Singapore ― The hunting mission of a shrew targeting a cockroach was highlighted on social media, garnering calls from Housing & Development Board (HDB) residents to employ the mole-like mammal for pest control.
A member of the public took to Facebook page Singapore Wildlife Sightings on Oct 15 to share having witnessed nature in motion.
Cheng Min Jie noted that it was his first time seeing a shrew hunt a cockroach.
“It’s a long chase around the lift lobby, and I had to ensure passersby didn’t disturb the two combatants,” said the witness.
“At last, the shrew caught the cockroach head and chewed it off – game over!”
He attached photos of the close relative to hedgehogs & moles standing beside the headless cockroach and another, with the remains of the meal being only the wings.
“Shrews help to keep the cockroach population in check. Unfortunately, they are often mistaken as rats and killed due to complaints from residents,” noted Facebook user Douglas Kwok in a comment.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), shrews are often mistaken as rats in Singapore’s urban setting, but they are a different species from rats.
Shrews are usually found in gardens, foraging for seeds and insects and worms in leaf litter.
Although shrews have not been implicated as vectors that transmit diseases, NEA urges the public to handle them with care, much like other wild animals. There have been reports of shrews harbouring pathogens such as hantaviruses leptospira bacteria.
Meanwhile, residents wondered if shrews could be utilised to keep pests in control.
“Respect! I would pay him town council pest control fees! You deserve a pay raise,” said Facebook user John Jads.
“Can we keep them in HDB estates instead of having to rely on town councils to do their work?” asked another netizen. /TISG
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