When a giant monitor lizard crashes your morning walk with a stingray snack in Singapore—you know it’s not your average day at the reservoir. This is what happened to Navaraj Rajendran, a veterinary student, on a morning stroll with his girlfriend, at MacRitchie Reservoir in Singapore on July 20, 2025. The pair witnessed a massive monitor lizard approximately 2 to 2.5 metres long dragging a sizable stingray out of the water before consuming it near the boardwalk. The rare scene, eventually posted on social media, shocked onlookers and had some locals confused that stingrays were even present in the reservoir. Here’s what happened.
Huge lizard feasts on stingray
The unexpected wildlife scene at MacRitchie Reservoir was unusual and it appeared the lizard did not directly catch the stingray itself. Onlookers noted a fishing line hanging from the stingray’s mouth—suggesting it might have died from the fishing hook before the lizard claimed it. Despite the attention, the lizard seemed content with its stingray meal before retreating back into the water to finish it off in peace.
The rare sight quickly went viral after Nava posted his photos and videos to social media. This sparked some online discussion and curiosity on different pages about how the stingrays got into the area— since many locals were unaware they were present in the reservoir. Certainly, this knowledge contributed to the surprise and confusion among the community following the viral footage.
In typical Singaporean fashion, netizens expressed mixed reactions online with some finding it fascinating and others commenting humorously on how the stingray meal might be lacking sambal. From users comparing it to a ”real-life Nat Geo moment,” and others just appreciating the rare glimpse…social media was on fire with online debates after the incident.
In fact, a similar incident happened last November where a man witnessed a scene like this at Sungei Buloh before posting it into Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group.
Overall, this rare event highlighted the complex ecosystems of Singapore’s reservoirs—where surprising wildlife interactions (such as the lizard vs. stingray) occur away from the urban eye in Singapore. Certainly, something to look out for in the city-state on your next hike.
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