Singapore's largest continuous forest was split in two in 1986 by the Bukit Timah Expressway, over strong opposition from environmentalists. The Central Catchment and Bukit Timah nature reserves were cut apart.
The six-lane highway became almost impossible for mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians to cross. More than 50 Sunda pangolins, an endangered species, were found dead on the expressway between 1994 and 2014. Banded leaf monkeys vanished from Bukit Timah reserve altogether.
A bridge for wildlife
In 2009 the government decided to reconnect the habitats with an eco-link bridge, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. The 62-metre bridge was built between 2011 and 2013. It would not have happened without researchers, NGOs, nature groups and citizens working alongside the Land Transport Authority, the Ministry of Defence, PUB, NParks and the universities.
