Woman fined for repeatedly feeding wild birds, throwing food out from vehicle window

SINGAPORE: Despite being issued a warning and advised to cease feeding wild birds, a girl continued to throw food out of her vehicle for doves and mynahs to peck on.

Wendy Kang Mei Ling, 44, was fined S$3,000 by a district court docket on Wednesday (Oct 27) for three counts of deliberately feeding wildlife with out written approval. Another two expenses had been considered.

The court docket heard that Kang was seen throwing food to birds in Sengkang in August 2020, and a letter of warning was issued to her.

However, she continued feeding wild birds from Apr 13 this 12 months to Jun 1. She would throw food from her vehicle to feed doves and mynahs, which come beneath the outline of "wild birds" beneath the Wildlife Act, the National Parks Board (NParks) prosecutor mentioned.

She fed the birds by throwing food from her vehicle at 7am on Apr 13 alongside Tanah Merah Besar Road and at 8am on Apr 26 alongside Jalan Kayu. 

At 8am on May 30, she was noticed feeding wild birds from the passenger seat of a vehicle alongside Upper Changi Road North, and did so once more the following morning alongside Cosford Road.

Kang was seen feeding the birds once more from her vehicle alongside Upper Changi Road North on Jun 1.

An NParks case investigator flagged the case, and Kang was charged in court docket on Wednesday.

NParks prosecutor Packer Mohammad mentioned Kang has "proven to be a recalcitrant bird feeder" and requested for a complete positive of S$3,000.

He mentioned there was no case precedent for wild chook feeding beneath new amendments, however {that a} earlier case for wild boar feeding beneath the brand new legal guidelines drew a positive of S$2,500.

"Singapore is a city in a garden and wild birds such as doves and mynahs have ample natural food," he mentioned. "There's no reason for anyone to feed such birds."

He mentioned there have been "potentially serious" points that stem from feeding wild birds, resembling after they turn into conditioned to being fed by people and linger round human areas, leaving droppings behind.

"S$3,000 is reasonable and not harsh, and should be sufficient to send a strong message to like-minded wild bird feeders," he mentioned.

The decide meted out the steered positive, bearing in mind the truth that Kang was pleading responsible on the earliest alternative.

For every cost of deliberately feeding wildlife, she may have been fined as much as S$5,000 as a first-time offender.