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Residents in Singapore will occassionally catch the sight of eagles soaring or circling in the skies of this urban jungle.
Unlike those magnificent sights, some park users witnessed an eagle struggling to get rid of a fish hook on Jan. 24 evening.
Eagle stuck with a fish hook in Kallang
The hook was caught on the wing of one white-bellied sea eagle at Pelton Canal in Kallang.
The fish hook belonged to an angler who was at the scene. The raptor was flying in the vicinity prior to the accident.
The angler as well as other park users were shocked to see the raptor struggling on the ground, as they watched on helplessly.
Photo courtesy of Lim Weiquan.
One witness told Mothership that no one expected this to happen and the onlookers did not know how to react or save the raptor.
Video by Lilian.
The raptor flapped its wings and stumbled on the ground for almost a minute.
Fortunately, it managed to free itself from the fish hook eventually.
Photo courtesy of Lim Weiquan.
Video by Lilian.
While a part of Pelton Canal, between Kallang Way 1 to Kallang Way 5, is a designated fishing area under PUB's trial programme, anglers are encouraged to observe their surroundings before casting their fishing line.
More about white-bellied sea eagles in Singapore
White-bellied sea eagles are Singapore's largest resident raptor.
While they are usually sighted near the coast, they also hunt for fish in reservoirs and canals after adapting to the urbanised environment.
They nest on tall trees as well as man-made structures like telecommunication buildings, according to NParks.
Top image via Lilian's video screengrab and Lim Weiquan's photo