Move over, Merlion
The return of long-absent otters is a sign of the city’s greening
WHEN Australia’s prime minister came to visit Singapore last year, his local counterpart took him to visit not the Merlion, a statue of a mythical creature adopted decades ago as a national mascot, but the Bishan Ten—a photogenic family of otters that have become something of a national obsession. In early August Singaporeans chose the Bishan Ten as the official emblem of their country’s 51st year. A state media firm has produced a documentary on the family, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. And the city-state has just hosted the 13th International Otter Congress.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Move over, Merlion”
From the August 27th 2016 edition
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