The unforgiving sun beat down on the skillet-hot concrete. My business attire was uncomfortably inappropriate for these conditions. Another trickle of sweat snaked its way past my ear. The assault by the midday sun was a small price to pay for this incredible experience. It isn’t every day that I find myself crouched down, looking into the beautiful onyx eyes of a wild Smooth-coated Otter.

The otter was a little over touching distance away. It looked back into my eyes, calm but watchful. It is rare, bordering on unheard of, to be able to sit so close to a wild adult otter, but this isn’t just any old otter. This is one of Singapore’s famous Smooth-coated Otters. These stars of television have not only become accustomed to the presence of humans, but have even moved into some of the country’s prime real estate locations. Unbeknownst to me, this unique encounter at Marina Bay was about to become an important part of my life, at least for a few weeks.

Marina Bay is a 590-acre fish-filled body of water in the heart of the city. In 2008 the Marina Barrage was constructed across the mouth of Marina Channel, turning a salty bay into a freshwater reservoir. The water is surrounded by baked concrete, bustling with busy humans. It is overlooked by the three imposing towers of Marina Bay Sands. This four-star hotel and cathedral of high-end shopping stands between the green of the Gardens by the Bay and the financial heart of the city. The otters of Singapore have learned to cross the divide between the wild green spaces and the glittering domain of humans.

Rumor had it that a family of otters had found a hole under the pavement by the bay and that they were settling in to raise a family. It is one thing to hunt in the waters of the bay, out of the dangerous reach of people, but surely a globally endangered species wouldn’t attempt to raise a family in a Financial District. I headed to the bay with my camera in hand to find out for myself.

The bay was quiet except for selfie-seeking tourists and a few hungry office workers out searching for an early bite to eat. I walked along the water’s edge, turning towards Marina Bay Sands, when I spotted a National Parks signboard. Sure enough, the sign was asking us to keep a safe distance from otters as the area serves as a temporary nursing site.

I hung around watching the water for a while when the peace was suddenly shattered. The familiar sound of high-pitched squeaks and whistles in a tornado of chaos that always follows these rambunctious rapscallions. People rushed to get a view and phones were wrestled from pockets. I heard the squeals and gasps of humans and the clatter of claws on the wooden boardwalk, as a romp of otters came bounding in my direction. Four large otters raced towards me with their ears pinned back and heads down. I crouched low and fired off some shots. What could be more surreal than a galloping otter family with an international shopping destination on their left, the iconic Apple Store to their right and Asia’s banking centre in front of them?

The little family bounded on, racing up a set of stairs and across the apron of the bay to an area that had been fenced off by National Parks. They slipped through the barriers and poured themselves into a hole created where a paving slab had been left out to accommodate a tree.

This was an exciting development; nursing otters just a few minutes walk from my office. Over the coming weeks, I visited them often, getting up early to look for them before work, skipping eating in favour of an afternoon check-in, and an evening stop before commuting home.

Every time the otters appeared at their holt crowds would gather. Shock turned to fascination which blossomed into happiness. Shoppers, tourists, workers, men, women, children, everyone pulled out a camera and broke into a soppy smile. The little otter family were celebrities, but few knew that under the concrete the family was growing. Brand new otters were being born.

People gathered around the barriers, often blocking the otter’s route to their fishing grounds, seemingly unaware that these were wild animals. Otters have all the tools they need to defend themselves vigorously, but the patient otters would point in the direction of travel and squeak until the humans got the message, albeit with a little help from a wonderful group of volunteer Otter Watchers.

The sky was grey and heavy when I set off to look for the otters on my way home from the office. The air was syrupy and clung to my skin and my hair crackled with static. A storm was close, but the silvery lining of the darkening clouds gave hope that perhaps it would miss the bay. There were no otters in sight, but I thought I’d give it a few more minutes, just in case. A huge droplet of rain burst on the tip of my nose, then another, and another and with a great roar, a thundery deluge cascaded from the sky. The city was shrouded in charcoal as the rain hammered down with such violence that the trees gave up their blossoms and many of their leaves. I waited under a canopy as blustering rain misted my glasses until finally, the drops got smaller before shrinking to a warm fading fog under a brightening sky.

I walked over to the holt for one last peep before heading to the station. It was at this moment that I found myself in the middle of an adrenaline-charged, whiskery drama. The adult otters bounded back to the holt from their afternoon fishing expedition. There was a sense of unease and some of the adults ran to the base of other tree trunks in the area and started sniffing, scraping and frantically digging. Suddenly, mother otter popped up from the den with a small, soggy, blind pup in her jaws.

Mother scrambled out of the den and placed the pup on the wet concrete. I could see the pup’s fur was damp. The heavy rain must have seeped into the holt and flooded it enough to make Mother concerned. These pups shouldn’t be seeing the light of day for another six weeks. There and then, at the start of Downtown Singapore’s rush hour, she decided that it was time to move her entire family to a new, safe, dry den.

A quick pup inspection complete with a second opinion was completed and the relocation operation began. One adult ran hard the 80 meters to the location of the new den. A long sprint for short legs, and longer for Mother carrying a mouthful of chubby pup. Nevertheless, the move had to be done.

Mother gently gripped the first pup by the neck and began to run. With her head held high, she galloped along the busy pavement, weaving between Louis Vuitton and Louboutin. Confused people parted to make way for this most unusual of sights. The blind pup hung like a child’s stuffy with its fat little belly swinging in time with the gallop, like a fuzzy pendulum. Mother paused halfway and noisily sucked in air before rising again for a sprint finish, and slipping into the entrance of the new holt.

Mother surfaced again immediately for the sprint back to her old den before repeating the operation again and again until she had relocated four beautiful pups. Two amazing Otter Watchers helped marshal the fascinated onlookers to provide the otter with a clear path. Stress was etched onto the faces of the otters and Otter Watchers, but Mother did a brilliant job. The big move ended well and Mother belly-flopped onto the wet concrete outside the new holt to cool, and to gasp her breath back.

Overnight a team from National Parks relocated the barriers around the new holt, under the blue glass of one of the world’s most powerful banking operations. The barriers were intended to protect the holt from humans getting too close, but as far as the otters were concerned they owned Marina Boulevard. Over the coming days, I watched them romp their way between den and bay, darting between bicycle wheels and shuffling feet.

Everywhere the otters ran they were greeted with glee. Their chaotic sprints left a trail of joy in their wake. Videos and photographs were taken and shared with loved ones near and far. Singapore has a vision to be a City in Nature. If ever proof were needed that this vision can be realised then this was it. If a global advert for the vision were required then it was right here, made flesh and fur by a small brave family of Smooth-coated otters.

Several weeks passed and I knew that it would soon be time for the otter pups to surface. Time for them to see daylight for the first time and take in what for them would be a natural habitat that they were born into. A habitat of concrete, cars, bicycles, shoes and strange tall two-legged animals.

It was during a lunch break when I looked into the eyes of four wobbly-legged pups for the first time. My heart almost burst as I watched the first little whiskery nose sniffing the pavement while Mother stayed in constant contact with her precious baby. The pup stumbled forward and mother gathered it up, shoving it back into the holt with her nose. I guess that was enough exercise for the time being.

A few days passed and the pups grew stronger and more confident. The adults stayed extra vigilant and ready to protect their little ones if needed, but they also relaxed just enough to give the pups some space to explore. I watched the little ones sunbathe, roll in the sand and wrestle a little while they waited for an adult to return with a fish tail to nibble and gum. The humans gathered around with even more joy now. What could bring more happiness to a day than a bundle of fresh baby otters?

The next milestone in the life of a little otter would be to learn how to swim. Otters are not born as natural swimmers. A baby otter has to be taught how to swim by its family. I was dearly hoping to witness this moment, but the steep concrete walls of the bay seemed like a dangerous proposition for a youngster getting their feet wet for the first time. The otter family appeared to have had the same thought.

Risking the wheels of speeding cars to cross fast and wide Marina Boulevard, the otters carried their pups deeper into the domain of humans, moving to a park in the heart of the Financial District. There may not be any fish to eat there, but there were some warm, shallow water features in the gardens. These could be the perfect pools in which to teach the kids how to swim.

It was late afternoon, and the light was fading in the shadows of skyscrapers. With no sign of the otters, my thoughts turned to the station entrance beside the park. As is so often the case with wildlife, patience and time were rewarded. As I opened my bag to pack away my camera the otters surfaced from the den. A group of adults bounded over to the pool and plunged in, wrestling and playing as they tumbled through the water. Then came mother with a single pup, leaving the other three pups in the safety of the holt. She dove into the pool before turning and clambering out immediately to be with her little one.

There comes a time in an otter pup’s life when she must cross the great divide between her early life on land and her new life in the water. For this little one, the first paddles into that new life had to start now. I couldn’t believe that I had the privilege of being there to witness it.

Mother slipped back into the pool while the little otter was standing on the edge, terrified to take the plunge into an alien world. The whole family was encouraging her to join them. In a few weeks, she would realise that she was born for this life. Blessed with a mastery, grace, and beauty in water that would be the envy of the animal kingdom. Right there on the concrete edge, though, it was a terrifying prospect, and she couldn’t help but cry.

While she wailed for the warmth and safety of the den, her mother and older siblings gently encouraged her with soft peeps and whistles until finally, and with Mother’s help, she plopped into the water with a squeal. Shocked and uncertain she dragged herself onto her mother’s back before shakily pulling herself back onto warm concrete. That was more than enough for one day!

The otters quickly moved on from the Financial District. The hunger for a steady supply of juicy fish was strong, and having finally gotten their feet wet the little ones would need to progress their swimming skills fast. With the pups growing in strength, they romped their way overland to the mouth of the Singapore River, pausing for a couple of nights at the grounds of the luxurious Fullerton Hotel.

This prime location must be one of the busiest spots in Singapore. No place for a new family to rest and grow. One fine day the little family slipped down the stone steps of the river walls into the river and with a few loud squeaks and flashes of tiny tails, they were gone.

It has been some weeks since I last saw the family. I heard that they went upriver, that they are healthy and happy, but are still creating occasional moments of chaos and stress for the dedicated Otter Watchers. Still spreading happiness and making smiles wherever they go.

It’s not easy to be an otter in the city, so I, like so many others, am grateful that they trust us enough to work hard at it. I hope that we humans can continue to do the same. I dearly hope that I meet them again someday soon and get to feel that same excitement and joy that they gave me during their short, beautiful, action-packed stay at Marina Bay.

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Categories: AsiaTags: animals, Nature, otters, photography, Singapore, Travel, wildlife