Kishore Shannon has some of the wildest animal stories from anyone you’ve ever met. And that’s saying something – we have members of our editorial team who used to volunteer at the Singapore Zoo and even they’re astounded by Shannon’s experiences.
As an important member of J K Wildlife, an animal advocacy and specialist group who are experts in wildlife handling, management, rescuing, and relocation, he has seen his fair share of domestic animal issues. And these aren’t cases in zoos – they’re happening right in the heart of our residential estates.
“We have a lot of cases in which pythons get stuck in places they cannot get out of,” he tells AUGUSTMAN. “We had a python stuck in a drain. It took us five hours to get it out. It took all our tools and resources. But it was a good rescue. We managed to get it out safely and we brought it to the vet and it was okay.”
“It was a big python, about two-and-a-half, three meters. It was stuck in a drain and its head was popping out, facing us. We had to calm it down. It had a nail wedged into its body, which is how it got stuck. It required a lot of manpower. We had to destroy a lot of the concrete around it to get this one python out safely.”
He understands that what he does is underappreciated – but essential.
Shannon says, “Animal conservation is the lifeline of our country. We have all been in Singapore for such a long time and we don’t realise that these animals have been here for a lot longer than we have. People always overlook what they have around them. They take things for granted.”
“I think my line of work is not something everybody can do. It’s not something everybody can handle. You must have the heart for it and the strength to carry on each day because it’s tedious work. It can be draining. I work all hours of the day, but it’s fun, it’s rewarding. I meet new people. Each case to me is like a new adventure. It’s important to me that I go down and settle these cases. At the end of the day, once we capture the snake, the monitor lizard, the civet, we get to share with people why these animals are here, how they got to be here – that’s most important for me. If I’m able to advocate and educate even a little but, just plant a seed, who knows what might happen next.
Which brings us to one of the most important aspects of Shannon’s work – education. On top of roughing it out in drains and jungles, Shannon also speaks to a lot of people about animal protection, teaching them about animal behaviour and how best to manage unexpected animal situations.
“I feel that education is important in conservation and our co-existence with animals, which is something I strongly believe in. I’m fortunate that J K Wildlife has given me a chance to work with animals, to further my knowledge and to keep things alive for us.”
He loves his job, but admits it can be challenging. “It’s not always a fun time coming to work. We do have casualties, we do lose lives. The amount of roadkill in Singapore, for example, has risen to the thousands over the past two years. That’s something we’re looking to prevent. It gets challenging. The main problem we face is the public’s lack of understanding and knowledge of the wildlife around them.”
People are truly part of the problem. He explains, “People see a cobra or a python and they get scared. They buy a house near a forested area, and then they see a macaque come to your house. They start calling NParks or ACRES and they expect them to do something about it. What people need to understand is that these animals have been there long before you have been, and they will be there long after you’re gone. So we have to learn to respect them and understand what they need.”
“We need to learn to coexist.”
