Singapore has its fair share of wildlife sightings despite our rapid urbanisation. Aside from snakes and wild boars, sometimes Mother Nature surprises us with rare creatures making their way into our shores.
For the past week, wildlife enthusiasts have gathered in Hougang to see this majestic mandarin duck.
If you’re eager to see it for yourself, here’s what you need to know about this creature.
Mandarin ducks are native to East Asian countries like China and Japan. As such, locals were surprised when it made an appearance near Block 522 Hougang Ave 6.
On Friday (11 Jun), a netizen shared a photo of curious onlookers observing the duck to the 走，新加坡 Facebook group.
A small crowd with cameras, standing from a reasonable distance, sought to preserve the memory of this rare event.
While the sudden gathering was a curious sight, we can understand why these folks were raring to see the duck for themselves.
Widely regarded as the world’s most beautiful duck, the species is known for its eye-catching plumage.
Gaze in awe at the bronze-colored sides, orange face, and dark green feathers along its back.
Finding this beauty in Singapore is extremely rare, which is perhaps why some netizens on online forum HardwareZone think that it could be an escaped pet. Whether this is really the case is currently unclear.
Mandarin ducks symbolise love and fidelity in China.
They are known to remain loyal and devoted to their chosen partner throughout their lifetime. This is likely why a duck would be grief-stricken if the other dies.
The remaining duck will apparently lose the will to live and die soon after.
Due to this symbolism, Chinese brides may sometimes receive a pair of these ducks on their wedding day.
Ever since the Hougang Ave 6 sighting, the majestic mandarin duck has reportedly appeared in other locations within the vicinity.
So if you happen to be in Hougang, keep a lookout for this rare feathered creature.
We’re curious as to how this beautiful duck found its way into our city, but it seems these details will remain a mystery for now.
Here’s to hoping Mother Nature will continue to delight us with wonderful wildlife sightings.
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Featured image adapted from Joyce Le Mesurier on Facebook and Zoey Xuan on Facebook.
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