If you still have no inkling of what to expect at the Festival of Biodiversity,  this post will bring you a sneak preview of one of the most prominent and important exhibition booth – the Raffles Museum Toddycats booth! With a myriad of over 50 specimens on display, ranging from rarely-exhibited birds such as the collared kingfisher, barn owl and white-breasted waterhen to mammals such as the baby dugong, a pangolin and a taxidermized leopard cat, you will certainly be awed! Other interesting specimens such as the small-clawed otter, crabs and fishes will also come under the limelight during the festival.

Wondering what these are? Then check out our booth during the festival!

Our signature specimens are waiting to welcome you at the Festival of Biodiversity!

The training session this evening has successfully equipped our volunteers with  information on not only our specimens, but also on the general history of the Raffles Museum Toddycats! and other Toddycats activities, to better engage the public this weekend. So come on down to listen to what we have to share!

Our experienced Toddycat volunteer Oi Yee giving her take on specimens!

Our bird enthusiast, David sharing his insights on birds in Singapore

Besides our amazing array of specimens, there will be a line-up of exciting activities during the event, suitable for families and nature enthusiasts. Check out the Festival of Biodiversity blog and sneak video of “Singapore Got Wildlife, Meh?”. So what are you waiting for, do not miss out on this weekend’s nature bonanza! We look forward to seeing you at the Festival of Biodiversity!

The Festival of Biodiversity will be held at the Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens on 26 & 27 May 2012 from 9.00am to 6.00pm.  This event marks a major milestone for biodiversity conservation in Singapore and is jointly organized by NParks and the Biodiversity Roundtable. The theme of this event is to create awareness and promote efforts in conserving and enhancing our local biodiversity.

© 2012 NParks

You may not be aware that Singapore is home to more than 400 species of marine fishes, 250 species of hard corals,  as well as native species such as the smooth-coated otter and the banded leaf monkey. Fret not, as the line-up of programmes are certainly able to facilitate your learning journey of Singapore’s rich biodiversity!

There will be a myriad of activities targeted at different age groups during the festival. Families can revel in the plethora of specimens and informative exhibits featured at more than 14 interactive booths set up by schools, corporate groups, non-governmental organisations, nature-interest groups, volunteers and public agencies. Besides the wealth of information displayed at the booths, children can also participate by exercising their creativity at the various hands-on art and craft workshops such as painting and creating origami animals or their very own bookmarks! Alternatively, they can find joy by listening to the wonderful  stories of “The Giving Tree”, “The Lorax” and more at the storytelling sessions. These eye-opening activities will certainly leave you and your family enthralled.

Let your children’s creative juices and imagination flow at the Art and Craft Workshops.

Enjoy “The Return of the King”, a film featuring the return of the Oriental Pied Hornbills to our urban landscape.

Interested in wildlife photography? Then rejoice at the sight of flora and fauna as you explore the guided rainforest tour or simply visit the “BiodiverCity” Photography Exhibition.

With so many exciting activities in store for all at the festival, the event is not to be missed! By participating in the vivacious festival, you will be rewarded with a deeper understanding and appreciation of Singapore’s rich biodiversity, its benefits and relevance to us in Singapore. So join us this weekend at the Festival of Biodiversity; we look forward to seeing you!

Getting to the Botany Centre at Singapore Botanic Gardens

Map of Singapore Botanic Gardens © 2012 NParks
Click image for larger view.

By Foot:
Entrance to the Gardens is easy through the Gardens’ major entrances: Tanglin Gate, Burkill Gate, Nassim Gate and Cluny Park Gate, and through the Bukit Timah Entrance.

By Car:
Car Parking Facilities are available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Visitor Centre, Bukit Timah Car Park at Bukit Timah Core, Botany Centre, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and Public Parking along Tyersall Avenue.

For more information on the Festival of Biodiversity, please visit:
http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/ or
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/festivalofbiodiversity/

© 2012 NParks

Raffles Museum Toddycats! will be having an exhibition booth at the event to showcase our rich natural heritage to the public. We will be bringing down a wide variety of specimens that can be found in different habitats ranging from terrestrial, mangroves, freshwater and marine environments. Besides our usual specimens such as the baby dugong, otter and crabs, many other specimens such as the pangolin, and a pair of taxidermized leopard cats will be brought out to the public for the first time. We will also share our insights on the annual ICCS (International Coastal Cleanup Singapore) with the public through informative posters. In addition, we plan to engage the masses with some activities, such as a self-made magnetic board game (matching diet/habitat to animal) and wildlife 3D paper crafts (http://xinheritage.blogspot.com). For those of you who enjoy promoting, we welcome you to help the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research to sell merchandise.

One of the new specimens to be displayed

We will be expecting a huge crowd, akin to that of the Envirofest which was held in 2009 at HDB Hub at Toa Payoh. The massive turnout was a great encouragement that spurred us to continue our outreach programmes even up till today.

Massive crowd at Envirofest 2009

This year’s Festival of Biodiversity will undoubtedly be the biggest event to look forward to, and with the various aforementioned volunteer roles available, we will appreciate the various contributions from you!

The festival will be held from 9am to 6pm on both days, with 3 shifts available for sign up:

0800 – 1130 Shift 1 (including booth set up)
1130 – 1500 Shift 2
1500 – 1900 Shift 3 (including booth pack up)

In preparation for this event, there will also be a briefing and training
session on Wednesday, 23 May 2012: 6.30pm @ DBS Lab 7 [Block S2, Level 3].
During the session, we will bring volunteers greater insights into the specimens, papercrafts and activities, as well as share stories on the animals with each other!

Sharing session by our volunteers

If you are able to commit and would like to be a part of this exciting festival, please sign up at http://tinyurl.com/toddycats-fob26-27may2012 !
For undergraduates who have signed up to present your Honours Poster,
please also indicate the shifts you will be available.

For more information about the event please visit:
http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/ or
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/festivalofbiodiversity/

We look forward to contributing to the biodiversity conservation cause with everyone!

What is DYEA?

“DENSO YOUTH for EARTH Action” (DYEA) is an international program by a joint effort between DENSO Corporation and Japan Environmental Education Forum aiming to foster youths who have high levels of awareness about the coexistence between humans and the environment and actively making efforts to create a sustainable society.

This year DENSO Corporation will hold its fifth international educational program in six ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries – Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Singapore – and Japan.

What is the programme of DYEA 2012?

Headquarters, DENSO Corporation (DNJP) in conjunction with Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF)  will be sponsoring successful applicants for an environmental training in Singapore  and Japan.

15 to 20 candidates will be short-listed to participate in the Local Programme activity in Singapore which will be conducted from 18 to 20 July 2012. 3 successful candidates will progress to the on site Global Programme which will be conducted in mid October 2012 (approximately 10 days) in Kyoto and Tokai region of Japan.

A final presentation of the action plan will be held in Singapore at the end of December 2012 or early January 2013.

Official press release for more details:
DENSO Youth for Earth Action 2012

How do I apply?

Please visit the website for application details and criteria:
http://www.denso-yea.com/en/guideline
Application is open till 15 May 2012.
This program is fully sponsored by DENSO for successful applicants.

DYEA 2011

The on site Global Program for DYEA 2011 was conducted in Indonesia. Some of the on site training include learning more about how an environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) and local residents are restoring coral reefs and protecting sea turtles in Pulau Seribu National Park. The participants also studied how Astra International, DENSO’s business partner in Indonesia, is restoring polluted rivers and reducing and recycling waste in Jakarta.

DYEA 2011 - Participants at Pulau Seribu! (Photo by DENSO)

Apply now if you are interested! It will be an experience to learn more about local and global environmental issues and you will get to know many like-minded friends!

Raffles Museum Toddycats! first major exhibition of the year was off to a great start during the Singapore World Water Day at Lorong Halus Wetland on 24 March 2012. Experienced and new Toddycats turned up and put on a great front for the public who came by our specimen-laden booths. Within 3 hours, we shared with more than 500 people about our local biodiversity, threats and how we should conserve them.

Without hesitatation, new Toddycat volunteer Audrey Heyzer started guiding once the specimens were out of their boxes.

As the crowd started streaming in at 8am, our volunteers approached residents of all ages with smiles and fascinating specimens that showcased Singapore’s  biodiversity. From wet and dry specimens to skulls, posters and board games, the masses were enthralled and deeply awed. Children left with greater knowledge on wildlife, while adults were equally intrigued and inspired to conserve our local biodiversity.

Toddycat Pang Wei Han providing some help to a parent and his kids on how to match the diet and habitat of some of our local fauna.

Look at the number of interested people! All the volunteers were busy engaging the crowd! (Photo by Foo Fang Chee)

During the event, Guest-of-Honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean interacted with Toddycat Junius Soh who talked to DPM Teo about horseshoe crabs and the arrival of the new natural history museum in 2014.

Experienced Toddycat volunteer Junius Soh sharing a quick conversation and laugh with DPM Teo Chee Hean (Photo by Foo Fang Chee)

After an opening speech by DPM Teo and opening of a new Learning Trail, participating organisations were presented with a certificate of appreciation! Fung Tze Kwan, one of the Toddycats exhibition managers, represented Raffles Museum Toddycats! to receive the plaque amidst loud cheers from the volunteers.

DPM Teo giving a wave to the Toddycats volunteers. He commented to Tze Kwan that our loud cheers sounded like a fan club's when she collected the appreciation award!

Even as the sultry high noon approached, people still dropped by our booth and showed their support, which greatly encouraged our volunteers to keep going.

Overall, the event was a great success. By the end of the day, we reached out to more than 500 individuals (adults and children). The great turnout allowed us not only to raise awareness amongst the public about our museum, but also to educate them about Singapore’s rich biodiversity and the imperative need to conserve the various extant species. It was undoubtedly a very enriching and unforgettable experience for both the public and our volunteers. Raffles Museum Toddycats! will be having more activities coming up in the next few months, watch out for any updates here!

Candid group photo - a big smile on everyone's faces!

Overall, the event would not have been a success without the help of all our volunteers – Pang Wei Han, Jocelyne Sze Shimin, Audrey Heyzer, Lim Sixian, Lua Yi Wen Clarissa, Ami Yousoff Bin Mohamed Ali, Kwek Cher Wei Dennis
Quek Zheng Bin Randolph, Junius Soh, Gladys Chua, Goh Li Ching (DENSO), Suriya Binte Surani (DENSO), Eun Jung Min, Jeremy Ng Wee Kiat, Kwan Wei Ming Ivan, Chong Jun Hien, Boh Zuze, Ng Qi Qi, Toh Xue Qin, Sarah Seo, Genevieve Yeo and Joelle Lai. Special thanks to Foo Fang Chee and Gladys Chua for taking photos of the volunteers in action, Junius Soh and Audrey Heyzer for helping to transport specimens to and fro NUS, and Kelvin Lim and Sarah Ng of RMBR for helping us with specimen extraction and merchandise respectively. Lastly, we would also like to extend our gratitude to those who cycled down and showed us support- Andy Dinesh, Kenneth Pinto, Kevin Lim, Airani and Toddycats coordinator, Siva!

Our events have included:

• Yishun Pond rejuvenated! Sat 12 Nov 2011
• Sungei Buloh Anniversary Walk, Sun 04 Dec 2011
• Wild Carnivores exhibition at the Geylang East Public Library, Sat 10 Dec 2012
• Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk, Sun 12 Feb 2012
• Year-Round Coastal Cleanup @ Tanah Merah, 11 Feb 2012
• World Water Celebrations, Sat 24 Mar 2012

The Sungei Buloh and Battle Anniversary Walk were conducted with my veteran buddies so we just turn up and perform, while I coordinate. The Year-Round cleanup was the effort of a very special recruitment exercise and was the first of a new programme we were really happy to announce.

Meanwhile, the revival in the public exhibition sessions has been possible due to the efforts of Xu Weiting and Fung Tze Kwan, my honours students from the past two years. During their studies of the common palm civet, (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), they recognised the need to engage in public education. So they gradually took on the exhibition manager role for the Raffles Museum Toddycats.

With Civetgirls Fung Tze Kwan and Xu Weiting at
World Water Day celebrations, 24 Mar 2012

It is not easy work as all of us have tight schedules, but we are all in NUS and so we meet at odd hours and work through email and Google Docs and are restoring the public education exhibition programme of the Raffles Museum Toddycats. What keeps them going is sharing the joy of nature in Singapore with members of the public.

Many new faces!

Meanwhile, new volunteers have joined the fold and we have been pleased to welcome them with open arms! It was great to see them in action at Lor Halus Wetland. What they experienced was just a warm up – there will be even more action in coming months, and with lots of kids and families expected at these events:

• Earth Day Coastal Cleanup @ Tanah Merah, Sat 28 Apr 2012
• Raffles Museum Open House for International Museum Day, Sat 19 May 2012
• The inaugural Festival of Biodiversity @ Singapore Botanic Gardens, Sat/Sun 26-27 May 2012

Toddycats have traditionally been too hardworking so we want to ensure we have some relaxing sessions just for them to look forward to. Amongst the many proposals we have received so far are:

• Night walk at Holland woods led by Chung Yi Fei
• “Behind the scenes” interviews at Conference Room II
• Movies nights from the archives of the department
• Introduction to civets of Siglap by Xu Weiting and Fung Tze Kwan
• Pulau Ubin explorations on bicycle by former Pedal Ubin guides
• Bukit Brown discovery by Jocelyne Sze
• Mandai mangrove and mudflat discovery by N. Sivasothi
• North East Riverine Loop slack bicycle ride

Our outreach efforts take us far and wide – as the year progresses, however, the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research will be inventorising and packing for that big move to the new Lee Khong Chian Natural History Museum building in 2014. Many hands will be needed for all sorts of interesting work and I look forward to seeing Toddycats work closely with the museum itself for once!

Joelle Lai, herself a veteran Toddycat, and now staff of the Raffles Museum, has begun coordinating with Weiting and Tze Kwan to ensure we all help volunteers find their passion!

There are exciting times ahead in the battle against the sixth extinction, and we welcome you to join us on our journey!

Joelle showing her juniors how to manage
mangrove mud during her undergrad years

Our team will liven up the atmosphere with stories about wildlife of Singapore and engage visitors with games. In celebration of World Water Day, there will be an aquatic bias and we’re adding some new specimens to the mangrove and terrestrial list. Friends from the Nature Society (Singapore) will be there too, leading a self-guided discovery activity at the wetland.

Raffles Museum Toddycats are ready for
World Water Day celebrations @ Lor Halus Wetland!

If this will be your first visit to the Lorong Halus Wetland, the nearest train station is the Riveria LRT station (buses here: nos. 3, 85, 86) which you can transfer here from Punggol MRT station. A 10 minute walk northeast along the Serangoon River will lead you to the prominent red bridge which you will cross to get to where we will setup shop at 7.30am!

In the map below, I include the bicycle rental kiosk locations from which you can cycle around both Sungei Serangoon and Sungei Punggol along the Northeast Riverine Loop.

A few Toddycats will cycle down from NUS via Bukit Brown past MacRitchie, Lower Peirce and through Yio Chu Kang to Lorong Halus. The LovecyclingSG riders will be passing by at 8.30am according to the schedule. Join us there for a cheery crowd awaits you!

Click for bicycle route

Wow Wow Wet @ Lorong Halus

24 March 2012 | 8:30am – 11.30am

• 0830 – Arrival of residents and Self-guided discovery activity of Lorong Halus Wetland facilitated by Nature Society (Singapore)
  • Community booths about water, the environment, and nature (including Raffles Museum Toddycats)
• 0900 – Speech and launch of ABC Waters Learning Trail @ Lorong Halus Wetland

Toddycat volunteers all geared up for Singapore World Water Day!

During the interactive session, the volunteers introduced themselves to one another and it was indeed heartening to note how some of them expressed their interest in joining Toddycats to learn more about our local biodiversity that lives amidst Singapore’s prevalent concrete jungle.

As the training progressed, volunteers were provided with information on several species of indigenous animals that are to some extent, threatened by habitat destruction caused by our seemingly incessant need to urbanise. Besides the theory behind these fauna, practical tips for guiding, including how to engage the public with accurate information and other personal experiences, as well as how to handle the specimens with care, were disseminated to our volunteers.

Toddycat Jocelyne sharing her insights on a specimen

Important notions of biodiversity conservation were highlighted during the training session, deeply inspiring our volunteers to be more proactive when educating the public about the specimens during the upcoming event.

All ready to awe the public

Curious to know what these specimens are? Then join us this Saturday, 24th March at Lorong Halus Wetland from 8.30am to 11.30am for an educational experience with Singapore’s very own biodiversity!

Click for poster

Singapore World Water Day will be commemorated over 13 Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters sites, Marina Barrage, and NEWater Visitors Centre on the same day. The excitement begins at Lorong Halus Wetland from 8am to 12pm, and the guest of honour for the event will be Deputy Prime Minister, Teo Chee Hean.

Raffles Museum Toddycats will showcase local freshwater and marine biodiversity. To name a few, do you know we have still have dugongs, crocodiles, dolphins and small-clawed otters in Singapore? We also have endemic freshwater crabs in our forest freshwater streams! In addition, we intend to interact with the public via other activities, such as a self-made magnetic board game (matching diet/habitat to animal) and wildlife 3D paper crafts (http://xinheritage.blogspot.com).

Toddycats will be having two shifts on Saturday 24 March 2012:

• 0730 – 1000 Shift 1 (including booth set up)
• 1000 – 1230 Shift 2 (including booth pack up)

What better way to spend a Saturday morning teaching about biodiversity than in the premises of nature itself? Come visit the Raffles Museum Toddycats! booth on the 24th March to learn more about Singapore’s aquatic biodiversity.

We will be bringing along our iconic dugong specimen!

Briefing and training
In preparation for this fun-filled event, a briefing and training session will be arranged on Thursday, 22 March 2012: 6.30pm @ DBS Lab 7 [Block S2, Level 3; map].

Volunteers will learn about the biology and other stories behind our museum specimens, paper crafts and activities while interacting with like-minded volunteers who share a passion for nature! Check out our previous training session, for an idea of what we do.

New Raffles Museum Toddycats volunteers learning about museum specimens

We are looking for people with the passion to share the wonders of nature with the masses and we will train those without the necessary background. We seek as much help as we can get, so if you are interested, please sign up with this form – http://tinyurl.com/toddycats-wwd24mar2012

Do join us this coming March and have a good week ahead!

For more information about the Singapore World Water Day, please visit:

• http://www.singaporeworldwaterday.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/SingaporeWorldWaterDay

In 1942 during Second World War, a company of the Malay Regiment fought a battle from Clementi Road back to a last stand at Opium Hill where they were all but wiped out by invading Japanese forces. Six British officers, seven Malay officers and 146 other ranks were killed in battle and Singapore would fall a day later on 15th February 1942. ["The Malay Regiment - "Ta'at Dan Setia": 1933-1945," by Lim Kay Tong].

Join the Raffles Museum Toddycats, volunteers of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, on Sunday, 12 Feb 2012: 7:00am – 12:00pm as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Pasir Panjang Ridge (now Kent Ridge)! This event is in collaboration with the National Archives of Singapore, NHB.

Your guides will share with you stories about the Battle of Pasir Panjang, the geography, history and the flora and fauna of the area. We will also reveal how the ridge got its present name as it was renamed ‘Kent Ridge’ in 1954.

Registration is now open! Just fill in the form at: http://tinyurl.com/bpp2012-reg

Route of the walk

This 5km walk will start at the University Cultural Centre and end at National Archives’ World War II Interpretative Centre at the Reflections at Bukit Chandu (RBC) via Kent Ridge Road, The Gap and Kent Ridge Park.

For more details on this walk: http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg

You can read more about Pasir Panjang/Kent Ridge heritage here – http://pasirpanjang.rafflesmuseum.net