The Bishan otter dad has passed away, according to a post by the otter-loving community OtterWatch.

Signs of being unwell the past week

The otter, about seven to eight years old, was diagnosed to have been showing signs of being unwell the week before it died.

OtterWatcher, Jeffery Teo, told Mothership the otter was first observed alone and looked ill.

Subsequently, it seemed alright and was with the family until Friday afternoon when it "acted strange" again.

Blood was spotted in its stool so the Otter Working Group (OWG) decided to trap it for treatment.

Two attempts to trap the otter were made with the help of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) on Saturday morning, but it was again unsuccessful.

Eventually, the team decided to abort the plan to avoid stressing it further.

The otter eventually died on Saturday, May 5, at about 2.30pm. It leaves behind a family of 14 otters.

The carcass of the otter has been retrieved by the Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

An autopsy will be carried out to find out the cause of death.

Remembering Bishan otter dad

Besides the joy that these cute furry friends bring to Singaporeans, the Bishan otter dad meant much more to otter-watchers.

Teo said: "This is a loss for everyone, especially to the academics. He provided so much learning and hypotheses validation. Almost everything we know about smooth-coated otters originated from him and his family."

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One comment in response to the announcement of the otter's death summed up the sentiments about the Bishan family of otters and their relationship with Singaporeans:

RIP, Bishan otter dad.

Top photo from Jeffery Teo

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