wild happenings in singapore

9-15 Nov: Highlights of the week ahead

2009-11-15T23:29:00.000+08:00

For kids and the family

MAD lessons on monkeys with Cicada Tree Eco Place.
Bats are beautiful! a night workshop for kids

Walks in wild places

Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh on Saturday and Sunday.
Nature walk at MacRitchie Prunus Trail.
"Getting to Know MacRitchie" walk.
Forest walk at the Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail.

Talks this week

14 Nov (Sat): "Colours of the Sea - An Underwater Fiesta!" for kids by Siti Maryam.
14 Nov (Sat): "Sexy & Naked For You" on slug photography by Ivan Choong.
11 Nov (Wed): "Nature is Changing: Copenhagen and beyond – what does it mean for Asia?" dialogue with experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Film screening

From 3 Nov: "Under the Sea 3D" screening at Omni-Theatre.

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Horseshoe crab Research and Rescue.
Butterfly Walk at Pasir Ris Park.

Announcements

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Route 2 closed 2-20 Nov (after Prawn Pond leading to Tower Hide 2C) for maintenance.
The Kampong Melayu trail going into Chek Jawa Wetlands from Kelichap Hut to Punai will be closed for repair and improvement works from 9 Oct to 30 Nov. Access to Chek Jawa will be via the Quarry trail from Berberek Hut to Punai Hut.
Kusu Island pilgrimage season 18 Oct - 16 Nov: road to Pier closed, regular ferries to St. John's suspended.

Registration now open

12 Dec (Sat): Young Naturalist Passport Camp at Sungei Buloh
5 Dec (Sat): Wild and Fabulous a fundraiser for ACRES
29 Nov (Sun): Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers
25 Nov (Wed): Nature Bloggers 2.0 - Level Up! by the Leafmonkey Workshop.
20 Nov (Fri): MAD lessons on monkeys with Cicada Tree Eco Place

Singapore news highlights

Crab expert leads charge on climate: Prof Peter Ng and the Dodo Chang Ai-Lien, Straits Times 7 Nov 09;
Clean coal/biomass cogeneration plant on Jurong Island to go ahead Ronnie Lim, Business Times 4 Nov 09;
Guitar shark caught off Changi Teh Jen Lee, The New Paper 5 Nov 09 AsiaOne;
Birds at Changi shot down only as a last resort Straits Times Forum 4 Nov 09;
Malaysia to double tiger population by next year: government AFP Google News 5 Nov 09;
Trash-eating Turtles Dying in Record Numbers PRWEB 5 Nov 09;
New record for Singapore! A sea cucumber at Changi from wild shores of singapore.

Visit the wildsingapore happenings blog for a full listing of upcoming events for the next three weeks and to search for events by your area of interest.

Photo of the week is this tiny basket star at Pulau Hantu found and shared by James on his blog. Our shores are very much alive!

Basket star, originally uploaded by [wj].

15 Nov (Sun): MAD lessons on monkeys with Cicada Tree Eco Place

2009-11-15T20:13:00.000+08:00

Monkeys are special. They are mammals just like we are. In Singapore, we have two species of monkeys that live wild and free. They are the Long-tailed Macaque and the Banded Leaf Monkey.

Come learn all about monkeys and other primates and how we can make a positive difference in their lives.

For kids aged 5-10 years.

Pre-registration required. Email Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg

Other date
20 Nov (Fri)

Time: 2.30-4.30pm
Cost: $15 per child which includes a lovely badge.
Venue: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden
Website: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg

15 Nov (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

2009-11-15T10:38:00.000+08:00

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

Special Mandarin guided tour at 9.30am to 11am. Please call at 67941401 to book this free guided tour. We need a minimum of 5 participants to commence the tour. Limited to maximum 15 participants.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Sunday morning, subject to availability of guides.

Time: 9.30 am (subject to availability of guides) for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

14 Nov (Sat): Bats are beautiful! - a night workshop for kids

2009-11-14T21:09:00.001+08:00

Bats are awesome flying mammals. They are important to us as they help pollinate plants that in turn produce fruit for us. Insect-eating bats help control our insect-pest numbers, while fruit-eating bats help disperse seeds that contribute to our forests. Join us in this bat-watching session and enjoy a “wayang kulit” (shadow-puppet show) about bats.

Suitable for children between 5-11 years old.

Limited to the first 30 sign-ups. Registration is on first-come-first-serve-basis. Closing date: 2 days before each programme. Please note that each workshop will only commence with minimum 15 participants. This is a collaboration between NParks and Cicada Tree Eco-Place.

Time: 5.30-8pm
Cost: $20 per child (materials included)
Venue: HortPark, Hands-On House
Contact: For more information or registration, please contact HortPark Visitor Services Counter at 6471-5601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

14 Nov (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

2009-11-14T10:37:00.001+08:00

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Saturday.

Time: 9.30am and 3.30pm for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

14 Nov (Sat): Nature walk at MacRitchie Prunus Trail

2009-11-14T10:37:00.000+08:00

Botanical wonders of MacRitchie. Free guided nature walk along boardwalks hugging the MacRitchie Reservoir. Learn about this mature secondary, spot forest and aquatic wildlife, enjoy panaromic views of waters surrounded by luxuriant forest.

Suitable for young children.

More about the MacRitchie Prunus Trail on the wildsingapore website and NParks website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks Central Nature Reserve and is held every second Saturday of the month.

Time: 9.30am. Meet at entrance of the trail, about 50m after the canoe kiosk on the eastern side of MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
Tour duration: About one hour.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: Woon_Ling_Ling@nparks.gov.sg or call 6554 5127.

14 Nov (Sat): "Getting to know MacRitchie" walk

2009-11-14T10:36:00.000+08:00

Want to about the history and importance of MacRitchie? Then this is the walk for you. Starting at the roundabout within the park, the first portion of the walk will cover the history of MacRitchie and its relationship with water. The second portion of the walk will cover how the forests around the reservoir play a very important role in maintaining the water quality�in MacRitchie�and how the various flora and fauna, within the forests, are vital to life. The walk will weave through the forest trail and end at the bandstand.

This free walk is also available in Mandarin, upon request.

Kindly dress in comfortable clothing and shoes for this walk. Do bring along water and an umbrella. In the event of bad weather, the walk will be cancelled.

Please register at least three days before the walk at 65545127 or email woon_ling_ling@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 9am, meet at the MacRitchie cafeteria at 8.55am.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: Call 65545127 for enquiry and/or free registration.

14 Nov (Sat): Forest walk at Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail

2009-11-14T10:35:00.000+08:00

A free guided nature walk through a rainforest right in the heart of the city! Along paved trails, under the shade of giant trees, learn about our rainforests, spot forest creatures and strange plants.

Suitable for young children.

More about the Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail on the wildsingapore website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NPark's Singapore Botanic Gardens and is held every second Saturday of the month.

A special Mandarin version of this tour is at 4pm.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am (Enligsh) and 4pm (Mandarin); Register 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One hour.
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: Visitor Services, 64717361 or NPARKS_SBG_Visitor_Services@NPARKS.GOV.SG

14 Nov (Sat): "Colours of the Sea - An Underwater Fiesta!"

2009-11-14T10:30:00.001+08:00

Think Spanish Dancers are only found in Spain? Think again! Is everything really boring and blue under the water? Not quite! Yummy crabs, sea grapes, star-studded sands and more - our seas have it all!

Join Siti as she brings you a feast of colourful critters and fantastic flora that inhabit Singapore's waters. Learn about the importance of marine diversity and how you can do your part to save it.

Suitable for children between 5 - 12 years old!

Siti Maryam is a marine biologist. In her spare time, she swims with fish, reads and counts seagrass. Like any other Singaporean, Siti enjoys the occasional chiili crab and sashimi, but her hope is for Singaporeans to see more than seafood when she talks about the sea.

Brought to you by the 'Community in Bloom' Programme, in collaboration with the National Library Board and National Biodiversity Centre (NParks)

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: Marine Parade Public Library, Activities Room
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

14 Nov (Sat): Horseshoe crab Research and Rescue

2009-11-14T09:43:00.000+08:00

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Please register with Lesley Cartwright-Taylor at cartwrighttaylor@gmail.com, stating your name, if you are a NSS member or not, affiliations (eg. school/company), experience (if any) and contact details for this monthly mission to rescue and study the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (HSC).

We have also started an ongoing HSC Training & Accreditation Programme for anyone keen to become a qualified HSC R&Rer. We recommend that you bring a cap, shoes/booties, sun block, repellent, cutter (for

Time: 3pm, meet at the extension of Kranji Road at the junction with Kranji Loop. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT station and alight at the Chinese temple along Kranji Loop, cross the road and look for the nameless track that starts beside Leong Soon Pte Ltd (251 Kranji Road).
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

14 Nov (Sat): Butterfly Walk at Pasir Ris Park

2009-11-14T09:39:00.000+08:00

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only

We will take a leisurely stroll down the boardwalk that snakes through the Pasir Ris mangrove forest. Butterflies that can be seen here include mangrove species like the King Crow, Blue Glassy Tiger, Dark Glassy Tiger and Plain Banded Awl skipper. Urban species like the Lime Butterfly and Striped Albatross are occasionally spotted.

This walk will last about three hours.

Time: 9.30am, meet at Pasir Ris Park Carpark C.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

14 Nov (Sat): "Sexy & Naked For You" - slug photography by Ivan Choong

2009-11-14T09:15:00.000+08:00

Spaning over 5 years, let Olympus Professional Underwater Photographer and Field Editor for Scuba Diver Australasia, Ivan CHOONG take you though a journey of images and discoveries through his images.

Listen and see the stunning images of sea slugs captured through his eyes and learn tips and tricks on underwater macro and ultra-macro photography. Pick up a few 'I did not know that' knowledge about nudibranchs along the way.

This FREE talk is limited a maximum of 30 pax based on first come first serve basis.

More details and RSVP on Facebook.

Time: 2.25-4pm
Venue: Olympus Imaging Singapore (Studio), 491B River Valley Road, #13-03 Valley Point Office Tower

11 Nov (Wed): "Nature is Changing: Copenhagen and beyond – what does it mean for Asia?"

2009-11-11T15:22:00.000+08:00

Nature is changing – more frequent and unpredictable violent storms, heat waves, forest fires, floods, droughts, retreating glaciers and ice sheets, rising sea levels – these are just a few examples of the impacts of Climate Change on the world today.

As world leaders meet at the Conference of Parties in Copenhagen to agree on a global response to the problem, the whole world is grappling to understand what Climate Change means to us, and what we can do about it.

In this dialogue, experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will explore the impacts of Climate Change on Asia’s people, economies and states. We will discuss issues affecting our environments from the Himalayas to the oceans. We will talk about the role of policy at global and national levels and its effectiveness in addressing these issues.

Finally, we discuss the opportunities of nature-based solutions, and the positive actions Asian policy makers and the business community can take to improve Asia’s resilience to the impacts of Climate Change.

Please come and discuss these topics with IUCN, raise your own concerns and explore possible responses to one of the most important issues affecting our lives today.

Speakers:
Ms. Aban Marker Kabraji, IUCN Asia Regional Director
Dr. T. P. Singh, Ph.D, Regional Group Head, Ecosystems and Livelihoods, Bangkok
Mr. Ganesh Pangare, Water and Wetlands Programme Coordinator, IUCN Asia
Mr. Donald J. Macintosh, Ph.D., Coordinator Mangroves for the Future (MFF), IUCN Asia Regional Office

All are welcome. The event is free but registration is required. Register online at http://www.siiaonline.org, or contact 65164202/6134 or lkyspppl@nus.edu.sg.

Time: 5-7pm
Venue: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, 469C Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259772
Website: http://www.siiaonline.org

From 3 Nov: "Under the Sea 3D" screening at Omni-Theatre

2009-11-09T19:52:00.003+08:00

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Howard Hall and the production team behind IMAX® film favorites “Deep Sea 3D” and “Into the Deep 3D” return for a dynamic new underwater adventure, “Under the Sea 3D.” Filmed entirely with IMAX® 3D cameras for a vivid, immersive viewing experience unlike any other, this new film will transport audiences to some of the most exotic and isolated undersea locations on Earth, including Southern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, as well as Papua New Guinea and Indonesia in the famed Coral Triangle, for face-to-face encounters with some of the most mysterious and stunning creatures of the sea.

Discover the habits and habitats of Great White Sharks, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Leafy Sea Dragons, Giant Stingrays, Jellyfish, Green Sea Turtles, playful Australian Sea Lions, six-foot Garden Eels and a multitude of brilliantly colorful fish and sea life as they play out the daily dramas of their lives amidst vast coral formations that rise from the ocean floor.

Narrated by Jim Carrey, the film offers an inspirational and entertaining way to explore the unique beauty of this rarely seen realm, and an awareness of the impact that global climate change is having on the oceanic wilderness.

More on the “Under the Sea 3D” website.

Screening from 3 Nov 09 to 30 Apr 10
Showtimes: see the Omni-Theatre website
Venue: Omni-Theatre, Singapore Science Centre, 21 Jurong Town Hall Road.
Website and contact: http://www.omnitheatre.com.sg/