Singapore Zoo incident sparks call for stricter wildlife penalties

A woman has caused a stir online after she was seen feeding a can of soft drink to a red ruffed lemur at the Singapore Zoo. This endangered species is protected, and the incident has raised concerns about how visitors interact with animals in zoos. The photo of the woman was shared on Instagram and quickly went viral. She is seen holding the drink can and touching the lemur's head. The zookeepers later assured that the lemur was not harmed after drinking the soda. The Mandai Wildlife Group, which oversees the zoo, reminded guests to avoid feeding and touching animals. This news comes shortly after another incident in Australia, where an influencer filmed herself taking a baby wombat from its mother. She later returned the baby, but her actions led to public outrage and calls for her deportation. There have been other similar incidents involving wildlife harassment by visitors. For example, at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, a baby hippo named Moo Deng faced harassment from guests trying to get her attention. Zoo officials have since warned against such behavior. In light of these ongoing issues, many are asking whether there should be stricter penalties for people who mistreat animals in these environments. A poll has been launched to gather public opinions on this matter.