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SINGAPORE -NTUC FairPrice apologized on Friday (October 16) afternoon after a video of a bat feeding on a banana comb at the supermarket chain’s 24-hour store in Jurong East circulated online.
In a Facebook post on Friday afternoon, FairPrice said it was aware of the viral video of the incident outside the point of sale at 345 Jurong East St 31, where the fruits were displayed.
But it is unclear on what day and at what time the video was shot that night.
“Since then, we have moved all fruits into the store to prevent future occurrences, and checks have also been carried out to ensure that affected fruits have been discarded,” FairPrice said in the Facebook post.
The grocery chain has contacted the authorities to investigate the cause of the presence of bats in the area. The Straits Times has contacted FairPrice for more details.
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) deputy executive director Kalai Vanan told ST that the bat in the video is a lesser dog-faced fruit bat, commonly found in Singapore, and even residential areas, as they feed on a variety of wild species. flora.
“In this case, the bat showed its opportunistic nature by feeding on readily available bananas,” he added.
Kalai also said it was good for FairPrice to move the fruits around the store.
“In the future, we hope that NTUC can look for alternative ways to display the fruits that prevent (animals) access to the fruits,” he said.
“Taking out the bats would not be a solution as long as the food supply is still there.”
This is not the first time this year that bats have been detected in urban settings.
Last month, bats flew into the homes of some residents in Block 14 of Upper Boon Keng Road. Subsequently, the Jalan Besar City Council pruned fruit trees near the affected block to discourage bats from roosting there.
People have also become more nervous about bats here, as they can be a source of the coronavirus in other parts of the world.
A scientist at the World Health Organization said in May that Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, comes from a group of viruses that originate or are transmitted by bats.
In February, The Straits Times reported that Singapore authorities were receiving more bat-related reports than usual, and some people were concerned that they might contract the coronavirus from the critters.
One person reportedly dumped a live bat down a garbage dump.
Experts told The Straits Times last month that bats in Singapore are highly unlikely to carry the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, but people who come into contact with one should take precautions.
Shy animals play an important role in the ecosystem as pollinators and seed dispersers, as well as helping to keep the insect population in check.
According to the National Parks Board’s Animal Advisory on Bats, the public is encouraged to leave bats alone when they find them. Those who come into contact with bats should wash their hands well with soap.
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