Two affected kingfishers in stable condition but road to recovery long

At least 7 weeks needed for nursing oil spill survivors back to health; one bird mostly confined to incubator

- Lee Li Ying

The two oil-soaked collared kingfishers which survived the June 14 oil spill in Singapore waters are in a stable condition after extensive work by wildlife rescuers to save them – but they are not out of the woods yet.

Birds that survive oil spills typically require at least seven weeks to be nursed back to health, said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee in a Facebook post on June 26.

Four kingfishers were rescued from different parts of Singapore in the aftermath of the Republic’s worst oil spill in over a decade, caused by a dredging boat hitting a stationary bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

Two of them subsequently died.

One survivor is currently being treated at the National Parks Board’s (NParks) Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and the other is under the care of wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).

The collared kingfisher is the most common species of kingfisher in Singapore. It can be found throughout the country, including in urban areas away from water.

The Straits Times was given access to observe veterinary treatment for the kingfisher at NParks’ wildlife rehabilitation facility in Lim Chu Kang.