Best of our wild blogs: 2 Mar 19

3 March: World Wildlife Day 2019 focusing on marine species for the first time
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

10 Mar (Sun): Join us at Labrador Park to explore Berlayar Creek!
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

Singapore Raptor Report – January 2019
Singapore Bird Group

A Vibrant Blue – The Butterfly Pea Flower
BES Drongos

Balloons the no. 1 marine debris killer of seabirds
wild shores of singapore

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Feeling hot? Here's why February was one of the hottest in 90 years

Channel NewsAsia 1 Mar 19;

SINGAPORE: This February was the third hottest Singapore has seen in 90 years, but the next two weeks may get even warmer, said the Meteorological Service Singapore on Friday (Mar 1).

While February has traditionally been the driest month in the year, other factors contributed to the heat last month.

Singapore is currently in the dry phase of the northeast monsoon, when prevailing winds bring in air that does not generate as much rain compared to December and January, said one expert.

"The relative lack of clouds during this period tends to result in more direct sunlight reaching the surface, so it feels 'hotter'," said Assistant Professor Winston Chow from the National University of Singapore's Geography Department.

He added that this is normal at this time of the year.

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Johor’s chief minister says there are plans to stop buying treated water from Singapore

FARIS MOKHTAR Today Online 1 Mar 19;

SINGAPORE — Malaysia’s state of Johor may stop relying on the treated water it buys from Singapore, Johor Chief Minister Osman Sapian said on Friday (March 1).

He added that there are plans to treat its own water although this is still in the early stages.

In a statement issued by Mr Osman’s office at about 5pm that was seen by TODAY, it was mentioned that he made those comments in a speech at the closing ceremony of a two-day Johor government retreat with the Federal Cabinet in Putrajaya. The event was also attended by Malaysia’s premier Mahathir Mohamad.

Mr Osman said in Malay: “I would like to touch slightly on the water issue with Singapore. I would like to say that there are plans not to rely anymore on Singapore to obtain treated water that we have been buying from them all these years.

“But this plan is still in its early stages and I cannot reveal further details at this point until we have finalised the plan.”

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Mozzie population cut by 70% in Tampines West study site: Masagos

Cheryl Teh Straits Times 2 Mar 19;

The mosquito population in a Tampines West study site has been reduced by 70 per cent, after the release of sterile males which produce eggs that cannot hatch.

These are the latest results from Project Wolbachia, a scheme labelled after the genetically modified males. The encouraging results were revealed by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli on Facebook on Thursday.

"We have been exploring innovative solutions to suppress the Aedes aegypti mosquito population, to prevent the spread of dengue and Zika," he added.

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Feeling the heat: Johor businesses, residents activate contingency plans amid dry spell

Norbakti Alias Channel NewsAsia 1 Mar 19;

KOTA TINGGI, Johor: Businesses and residents in the Kota Tinggi area are making contingency plans for water supplies, after a dry spell that has seen water levels at major dams hovering around the critical mark.

Businesses and residents interviewed by Channel NewsAsia said this is not the first time they have encountered a dry spell and had made plans to manage the situation.

A worker in a vegetable farm, who only wanted to be known as Krish, said the farm owner has constructed a pond to make sure that there is enough water in the event of a prolonged dry spell.

“We had gone through dry season previously and experienced water shortage,” he recounted.

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Indonesia: Vice President appreciates Nahdlatul Ulama`s recommendations on plastic waste reduction

Antara 1 Mar 19;

Vice President Jusuf Kalla beats a drum to mark the conclusion of the Nahdlatul Ulama`s (NU`s) National Meeting of Ulemas and Conference at Miftahul Huda Al-Azhar Islamic Boarding School in Citangkolo, Banjar City, West Java, on Friday (March 1, 2019). (ANTARA FOTO/Adeng Bustomi/aww).

Banjar Patroman, W Java, (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla officially concluded the Nahdlatul Ulama`s (NU`s) National Meeting of Ulemas and Conference here on Friday by appreciating a recommendation highlighting the importance of reducing plastic waste for environmental conservation and preservation.

To this end, Kalla urged the conference`s participants to stop using plastic containers and bottles designed for one-time use. Instead, they were encouraged to use glass cups and glass coffee mugs because they could be reused.

"So, to resolve this problem of plastic waste, please return to using glass bottles or others that can be washed again and again. And when you go out for coffee, please ask for a glass cup," he said, adding that with a total population of around 260 million people, Indonesia is currently the second biggest contributor to the world`s plastic waste after China.

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