It is hard to imagine how wild Singapore used to be, especially when all you seem to hear about the tiny city-state are its towering skylines, round-the-clock container ports, and efficient train system, which snakes across the entire length of the island. It might be a shock then, that up until the mid-20th century, a maze of rivers and mangroves snaked across the island in much the same way.
It might be an even bigger surprise that Singapore was also a haven for huge saltwater crocodiles, which used this intricate maze of waterways to travel across the island. The Hikayat Hang Tuah, an 18th century Malay text, even mentions that the Straits of Singapore were infamous for being infested with crocodiles. Centuries ago, they were an undeniable part of everyday life for the indigenous communities, pioneer immigrants and colonials who had made Singapore their home. Given that saltwater crocodiles can grow to upwards of six metres and they are known for their ferociousness, the hostile relationship between crocodiles and humankind was probably a tense one at best: Crocodile sightings and attacks on human settlements were well-documented in written accounts and newspaper articles from the 1800s. As a result, these large reptiles were treated with both fear and reverence. Some people hunted them for meat while others respected them as keramats – spiritual guardians of their kampungs (villages).
Nowadays, most Singaporeans would be surprised to hear that crocodiles can still be found on the island. So where did all the crocodiles go?
Denne historien er fra AG 06/2021 - 151-utgaven av ASIAN Geographic.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra AG 06/2021 - 151-utgaven av ASIAN Geographic.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Revealed Doctor Yellow
Japan Railways' special lemony Shinkansen is a rare sight to behold
The Mighty Yellow
Over 5,000 kilometres long and flowing through nine provinces and autonomous regions, the Yellow River is China's second largest, after the Yangtze, while its basin is deemed the cradle of Chinese civilisation
Wildlife Big Yellow Beauty
The popular "amelanistic" form of the Burmese python is considered among the most beautiful snakes - if that's your sort of thing
All That Glitters Is Gold
From Turkey to China, the yellow metal plays a central role in cultural practices and is coveted as a symbol of affluence and status
Chengdu Hotel Spotlight TRIKA TSANG INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
For an authentic taste of Tibet in the heart of Chengdu, the most luxurious option is the majestic Trika Tsang International Hotel.
Conservation Yellow in Peril
While the demand for use in traditional Chinese medicine is putting seahorses under pressure, it is damaging non-selective fishing that is driving depletion
History Spiritual Rebirth
During the Spanish Golden Age, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan achieved the first European navigation to Asia via the Pacific, arriving in the Philippines in 1521 and claiming the islands for Spain. But by converting the first Filipinos to Catholicism, Magellan also instigated the Christianisation of the entire archipelago, a spiritual rebirth celebrated through the two most important festivals in the Philippines - Fiesta Señor and Sinulog.
Green Dreams
With its tea plantations and rice paddies, dense jungles and expansive forests, the region is well known as a green paradise. But many of the most impressive Asian landscapes have names you may never have heard of. Journey with us as we reveal just some of the incredible locations that make the rest of the world green with envy!
Life On The Edge
In the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, in the remote northern Russian Far East, indigenous ethnic groups like the Chukchi and the Yupik live in the most extreme conditions, hunting seals in their traditional kayaks as they have for millennia
The Karakoram Anomaly Decoded
For decades, scientists have believed that glaciers in the Karakoram Range are defying the trend of those across the globe-resisting glacial melt due to human-induced global warming. But as we trek up the Karakoram's second-longest glacier in July, as the United Nations announces the world's hottest ever month on record, does the melting ice beneath our feet suggest the so-called Karakoram Anomaly is slowing? Or is there a ray of hope it will continue to delay the inevitable?
