRES has weighed in on the Woodlands incident, stressing that public feeding of macaques remains one of the biggest reasons for their intrusion into HDB estates. CEO Kalai Vanan highlighted that much of the forest cover in Woodlands has been lost over the past decade due to urban development, pushing wildlife closer to human habitats.
He urged stronger enforcement to deter feeders, pointing out that feeding wildlife is illegal and punishable under Singapore law. “As seen in the video, members of the public have been feeding macaques, which unfortunately encourages the animals to venture into nearby estates. This creates unnecessary conflict and puts both wildlife and people at risk,” Kalai said.
The viral sighting serves as a timely reminder that while macaques may seem entertaining to watch, encouraging their presence in our estates only leads to long-term problems. Residents are advised to call the authorities if they encounter repeated disturbances instead of attempting to interact with the animals.