Singapore's Resilient Reptile

Is the island nation ready for the return of this fearsome, misunderstood creature?

- Elliott James Ong

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?