New conservation fund to protect Singapore's endangered species

938 LIVE | Channel NewsAsia 10 Jul 09;

SINGAPORE: Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) has set aside S$1 million to protect and save Singapore's native endangered species.

The newly-launched conservation fund will concentrate on native animal conservation efforts and the issue of climate change.

Group CEO of WRS, Fanny Lai, said: "We hope to encourage light-minded individuals and organisations that share the same cause to come forward to apply for this fund and be involved in discovering, learning, and protecting our biodiversity.

"And the other way that we can achieve this together is through our field conservation work, education and public awareness programme, human animal work conflict of resolution, capacity building in both Singapore and in the region, and through sharing of best practices."

The first recipient is the National University of Singapore's (NUS') Ah Meng Memorial Conservation Fund, which will receive S$500,000 over five years.

This will support the academic research and study of endangered native wildlife undertaken by students and faculty members of NUS.

NUS' director of special projects, Leo Tan, said: "The first project that we'll be working on is a detailed study of the ecology of banded monkey or the banded leaf monkey. They call it the banded langur. And this is a very small population in Singapore, there are maybe less than 30 of them. They are very endangered species. In fact, they are one of the only four primate species in Singapore.

"This study will help us to determine their feeding habits, how far they range to search for food, and also what kind of food they eat, to have a better understanding of whether we can help to preserve this population."

The WRS Conservation Fund was launched at the Singapore Zoo on Friday with President SR Nathan as the guest-of-honour.

Individuals and organisations will soon be able to submit project proposals to the WRS Conservation Fund.

Funding support will be subject to approval by an independent Specialist Panel. More information can be found at www.wrscf.org.sg.

- 938LIVE/yt

New fund to protect endangered species here
First such public fund in Singapore will support local conservation efforts
Straits Times 11 Jul 09;

WHEN you next visit the Jurong BirdPark, the Singapore Zoo or the Night Safari, you could be helping to rescue Singapore's endangered animals.

Since April, 20 cents from each entry ticket to the three parks have been donated to a new conservation fund.

The Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund was officially launched yesterday by Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), the parent company of the three parks. The fund is the first public one here aimed specifically at protecting the island's endangered species.

It will fund local conservation efforts, and it also aims to raise awareness about the effect of climate change on the range of plant and animal life, as well as snuff out illegal wildlife trade.

WRS has put $1 million in seed money into the fund. Another $100,000 has been pledged by corporate and private donors. It further aims to raise $1 million every year from ticket sales. An annual charity bazaar on World Animal Day is planned and donation boxes will be placed in the three parks.

This marks a big step forward in financial support for conservation, considering that WRS spent $500,000 on conservation in its own parks over the last 22 years.

The new fund has committed $500,000 over five years to the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Ah Meng Conservation Fund, which will study the banded langur monkey as its first project. Fewer than 30 such monkeys are estimated to be left here.

Another project it will support is a monthly wild bird survey to catalogue Singapore's endangered birds and to identify those that can be protected. A separate survey on flying squirrels and giant squirrels has been lined up.

Before grants are awarded, proposed projects are assessed by a panel of eight experts from agencies including the National Parks Board, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and the zoo. The panel will make its recommendations to a five-member board of trustees, which will set the level of funding for approved projects.

WRS will not apply for grants for its own conservation projects, as it will continue to use funds from its own operating budget for those, said Ms Fanny Lai, group chief executive of WRS.

Trustee Leo Tan, director of special projects at NUS' Faculty of Science, said the fund was a boon to those who want to work on protecting wildlife.

'There are many things we don't understand yet. This is why research is critical. The fund will identify those species we should be looking at,' he said.

Those working to administer the fund, such as honorary managing director Daisy Ling, are all WRS employees doing this on a voluntary basis. Ms Claire Chiang, who chairs both WRS and the fund, said that when the fund is more established, it will hire its own administrative staff.

The charity has Institution of a Public Character status, meaning it is allowed to collect tax-deductible donations.

President S R Nathan, who was at the launch of the fund, sealed a time capsule containing wishes for Singapore's wildlife made by the public. It will be opened in 2023, when the zoo marks its 50th anniversary.

Visit the zoo and help save wildlife
Straits Times 11 Jul 09;

ZOO visitors taking pictures of the pangolin, an endangered species which is native to Singapore. To save it and Singapore's other endangered animals, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, the parent company of the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park, launched the Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund yesterday. The company donates 20 cents from each entry ticket to the charity.

$1 million to save the monkeys
Today Online 11 Jul 09;

EFFORTS to protect and save the banded leaf monkey and other endangered species native to Singapore have just been given a $1-million boost.

That is the amount that the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) has set aside for a fund that will focus on native animal conservation efforts and the issue of climate change.

Ms Fanny Lai, WRS' Group CEO, said: "We hope to encourage like-minded individuals and organisations that share the same cause to come forward to apply for this fund and be involved in discovering, learning, and protecting our biodiversity.

"And the other way that we can achieve this together is through our field conservation work, education and public awareness programme, human animal work conflict of resolution, capacity building in both Singapore and in the region, and through sharing of best practices."

The first recipient is the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Ah Meng Memorial Conservation Fund, which will receive $500,000 over five years. The money will support the academic research and study of endangered native wildlife undertaken by NUS students and faculty members.

NUS' director of special projects, Mr Leo Tan, said: "The first project that we'll be working on is a detailed study of the ecology of banded monkey or the banded leaf monkey. They call it the banded langur.

"And this is a very small population in Singapore - there are maybe fewer than 30 of them. They are very endangered species. In fact, they are one of the only four primate species in Singapore."

He added: "This study will help us to determine their feeding habits ... and also what kind of food they eat, to have a better understanding of whether we can help to preserve this population."

The WRS Conservation Fund was launched at the Singapore Zoo on Friday, with President S R Nathan as the guest-of-honour. Individuals and organisations will soon be able to submit project proposals to the WRS Conservation Fund. Funding support will be subject to approval by an independent specialist panel. 938LIVE

For more information, visit www.wrscf.org.sg