While I was cycling towards downtown to start my food delivery shift this morning, I spotted a lone smooth-coated otter on the other side of Kallang River.
I noticed debris in the water, which includes litter from drains probably washed into the river by the recent storm.
There is also some algae bloom on the water surface, which could be caused by eutrophication, which can harm aquatic plants and animals.
It occurs to me that while many of us have the privilege of staying in our cosy homes during the coronavirus crisis, our beloved otters have their homes threatened by pollution time and again.
It is a reminder of the fact that how we treat the environment matters a lot because as the Covid-19 virus pandemic has demonstrated, we are all interconnected and our actions affect both ourselves and others.
As we continue to practise safety measures such as social distancing to protect ourselves, let’s also continue to keep in remembrance those who are most vulnerable among us, including the less privileged or disabled folks as well as our animal friends who are voiceless and cannot speak up for themselves.
P.S. You can also help by sharing this post to spread the message on environmental awareness. It costs nothing, except perhaps a few seconds of your time.
Nature and Us 