Reptile Awareness Day: Do you know your scaly neighbour?

Article by Kannan Raja, President of Herpetological Society of Singapore

Singapore may be a highly urbanised island, but we are also home to an impressive diversity of wildlife. While some are rarely seen except in our nature reserves, others, especially reptiles, have become remarkably good at navigating our urban spaces.

Snakes moving through drains, monitor lizards crossing roads, and crocodiles appearing along waterways can all create moments of surprise, fear, and concern. Yet these encounters also remind us that Singapore remains part of a living, diverse ecosystem.

Your Local Neighbourhood Reptile

Of Singapore's reptiles, snakes in urban areas probably generate the strongest reactions. The reticulated python, the world's longest snake species, is the clearest example of an animal that has adapted to our urban environment. A large, non-venomous snake, it travels through our immense network of drains and canals, seeking out mice and rats, making them an important part of the ecosystem and a natural form of pest control.

Reticulated Python. Photo courtesy of Shivaram Rasu

Another well-urbanised snake is the equatorial spitting cobra. It has been recorded in forests, gardens, parks, and urban areas where prey such as rodents and frogs are widely available. A recent encounter happened in September 2026, when a spitting cobra was reported around Serangoon Gardens. NParks conducted searches after the sightings and advised residents to remain calm, keep their distance, and give the snake space to retreat. Despite being highly venomous, it is generally shy, prefers to avoid people, and will flee when encountered.

Equatorial Spitting Cobra. Photo courtesy of Robbin Tan

Monitor lizards are another familiar urban reptile. Singapore has three native species, with the Malayan water monitor being the most commonly encountered. While they are commonly found in forests and mangroves, they also use artificial canals, park connectors, and other modified habitats to move around. As scavengers, monitor lizards help break down dead animal matter and recycle nutrients back into the environment.

Malayan Water Monitor. Photo courtesy of Law Ing Sind

When wildlife becomes a "problem"

Human-wildlife interactions in urban areas often begin with a very understandable reaction: “What is that doing here?”

A python under a bus seat, a snake outside a house, a monitor lizard wandering through a neighbourhood, or a crocodile sighted on the beach —such encounters can be startling. But an animal in an urban setting does not necessarily mean it is behaving abnormally.

In October 2025, ACRES rescued a juvenile reticulated python from underneath a bus seat in Woodlands and relocated the animal into its natural habitat.

In another case in early 2025, a reticulated python became trapped in a narrow drain pipe near Clarke Quay MRT. NParks officers spent several hours freeing it before taking it for assessment.

These incidents illustrate something important about urban wildlife: animals do not understand our boundaries in the way we do. A drain is not simply infrastructure to a python; it can be a potential habitat, shelter, feeding ground, or route of movement.

Coexistence starts with space.

Coexistence does not mean that we have to be comfortable with every animal we encounter. You do not need to love snakes to appreciate their ecological role. You do not need to approach a monitor lizard to respect it. And nobody should attempt to handle any reptiles for a selfie.

Coexistence often means doing something much simpler: giving wildlife space.

If you encounter a reptile in an urban area, move away and allow it to escape. Keep children and pets away. Do not corner it, chase it or attempt to catch it. If you need assistance, contact the NParks or ACRES hotlines.

Singapore's biodiversity isn't neatly confined within the boundaries of our major nature reserves. Our parks, waterways, drains, gardens, and even roadside planting form a network through which wildlife moves.

Rather than viewing every encounter as a failure of urban planning or encroachment, we can see them as opportunities to become better neighbours. We can design infrastructure that reduces dangerous interactions, educate communities about wildlife behaviour, and ensure that professional advice and assistance are readily available whenever residents have concerns about wildlife encounters.

Our reptiles are part of Singapore's natural heritage. They play ecological roles that often go unnoticed until we encounter them up close. On Reptile Awareness Day, perhaps the most useful thing we can do is remember that coexistence is not about keeping wildlife out of our cities. It is about being aware of the wildlife that shares our urban landscapes.