Family of otters treated like royalty as Istana guards halt traffic just for them

Commuters travelling towards Plaza Singapura faced quite an unusual bump on the road, their journey delayed just for a family of otters to cross the road safely.

In a TikTok video posted on Thursday (March 10), the otter family received quite the royal treatment when two Istana police guards turned off the traffic light just to escort the furry VVIPs across an otherwise busy five-lane road.

@sgcoolguy1974 #cute #sg #singapore #sgtiktok #fyp #fypsg #sgtrending #otter #otters #ottersoftiktok #otterlover #animal #wildlife ♬ original sound - SgCoolGuy1974

In the video, the police guards were seen holding up their hands to stop traffic, preventing vehicles from running over the animals.

The final furry straggler could be seen dashing its way across the road to join his family before the commuters waiting were given the cue to move forward.

This video was shot by a commuter on a double-decker bus.

There were mixed reactions to this incident, with some netizens calling otters a pest, while others were gushing over how adorable the little creatures are and expressing their gratitude towards the police guards.

Even the Singapore Police Force couldn't resist taking to Instagram on Friday (March 11) to have a dig at the unexpected incident.

These smooth-coated otters have been spotted more frequently over the past years with Singapore’s restoration efforts, and regardless of the mixed sentiments from Singaporeans, it is safe to say that they are here to stay.

ALSO READ: Over 4 days, otters gobble up nearly 100 fish at Church of St Teresa

syarifahsn@asiaone.com