Dead fish spotted at Sungei Buloh likely trapped and died due to recent hot weather: NParks

SINGAPORE – Scores of dead fish were seen at Sungei Buloh on Aug 5, with NParks saying that they were likely trapped in shallow waters and died subsequently due to the hot weather.

A Facebook user had posted a photograph of the dead fish, alongside several birds standing in shallow water, at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and wondered what had happened.

In a media reply, NParks had identified the fish as mostly of the milkfish species, a wild fish species that is found in Singapore’s coastal waters.

No other dead biodiversity was found along the surrounding coastal areas, it added.

NParks’ group director of conservation Lim Liang Jim said: “It is likely that the fish became trapped in shallow water bodies within the reserve and subsequently died due to the recent hot weather.”

NParks will remove the dead fish from the shore when the tide is suitable and it is safe to do so.

In April 2019, thousands of fish died in the waters near Lim Chu Kang jetty and in nearby fish farms.

The warmer weather was said to be the likely cause, as higher temperatures could have resulted in a lack of oxygen in the water.