A quick post to raise awareness for the wildlife rescue charity ACRES (Animal Concerns Research & Education Society) and to urge people to sign up to their annual Charity Gala, which is taking place 16 August 2025 at One Farrer Hotel, Singapore. Find out more here.
As a volunteer for the last few years I have got to see first hand the amazing work they do in rescuing and rehabilitating Singapore’s wildlife. The small but insanely dedicated team work long hours on tight budgets to try and give the wonderfully diverse local wildlife - from pigeons to pythons, monitor lizards to mynahs and pangolins to plantain squirrels - a second chance, even as their natural habitats come under increasing pressure from Singapore’s ongoing drive for development.
Amazingly, a recent post by the nature focused new agency Mongabay, ranked Singapore as the most biodiverse country in the world based on area, yet it is also the third most densely populated country in the world (inhabitants per square km) after Monaco and Macao.
As the Singapore government preach the concept of a City in Nature, and continue to build next to the island's last remaining green spaces, the chance of human v wildlife conflict continues to increase. Evidence of this can be seen in ACRES's increasing case load over the last few years: The charity handled over 4,100 cases in 2024, a 20% increase from the previous year and rescued a total of 3,537 animals, a 25% increase from 2023.
The latest iteration of the trusty ACRES van kitted out to deal with every rescue eventuality.
As well as rescuing and rehabilitating local wildlife, ACRES also conduct a wide range of outreach to try and educate people on how they can live in harmony with their wild neighbours. They also play an active role in investigating animal cruelty cases and work with other organisations to crack down on the illegal wildlife trade, for which Singapore is a major hub.
The organisation receives no government funding and relies solely on donations so the Charity Gala really is their flagship fundraising event. This year's edition is looking to raise a not insignificant target of SG$400,000 and they hope to use those funds to expand the capacity of their Animal Sanctuary. Even if you can’t attend then it would be amazing if you can make any sort of donation or share this information with your network.
As ACRES puts it “your support helps give rescued animals a second chance at life and creates a future where all wildlife is treated with respect and compassion.”
Thanks!