Singapore is largely a concrete jungle — and a rather overpopulated one at that.
So on the rare occasions that wildlife is spotted, you can be sure that the animal in question will likely attract a fair amount of attention.
On Friday (27 May), a TikTok video posted by @benth3cheese showed a small bat flying around frantically in a train cabin. The same video was also posted on Singapore Incidents’ Facebook page a day later.
@benth3cheese Good morning Mr Bat. 🤩 #fyp #downtownline #singapore #mrt #goodmorning #bat
Aside from the lost mammal’s unusual visit, what was notable was how the commuters reacted.
On Friday (27 May), TikToker @benth3cheese shared a video of a small bat flitting about in the last cabin of a train in the morning.
The flying mammal had seemingly appeared out of nowhere when the train stopped at Sixth Avenue Station on the Downtown Line.
The 33-second video captures a myriad of reactions from the nearby commuters.
It is not known if the little bat was already on the train at the start of the journey, or if it had flown in later from the tracks.
Upon seeing the bat, one commuter seated on the far right raises his black backpack, as if to ward off the animal.
Then, in typical Singaporean fashion, a lady in a black dress on the left starts taking a video.
At the beginning of the clip, she had held up her bag to block herself from the frantic bat at first. Guess she calmed down and decided to record the whole thing instead.
The guy in white at the end of her row cranes his neck to look for the bat before glancing at his companion, as if to say, “Did you see that?”
Last but not least, one guy on the right slides down in his seat, presumably to avoid getting in the bat’s way.
The lady with the bag also goes back to covering her face near the end of the video. So does the guy with the black backpack, who seems to be squirming in his seat together with his female companion.
While we can understand their reactions, we’re pretty sure the poor trapped animal was more scared than any of the humans.
Needless to say, netizens had lots to say about the trapped bat’s unexpected visit, as well as the commuters’ reactions.
Many lost no time in making Batman references in the comments.
One joked there was a bat in the train cabin because the commuters were approaching “[Batman’s] cave”.
Another netizen quipped that “Mr Wayne’s pet” had lost its way. Mr Wayne refers to Bruce Wayne, Batman’s real name in the comic book series.
And then there was this user who questioned why the commuters were so scared of the small bat.
We can’t blame the commuters for their reactions, though.
It would be unnerving to be in the same confined space with a panicked flying creature, especially one that’s infamous for carrying all kinds of dangerous viruses.
Once in a while, our lives intersect with the big world that is Mother Nature and its inhabitants.
Sometimes, the encounters may be plain shocking and even off-putting. Whatever it is, it often gives us a rush of excitement to see a wild animal in our midst, assuming the creature is not too dangerous.
In any case, wild animals should be treated with care and respect. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, stay calm and do not get too close to the animal. You can call ACRES for assistance if necessary.
We hope the bat got out of the train cabin safely… and back to its bat cave.
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Featured image adapted from @benth3cheese on TikTok.
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