Otter families engage in territorial clash in Alexander Canal, charge in formation
Two otter families engaged in a clash at Alexandra Canal yesterday morning (25 Jan), treating curious onlookers to a synchronised charge accompanied by loud battle cries.
Both sides dived upon contact and vanished from view, leaving the outcome inconclusive.
Otter families dive in Alexandra Canal after group charge
After footage of the encounter was uploaded on Facebook, the original poster (OP), who wished to be referred to as “Loonz”, told MS News that it occurred at about 7.50am last Sunday.
The video showed both families mid-charge in Alexandra Canal near Alexandra Primary School, slicing through the water in what appeared to be “battle formations”.
Source: Loonz on Facebook
The larger group on the right let out loud squeaks as they surged forward, thrashing through the water.
Source: Loonz on Facebook
Loonz told MS News that he did not realise it was a clash at the time, initially describing it as a gathering.
However, a commenter later identified the incident as a “territorial clash” between two rival otter families.
Source: Facebook
Just as both families reached each other, they immediately dived and vanished from sight.
Source: Loonz on Facebook
Only two otters from the right-side family remained at the surface, briefly tangling with each other, seemingly to confirm they were on the same side.
Source: Loonz on Facebook
After a short while, the otters resurfaced and continued swimming to the right, with the fight appearing to be brief.
Source: Loonz on Facebook
Otter families supposedly eating & raising young prior to clash
Loonz said the family on the left had been eating upstream prior to the clash, sharing a photo of one of them enjoying breakfast.
Image courtesy of Loonz
He added that the larger otter family on the right might have been raising their pups further downstream.
Although Loonz left the scene after filming the video, he later spotted the larger otter family at the Singapore River near the Four Points by Sheraton Singapore hotel at around 9.20am.
Otter turf wars aren’t unheard of in Singapore, with several clashes between different families having gone viral in the past.
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Featured image adapted from Loonz on Facebook.
