6-year-old left shaken after snake slithers into Singapore's Bird Paradise toilet

For many children, encountering insects or snakes can be frightening. For one six-year-old girl, that fear became a reality when a snake slithered into a toilet at Singapore's Bird Paradise.

Sharing the experience on social media app Xiaohongshu on Saturday (Aug 8), the child's mother, a tourist visiting Singapore, said she was waiting outside the toilet for her daughter when she felt her foot hit something. 

Initially not thinking much of it, she later realised that it was a snake. 

Worried that her daughter might be frightened, the mother immediately warned her, as the snake slithered into the second cubicle before escaping through a drain in the third.

"My mind went blank the entire time. Although I was shocked by it, I guess this is a different kind of experience," she wrote.

A video shared on her social media account also showed a black snake slithering across the toilet floor before disappearing into one of the stalls.

Speaking to 8world, the mother, Li Ting, said the incident occurred on Aug 5 at a toilet near the park's performance area. 

She added that her six-year-old daughter was inside a stall when the snake entered and was left terrified by the encounter.

Visitors advised to keep safe distance when encountering wildlife

Responding to queries from AsiaOne, a spokesperson for Mandai Wildlife Group said visitors should avoid approaching, touching or attempting to handle wildlife.

"For everyone's safety and the well-being of the animal, we encourage guests who encounter wildlife to calmly move to a safe distance and give the animal space," said the spokesperson, adding that snakes are generally harmless if left undisturbed.

"(Visitors) can also alert our staff, who are trained to respond to sightings across our parks, including situations where an animal may be trapped and need assistance."

Mandai Conservation Group said its parks are home not only to animals under its care, but also to a diverse range of native wildlife, including colugos, macaques and various reptiles that naturally inhabit the surrounding landscape.

The group added that wild animals roam freely within the parks and public spaces as part of their coexistence with the natural environment.

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com