Best of our wild blogs: 14 Jun 14

Moonlight survey of Chek Jawa coral rubble area
from wild shores of singapore

Notes on Spider wasps
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Painted Jezebel laying eggs on a Malayan Mistletoe leaf
frpm Bird Ecology Study Group

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Marina Bay Sands strikes shark's fin off the menu

Lim Yan Liang The Straits Times AsiaOne 14 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE - Joining a growing list of businesses which have stopped selling shark's fin, integrated resort Marina Bay Sands (MBS) yesterday announced that restaurants it owns and operates will cease selling the controversial dish.

The Sands Expo and Convention Centre - the largest space of its kind in Singapore, which hosted 70 trade shows last year - will also take it off its menus.

The integrated resort joins supermarket chains like NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage, hotels including Shangri-La and Swissotel The Stamford and restaurants such as Szechuan Court and Xi Yan, which have already stopped offering shark's fin products.

Singapore is second only to Hong Kong in the global trade of shark's fin, according to figures from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. It is also one of the largest consumers of fins per capita.

According to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, Singapore imported some 2,700 tonnes of shark's fin each in 2012 and last year. About 2,300 tonnes were exported in 2012, and 2,600 tonnes were exported last year.

Shark finning often involves separating a live shark from its fin. Fishermen may keep only the fin to save space on a boat as the meat is less valuable, throwing the dying shark back in the sea.

The Mice - meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions - industry represents a large customer base for seafood here because of the size of the events they organise, said Mr Yio Jin Xian, 30, a member of the Marine and Land Products Association.

"They are a big customer, definitely bigger than any single hotel or restaurant chain," he said.

Striking shark's fin off the menu at its wholly owned restaurants is proof that MBS is committed to reducing its environment impact, said Mr Kevin Teng, its director of sustainability.

"Rise restaurant and all our celebrity chef restaurants such as Sky on 57 join our banquet and Mice operations in not offering shark fin dishes to guests," said Mr Teng, though "a small number" of pre-October 2013 banquet agreements with shark's fin will still be honoured.

MBS said that, in the last two years, its restaurants and banquets used about 154kg of fins every month.

Mr Teng added that MBS will work with tenant restaurants like Imperial Treasure, Yu Cuisine, Jin Shan and Beijing No. 1 to encourage sustainable practices such as reducing food waste and removing shark's fin from menus.

"We have the unique opportunity to inspire and influence our customers and partners to adopt sustainable practices," said Mr Teng.

Animal rights groups backed the move and hoped that other restaurants and hotels would follow suit.

"Sharks are a crucial part of marine ecosystems and their populations have a direct impact on fish stocks, which in turn affects many things, including our food security in the future," said Ms Elaine Tan, chief executive of World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore. "We commend Marina Bay Sands for leading the way, given its iconic status in Singapore."

Mr Jonn Lu of advocacy group Shark Savers hopes the move is a "hard ban" on shark's fin dishes.

"Some restaurant groups and hotels here have removed shark's fin from their menus, but it's still available on demand," he said. "When we send people undercover or to do cold calls, they'd invariably say they have this option - just that its off-menu."

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Sharing about a 'sharing economy'

Kash Cheong The Straits Times AsiaOne 14 Jun 14;

Want to make money from stuff collecting dust in your storeroom and go green at the same time?

Six home-grown companies have banded together to encourage people to rent and share items rather than buying them.

The so-called "sharing economy" idea involves people giving away, lending or renting items or offering services to maximise the use of resources and reduce waste, and is expected to surpass US$3.5 billion (S$4.3 billion) in consumer revenue globally last year.

In Singapore, for instance, users can rent out ladders and drills to others for a small fee using a website called Rent Tycoons.

Another website, PandaBed, allows users to rent out rooms to tourists looking for a more authentic Singapore experience living with locals.

PandaBed and Rent Tycoons are two founding members of the Sharing Economy Association (Singapore). The others are Waste is not Waste, an online waste exchange for businesses, iCarsClub, a car rental firm, Leendy, an app that allows people to swop belongings, and BlockPooling, which enables sharing between neighbours.

Regulatory rules can be an issue though. The Housing Board, for example, recently repossessed two flats as owners had rented these rooms out to tourists for less than six months, which is not allowed.

The association said it will talk regularly with Government agencies to address challenges. It will also partner the Singapore University of Technology and Design to study the sharing economy here, and reach out to youth and businesses.

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High-res photos of Indonesian hot spots to go online

Zubaidah Nazeer The Straits Times AsiaOne 14 Jun 14;

JAKARTA - Sharper eyes will be trained over Indonesia's forests and plantation land from now till the end of the year in a private sector initiative to zoom in on culprits who illegally clear lands for farming by burning them, sending choking haze into neighbouring countries.

World Resources Institute (WRI), a Washington-based environment non-governmental organisation (NGO), is partnering commercial satellite service provider Digital Globe to use high-resolution satellite imagery to watch over Sumatra and Kalimantan, the two main Indonesian islands often blighted by fiery land clearing methods.

The satellite images will be loaded onto WRI's newly launched Global Forest Watch Commodities website and overlaid with land concession maps it obtained from members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

The images can be used to plug the weakest link in the fight against illegal burning of land - the availability of credible evidence that could be submitted in court to punish culprits, says Mr Nigel Sizer, global director of WRI's forests programme.

"It will also be useful for efforts to understand why these fires are happening and why there have been so many," he told a recent discussion with the media in Jakarta.

Singapore and the region were blanketed with the worst episode of the haze in 16 years last year, with the Republic's three-hourly Pollutant Standards Index hitting a record 401 on June 21.

Mr Sizer said the satellite images could "show details like a large potted plant on a front porch from hundreds of kilometres up in space". Within hours, sharp photographs of the fires could be obtained, he added.

WRI has obtained 1.6 million ha of concession map areas by RSPO members across five countries, including Indonesia.

For Indonesia, the NGO has maps sourced from the 54 oil palm growers which are members of the RSPO, a non-profit association that promotes sustainable palm oil products.

Separately, ASEAN leaders had last September approved a joint haze-monitoring system - a database that makes use of land concession maps, hot-spot data and satellite images to identify landowners responsible for burning. But Indonesia's Environment Ministry has said maps can only be shared among governments, citing legal obstacles.

Indonesia's presidential working unit is also attempting to put together a single map that reconciles multiple conflicting land-use maps across the archipelago, but some plantation owners have been unwilling to share information.

The Indonesian government has promised over the years to bring culprits to book, but finding the fire-starters and proving their ill-intent in court have been tough.

Since June last year, 27 companies have been accused of burning land illegally but only one, PT Adei, has been charged in court so far.

"Of the eight companies caught last year for burning land, four of them were caught again this March, showing that the companies are not fazed by the threat of legal sanctions and are acting with impunity," said Mr Muslim Rasyid, coordinator of the Riau-based environment NGO Jikalahari.

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Indonesia: Peatland protection needed to curb Riau fires

Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post 13 Jun 14;

Conservationists and academics in Riau have urged the central government to save remaining peatland areas to prevent fires and the recurrence of haze, as the long dry season approaches.

Riau University Disaster Studies Center director Haris Gunawan said the haze, that affected Riau annually, indicated the failure of economic development approaches in managing and utilizing peatland.

“Material damage from forest and peatland fires in 2014 amounted to Rp 15 trillion [US$1.3 billion]. As many as 2,398 hectares [ha] of forest biosphere were razed, while 21,914 ha of forest were burned and 58,000 people suffered haze-related illnesses. Around Rp 150 billion in state funds was spent on fire control,” Haris said during a discussion in Pekanbaru.

Surveys conducted in four haze-prone regencies — Bengkalis, Meranti, Siak and Rokan Hilir — indicated that the fires were dominant in dried peatland areas as a result of canalization.

“Riau is home to more than 4 million ha of peatland that retain a tremendous volume of water. Peat as thick as three meters can retain up to 2,700 millimeters of water, equivalent to a year’s rainfall. However, development policies do not favor peatland,” said Haris.

“Peatland, which acts as a climate controller and carbon collector, has been overlooked by the government and concession holders, whereas in fact drier peatland increases the potential for fires,” said Haris.

Another potential threat, he went on, was the damage of peatland along the coastline.

“If it dries up and the water level drops, sea water intrusion reaches further inland. If the sea level rose, Riau would vanish,” he added.

Haris also revealed the outcome of a direct observation in Tanjung Leban village, Bukti Batu district, Bengkalis, which proved that burning dry peatland could not be completely extinguished.

The most practical and efficient method of protecting peatland, he said, was watering it by blocking existing canals.

“We can’t create peatland, so don’t damage it. We must have a sense of this crisis. Don’t let the smog choke us so we all become busy [dousing fires],” he said.

Greenpeace Indonesia spokesperson Yuyun Indradi said the annual forest and peatland fires in Riau were mostly due to plantation companies.

He added that the companies were still carrying out irresponsible practices, such as drying wet peatland.

“Nearly three quarters of hot spots in Riau are in peatland areas and 75 percent of all peatland fires in Indonesia took place in the province, said Yuyun.

“An analysis by Greenpeace experts showed the largest hot spot areas in Riau were found in denuded peatland.”

He urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to issue a concrete policy on peatland protection to end the destructive haze cycle. The President has also been asked to fulfill his promise to cut carbon emissions from the forestry sector.

“The moratorium, which was introduced in May, 2011, has not yet been able to protect peatlands,” he said.

“In February, more than 30 percent of hot spots in Riau were detected in areas that were protected by the moratorium. Of the total number of hot spots in the moratorium, almost 80 percent were detected in peatlands.”

Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) Riau chapter executive director Rico Kurniawan said the government’s policy, obsessed with boosting crude palm oil production, should also be blamed for the haze disaster.

“The issuance of business permits in peatland areas should be revised. The business permits of companies for concessions located in burned peatland areas must be revoked,” said Rico.

Coordinator of environmental group Riau Forest Rescue Working Network (Jikalahari) Muslim Rasyid has urged the government to strengthen law enforcement as it has proven able to suppress the number of hotspots in Riau.

“When the Riau Police were intense in combating illegal logging in 2007, the number of hotspots in Riau reached the lowest level in the history of the Riau haze disaster which has taken place for 17 years,” said Muslim.

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Best of our wild blogs: 13 Jun 14

5 unique ways to document our micro nature
from Macro Photography in Singapore

Zebra (Peaceful) Dove – unusual nest construction
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Butterflies Galore! : Common Three Ring
from Butterflies of Singapore

Despite green pledge, Wilmar partner continues to destroy forest for palm oil
from Mongabay.com news by Rhett Butler

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Protect mudflats, mangroves for migratory birds, say experts

NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 13 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE — Parts of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, an important stopover for migratory birds, are sinking and this could be due to the Causeway and the Kranji reservoir limiting the amount of sediments deposited at the reserve. However, some of the nature reserve’s mudflats have increased in size, preliminary findings collected since 2011 by a National University of Singapore geography don showed.

While more data is needed over a longer period of time, changes in surface elevation at Sungei Buloh could bring about a change in the mangrove composition and perhaps a loss in mangroves, said Assistant Professor Dan Friess at the Symposium on Intertidal Conservation in Southeast Asia yesterday.

The National Parks Board, which oversees the reserve, declined to provide specific measurements found so far. However, the reserve’s deputy director, Ms Sharon Chan, said it already takes into consideration the rise in sea levels — parts of the reserve consist of ponds where water levels can be managed — to expose mud areas for the birds to feed.

Singapore is one of 22 countries including Russia, China and Australia that lie along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, an annual migration path for 50 million birds from more than 200 species that spans 10,000km.

Experts at the symposium noted numerous threats such as land reclamation to flyway habitats, and the collapse in populations of some migrant shorebirds. The red knot’s numbers in Moreton Bay in Australia, for instance, have declined by 9 per cent annually for 20 years — a “collapse of colossal proportions”, said Dr Richard Fuller of the University of Queensland.

However, the efforts of one country to conserve birds are not sufficient. “You have to make sure the birds are conserved all the way throughout the flyway and at the critical bottlenecks,” said Mr Spike Millington, chief executive of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership.

Dr Fuller’s research found that migratory bird species more reliant on the Yellow Sea region in East Asia, which has undergone extensive coastal development, were the ones declining more quickly. To conserve shorebird species, authorities and scientists could identify and protect the most important sites, and identify which areas would cause the least loss in biodiversity if developed, he said.

Associate Professor Lye Lin Heng of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law at the National University of Singapore said the Republic lacks laws to protect its shores and marine ecosystems. Effective management of wetlands requires the countries collaborate as migratory species do not respect geographic or political boundaries, she added.

Some have called for the preservation of intertidal areas to protect against storm surges and the impact of climate change, but Assistant Professor Adam Switzer of Nanyang Technological University’s Division of Earth Sciences cautioned against the idea that mangroves protect coastal communities from big storm surges, as they provide little or no defence against storm surges and tsunamis more than 3m high.

Ups and downs at Sungei Buloh
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 16 Jun 14;

Parts of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve could be sinking or rising, according to the preliminary findings of a study started in 2011.

Eight monitoring stations had been set up on the reserve's mangroves and mudflats, and land at all eight points had both sunk and risen over the last 21/2 years, said Dr Dan Friess from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Geography.

He noted that the situation is dynamic, and more data is needed over a longer period of time to discern trends, but land sinking could affect the composition of mangroves in South-east Asia and possibly lead to their loss in the long run.

Dr Friess explained that land elevation changes are due to a complex array of factors, including tides and depositing and eroding sediment.

"We don't know enough now to be able to say anything conclusively, but Sungei Buloh is leading the region in even having such a study in the first place to figure out how to manage such changes," he said.

Dr Friess, who studies mangroves and coastal management, was speaking at the Symposium on Intertidal Conservation in South-east Asia on Thursday.

The two-day event held at the reserve in north-east Singapore ended yesterday.

One key issue was the loss of tidal wetlands and how that has harmed migratory birds which rely on them as stopovers.

The National Parks Board (NParks), which oversees the reserve, declined to give specific measurements of the study so far, but the reserve's deputy director Sharon Chan said it maintains mud ponds where birds can feed.

Singapore is among the 22 countries along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, which some 50 million birds use each year.

The 10,000km flyway extends from Arctic Russia and North America to the southern limits of Australia and New Zealand. It encompasses all of South-east Asia and Sungei Buloh is an important stopover.

Dr Richard Fuller from the University of Queensland, Australia, was among several experts who said protecting the birds would require international cooperation. "We need to identify and protect the really important sites, work out where best to allow coastal development, manage catchments and create new tidal flats," he said.

The symposium was organised by NParks, NUS, the Nature Society, Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and conservation group BirdLife International.

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Singapore casino stops serving shark fin

AFP Yahoo News 12 Jun 14;

The US-owned Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore has announced it will stop serving shark fin at its restaurants, the latest boycott of the contentious delicacy welcomed Thursday by animal rights activists.

The casino, part of Las Vegas gaming magnate Sheldon Adelson's portfolio, said the removal of shark fin dishes from its menus is a "bold testament to our commitment to reducing our environmental impact".

Its huge expo and convention centre, which held over 70 trade shows last year, will also cease serving the dish.

The casino is the latest among a string of Singapore-based companies to boycott shark fin consumption following years of lobbying by animal rights activists.

Singapore is the world's second largest shark fin trading territory after Hong Kong, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Shark fin is seen by many east Asians as a delicacy and is often served as soup at expensive Chinese banquets.

More than 70 million sharks are killed worldwide every year, with a majority of fins consumed in Chinese markets, according to environmental group WWF.

Jennifer Lee, founder of Project Fin, a local group campaigning against shark fin consumption, said the casino's decision is another milestone for animal rights activists.

"Hopefully this will put pressure on other companies to jump on the bandwagon as well to do their part to save our marine ecosystem," she told AFP.

Elaine Tan, chief executive of WWF Singapore, commended the casino for its "foresight and leadership in corporate sustainability".

"Sharks are a crucial part of marine ecosystems and their populations have a direct impact on fish stocks, which in turn affects many things, including our food security in the future," she said.

Singapore's largest supermarket chains stopped sales of shark fin products in 2012, while major hotels, including Shangri-La and Swissotel the Stamford, have also stopped serving them.

Singapore's other casino operated by Malaysia's Genting Group does not serve shark fin, according to its website.

Hong Kong's government last year said it would stop serving shark fin at official functions to set a "good example".

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New butterfly species fluttering in for a Singapore visit

Carolyn Khew MyPaper AsiaOne 12 Jun 14;


The Red Spot Sawtooth is one of the new species spotted here this year.

It is not just the huge swallowtail moth Lyssa zampa that has been appearing in surprisingly large numbers here. A bumper crop of butterfly species has also been spotted this year.

Some species which have never been previously recorded here have made an appearance as well, and are believed to have flown in from across the Causeway.

Experts told My Paper that they have spotted at least five new butterfly species so far this year, compared with the usual two or three spotted yearly. The new species include the Lesser Albatross and the Red Spot Sawtooth.

They have been seen in Sime Forest near Venus Drive, Lower Kent Ridge Road and MacRitchie Reservoir. Most of them flew in over the last few months, starting from April.

Last month, many Singaporeans were reported to have seen the dark-coloured Lyssa zampa moth, which is nearly the size of a person's hand.

National University of Singapore (NUS) ecologist Anuj Jain said erratic weather conditions this year might have led to the rise in butterfly populations in Malaysia, causing more of these migratory species to fly here.

These butterfly species are usually found in the forest and can be found throughout peninsular Malaysia, including the Panti Forest in nearby Johor, he said.

"It's not a conscious migration," he said. "The unusual weather may have triggered a lot of plants to flower in Malaysia. Strong winds could have brought the butterflies here, too."

Butterfly expert Khew Sin Khoon said: "After months of bad drought followed by rain, the sudden growth of new leaves could have prompted butterflies to lay more eggs, contributing to the higher numbers of butterflies in Malaysia and Singapore."

The peak in numbers could also be due to the drop in the number of birds that prey on butterflies and caterpillars, because the avian migratory season has ended, said Mr Khew, who is an honorary research affiliate at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at NUS.

Likewise, local butterflies such as the Lemon Emigrant and Tailed Jay have been observed in greater numbers this year, due to the mass flowering, said Mr Anuj, who also heads the butterfly interest group at the Nature Society of Singapore.

Surveys are still ongoing to tabulate the number of local species observed this year, and the findings should be out by the end of the year, he added.

Butterfly enthusiast Gan Cheong Weei said that the naturalisation of new butterfly species here is an area that "warrants more studies".

The 51-year-old manager, who has been a butterfly watcher since he was a boy, said: "It's nice to have more of them here, but we don't know the impact that they will have on our local species."

Medical technologist Clayton Low spotted a Red Helen butterfly in Lower Kent Ridge Road a month ago. It is believed to have been spotted here for the first time and is almost as big as the Lyssa zampa, said the 30-year-old.

He added: "Hopefully, in time to come, many people will be aware that the number of species of butterflies we have is a good indicator of the biodiversity of plants we have here."

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Singapore's 'lost' and redeveloped islands

Audrey Tan The Straits Times AsiaOne 13 Jun 14;

Before Sentosa became Singapore's premier getaway spot, locals looking for a nearby break headed to Pulau Damar Laut, an island off the western tip of the mainland that is now no more.

The island paradise of 1950s and 1960s Singapore boasted water-skiing facilities and holiday bungalows with names such as Passion Pit and Wine House.

But recreation gave way to redevelopment in the 1970s, when port and industrial developments in Jurong expanded and took over nearby islands, including Damar Laut.

However, its story is not lost forever. An exhibition called Balik Pulau: Stories From Singapore's Islands was launched by the National Heritage Board yesterday.

Pulau Damar Laut was one of more than 70 islands that once made up Singapore's archipelago, though redevelopment and land reclamation mean there are now about 40.

Ms Angelita Teo, director of the National Museum of Singapore, where the exhibition is held, said: "Although the islands are small in size, their stories are anything but that. They are big in heart and soul, and speak volumes of island life back in those days."

The free exhibition runs until August. Each of its nine sections represents a different island - such as Pulau Ubin and Kusu Island - or island cluster, such as the Islands of Coral, which include Pulau Hantu and Pulau Satumu.

Featuring sand and artificial turf, each section displays old photographs, video interviews with ex-islanders and bits and pieces of island life, such as musical instruments, old textbooks and even marine specimens.

There is even a kolek sauh, a narrow boat used as transportation between the islands.

Individual narratives feature prominently. Mr Teo Yan Teck, 82, recounts in a video interview his sense of loss when he moved from Pulau Seking, his home of almost 40 years, to the mainland in 1994 as residents were resettled to make way for a landfill. Almost breaking down, he says: "It was expensive to live in Singapore... and islanders were unskilled and uneducated."

Madam Lee Poh Yoke, 55, who visited the exhibition, said the Kusu Island section reminded her of when she was a little girl and her parents took her to the island to visit the Chinese temple.

"The exhibition is a good way to rekindle the memories," said the housewife. "I might take my nieces back to the island, since my children have all grown up."

Singapore islands you may not have heard of
Cheow Sue Ann And Fabian Koh Straits Times 11 Jun 14;

Did you know that Singapore was actually made up of more than 70 islands?

A new exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore will be the first to tell the tales of the isles of long-ago. Launched on Tuesday, the "Balik Pulau: Stories from Singapore's Islands" exhibition will run until Aug 10, from 10am to 6pm daily. Admission is free for the exhibition which is located at the museum's Stamford Gallery, level 1.

We check out some of lesser-known islands:

1. Pulau Seking

Less than a kilometre long, Pulau Sakeng (also spelt “Seking” or “Siking”) was among the smallest of Singapore’s southern islands.

The island was named after Keng or Yang Meleking, a woman of legend who was said to have battled pirates, healed the sick and founded the island community. A keramat (holy grave) at the foot of the island’s hill was believed to have been her tomb.

The first record of its inhabitants was in 1848 by a doctor, Robert Little. These early inhabitants were from the Johore-Riau Archipelago, and were namely Suku Bintan, Orang Selat and Orang Laut.

The community thrived until 1994, when residents were moved to the mainland so that the island could be turned into a landfill.

2. Pulau Semakau

Once known as Mangrove Island, probably for abundance of mangroves that grew on its eastern fringes, Pulau Semakau is, today, a vibrant marine habitat, surrounded by mangroves, seagrass meadows and coral reefs.

The formerly flame-shaped island was known to have been occupied as early as 1844. This was known when about a dozen Chinese smallholders who grew vegetables, raised poultry and made charcoal on “Pulo Simakow” reported being attacked by robbers. By 1955, Pulau Semakau had a population of about 780, most of whom fished for a living and grew coconuts and fruit trees.

Pulau Semakau remained unoccupied between 1976 till 1995, when it was linked to Pulau Sakeng to form Semakau Landfill.The landfill is Singapore’s only remaining landfill, costing $610 million, and receiving shipments of over 2,000 tonnes of ash daily, the charred remnants of 93 per cent of Singapore's rubbish, burnt at its four incinerators.

3. Pulau Damar Laut

Located off Jurong, the island now exists as part of Jurong Port. There are currently four container terminals and a cement terminal on it.

Pulau Damar Laut was an idyllic spot once: its palm-fringed coastlines, sleepy Malay kampungs and coral reefs with clear water were recalled vividly by author Julian Davison who came here on countryside excursions with his family in the late 1950s or early 1960s.

It was once the property of Ong Tiang Wee, the son of tycoon Ong Boon Tat, who co-owned New World Amusement Park. New World was one of the first amusement parks in Malaya.

City Square Mall currently stands in its place, with the New World Amusement Park gate refurbished and placed at the entrance.

4. Pulau Serangoon

Located off Punggol Point, the island was owned by the Aw brothers of Haw Par Villa fame.

It changed hands in the 1950s among various entrepreneurs who wanted to develop it into Singapore’s version of Coney Island; despite their efforts, only the name has stuck.

The 45ha island located off the Punggol Area. Pulau Serangoon is also a popular place for jet skiing and camping.

Pulau Serangoon, will open to the public next year as part of a “Waterfront Town”. There are also plans to build three bridges, linking the island to the mainland.

5. Pulau Hantu

"Hantu" is the Malay word for ghost and Pulau Hantu is aptly named as "island of ghosts". It was here that ancient Malay warriors once dueled to their death and their ghosts are said to remain on the island.

Pulau Hantu is actually made up of two islets: Hantu Besar (Big Ghost) and Hantu Kecil (Little Ghost).

Despite the horror stories, Pulau Hantu is, today, a popular haunt among fishing and snorkeling enthusiasts due to its waters which are rich in colourful corals and varied aquatic organisms.

6. Pulau Satumu

Pulau Satumu, which loosely translates to One Tree Island, houses the Raffles Lighthouse which was built in 1855, making it the second oldest of Singapore’s five lighthouses.

The island, about 23km south-west of Singapore, marks the south channel for the sea passage into Singapore. It is out-of-bounds except for the Raffles Lighthouse staff and visitors with special permission.

Raffles Lighthouse is the site of some ongoing scientific research on aspects such as coral spawning and giant clams. It is also a popular spot among diving enthusiasts.

7. Pulau Senang, Pulau Pawai and Pulau Sudong

Pulau Senang is located 24km south of Singapore, in shark-infested waters. In 1960, the island was used in a penal reform experiment. Riots resulted in the death of the Prison Officer Daniel Stanley Dutton (nicknamed "The Laughing Tiger") and three of his assistants.

A typical day for Pulau Pawai begins with a dozen men setting up targets, checking that the area is free of people who may have inadvertently trespassed into the range, and informing airbases that the island is ready for the exercise. The island is pounded almost daily by bombs from screaming aircraft. The place is reserved for the venom of Republic of Singapore Air Force fighter planes.

Pulau Sudong was originally filled with mangrove trees and swamp. It made the headlines in 1960 when geologists raised the alarm that the island was sinking.

The three islands form a part of the Singapore Armed Forces' military training area and live-firing zone. Like other military bases, these three islands are strictly off limits to all civilians.

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More Sumatra squalls expected for Singapore

Channel NewsAsia 12 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE: The strong winds that toppled trees and smashed flowerpots across Singapore on early Thursday morning (June 12) were the result of a Sumatra squall, says the National Environment Agency (NEA).

A spokesman from NEA's Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said the squall affected Singapore between 2.15am and 3.30am, bringing rain and gusty winds to many parts of the island.

Those in the southwestern part of Singapore near the West Coast Highway experienced the highest wind speed of 103.7 km per hour. Several viewers sent in photographs of damage caused by the strong gusts, including fallen trees and collapsed roofs. The tents for the Hari Raya Bazaar at Geylang East Avenue 3 were also brought down by the massive gusts.

The highest wind speed ever recorded in Singapore was 144.4 km per hour back in 25 April 1984.

"Sumatra squalls are common during the South West Monsoon season, which typically lasts from June to September or early October," said the MSS spokesman. "For the next fortnight, we can expect a few days of short-duration afternoon showers with one to two Sumatra squalls."

The public can refer to the latest weather reports at the NEA website, NEA’s Smartphone App (myEnv), NEA’s mobile weather service at Weather@SG, Twitter via @NEAsg and the weather forecast hotline at 6542 7788.

- CNA/xy

Sumatra squall brings rain and gusty winds to Singapore
Today Online 12 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE – Winds of speeds as high as 103.7km/h were recorded early this morning (June 12), leaving behind fallen trees and collapsed tents on parts of the island.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said a Sumatra squall – which are common during the Southwest Monsoon season that typically lasts from June to early October – affected Singapore between 2.15am to 3.30am. The squall brought rain and gusty winds to many parts of the island, with the south-western part of Singapore near West Coast highway recording the highest wind speed of 103.7km/h. In comparison, the highest wind speed recorded was 144.4km/h, on April 25 1984.

The intense storms resulted in 18 incidences of fallen trees, 30 fallen branches, and six snapped trunks, said Mr Oh Cheow Sheng, Director, Streetscape, National Parks Board (Nparks).

There were no reports of injury, and the obstructions were cleared upon notification, he said.

The MSS also said for the next fortnight, there could be a few days of short-duration afternoon showers with one to two Sumatra squalls.

Strong winds topple trees, tents
TAN SHI WEI Today Online 13 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE — Strong winds at speeds of as high as 103.7kmh were recorded early yesterday morning, toppling trees and collapsing tents in different parts of the island.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said a Sumatra squall — which is common during the Southwest Monsoon season that typically lasts from June to early October — affected Singapore between 2.15am and 3.30am.

The squall brought rain and gusty winds to many parts of the island. Yesterday’s highest wind speed of 103.7kmh was recorded at the south-western part of Singapore near West Coast Highway. In comparison, the highest wind speed recorded in Singapore was 144.4kmh on April 25, 1984.

The intense gusts and rain resulted in 18 fallen trees, 30 fallen branches and six snapped trunks, said Mr Oh Cheow Sheng, director of Streetscape at NParks. There were no reports of injuries and the obstructions were cleared up.

Mr Ang See Chien was driving along Sims Ave and Geylang Road when he saw the collapsed tents at Geylang Serai. “I saw that almost three-quarters of the tents collapsed, probably due to the heavy storm. Many HDB blocks near the vicinity had fallen bamboo sticks at the void decks. It is very dangerous as it concerns the safety of the public,” said the 53-year-old property manager.

MSS said there could be a few days of short afternoon showers with one or two Sumatra squalls over the next fortnight.

The public can call the NParks helpline at 1800 471 7300 to inform them of fallen trees. TAN SHI WEI

100kmh gusts topple trees and damage cars
Grace Chua The Straits Times AsiaOne 13 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE - Violent gusts of wind during an early-morning storm yesterday downed trees, knocked tiles off roofs and caused fish farms to drift from their moorings.

The effects were felt from Pasir Panjang to Pulau Ubin as branches fell on cars, trees fell and caused jams.

Commuting to work in Chinatown from her Pasir Panjang home yesterday morning, lawyer Anamika Bagchi, 30, found the way blocked by fallen trees not once but twice - on South Buona Vista Road and near Tanglin.

"It took me an hour to get to work instead of the usual 15 minutes," she said.

There were about 10 cases of obstruction on roads here due to yesterday's storm, the Land Transport Authority said.

Magazine writer Rachel Tan, 26, who lives off Tanglin Road, said: "I woke to a shocking view on my balcony, with overturned furniture and tall potted plants that were knocked over - like a typhoon had just stopped by."

The widespread destruction was caused by a Sumatra squall between 2.15am and 3.30am that brought rain and gusty winds to many parts of the island, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).

The highest wind speed recorded during the storm was 103.7kmh, near West Coast Highway. The highest wind speed recorded here was 144.4kmh on April 25, 1984, the MSS said.

Sumatra squalls are common during the south-west monsoon season, typically lasting from June to September or early October. "For the next fortnight, we can expect a few days of short-duration afternoon showers with one to two Sumatra squalls," an MSS spokesman said.

Yesterday's storm is unlikely to be linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon, said National University of Singapore weather researcher Winston Chow.

Rather, such strong gusts are caused by extremely strong pressure changes along the leading edge of the storm.

"Air from the surface gets thrust upwards, then pushed down rapidly, due to density differences between air parcels in the storm. The damage occurs primarily from these very strong downdrafts which are seen as short-lived but powerful gusts at the surface," he said.

It was a dark and stormy night
The New Paper AsiaOne 15 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE - Some residents were stirred by the angry rattling of windows at 3am.

Others, by the howling winds that raced through their housing estate.

And the winds tore branches off large trees, sending bits everywhere.

Retiree Peter Yu, 60, was out for his exercise at 9am when he realised a huge tree had fallen and covered much of the senior citizen fitness corner at Block 467A, Admiralty Drive.

"The first thing that went through my mind was to check if anyone was hurt," he said.

He estimates that the tree was at least seven storeys high and up to 3m wide.

Mr Yu learnt from the contractors clearing up the fallen wood that, fortunately, nobody had been injured.

"It was lucky that it happened before 5am because the place is usually busy, with people going to work and elderly people exercising there."

He said it took three to five hours for the contractors to clear the trees.

About five workers used chain saws to cut the fallen tree into smaller pieces, which were later loaded onto a lorry.

VISIBLE DAMAGE

All across the island yesterday, residents woke up to the destruction caused by powerful winds.

Trees, a large tent and even part of a building's roof were damaged because of the strong gusts.

Some parts of Singapore were also hit by heavy rain.

Mr Muhammad Kamal, 53, was passing Geylang Serai with his wife when he noticed a large tent had fallen at the field along Geylang East Avenue 3.

"My wife suspected that it might be the strong winds that she experienced when she was going home at around 2am," said the logistics assistant.

"I was concerned for people's safety. I thought, 'What if this happened during the day when people are around?" he added.

Workers were seen rebuilding the tent yesterday afternoon.

The tent is meant for the Hari Raya Bazaar during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on June 29.

Other parts of Singapore also experienced the wind's wrath.

A section of the roof at a building in Penjuru Lane had collapsed.

Citizen journalism website Stomp reported that a large tree branch had fallen on a parked car and van.

A Meteorological Service Singapore spokesman said the rain and gusty winds were due to a passing Sumatra squall between 2.15am and 3.30am yesterday.

The spokesman added that one to two Sumatra squalls can be expected in the next fortnight, accompanied by a few days of short afternoon showers.

What is a Sumatra squall?

Sumatra squalls are lines of thunderstorms which usually occur between March and November each year.

They move from Sumatra towards Singapore, usually during the pre-dawn or early morning hours.

The thunderstorms are often characterised by sudden onset of strong. gusty winds and heavy rain.

Yesterday, south-western Singapore recorded the highest wind speed of the night with 103.7kmh. This happened at 2.50am.

But this was lower than the highest wind speed on record - 144.4kmh recorded on April 25, 1984.

The south-west monsoon season, from June to early October, sees favourable winds for these storms. They can last for up to two hours as they move across the island.

Information from Meteorological Service Singapore and National Environment Agency

Related link
Stormy shores: The Sumatras on the wild shores of singapore blog

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NEA to provide daily haze forecasts from Monday

Channel NewsAsia 13 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE: With the onset of the traditional dry season, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will start providing daily haze forecasts and health advisories starting next Monday (June 16), the agency said on Friday.

The dry season raises the possibility of transboundary haze, the NEA said. “Over the past few days, drier weather conditions have affected parts of the region, and isolated hotspot activities were visible in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan. In the coming weeks, the prevailing Southwest Monsoon is expected to strengthen and persist with winds forecast to blow mostly from the southeast or southwest,” it said.

The Meteorological Service Singapore had also earlier forecast weak to moderate El Nino conditions to develop in the next few months, which could exacerbate the drier and warmer conditions and increasing the risk of transboundary smoke haze from land and forest fires in the region, the agency added.

Forecasts and advisories will be based on the new Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) system, which incorporates the measurement of PM2.5 pollutants, the NEA said. The advisories will also take into account the revised Ministry of Health’s health guidelines and the Ministry of Manpower’s workplace guidelines.

The public will be able to read the latest advisories at the Government’s haze microsite, or the NEA website.

- CNA/cy

Daily haze updates to start on Monday
Feng Zeng Kun The Straits Times AsiaOne 14 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE - Daily haze forecasts and health advisories will be issued from Monday as the start of the south-west monsoon season brings the possibility of smoke-filled skies.

The traditional dry season for the southern ASEAN region is likely to be worsened by the El Nino weather phenomenon this year - leading to a higher fire and haze risk - so the National Environment Agency will provide updates through its Twitter and Facebook pages, website and microsite www.haze.gov.sg.

The agency said yesterday that certain areas of the region have experienced drier weather over the past few days, with isolated hot spots visible in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia. Earlier this week, Indonesian national news agency Antara said satellites had detected 227 hot spots across Sumatra on Sunday, the highest number in three months.

The south-west monsoon is expected to strengthen and persist in the coming weeks, and the winds could bring with them smoke from Indonesia - caused when farmers burn land illegally to clear it for agricultural use.

The months of June to September are traditionally drier for countries across the southern ASEAN region, comprising Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and the southern parts of the Philippines and Thailand.

But they could be drier than usual this year, with some scientists now warning that there is a 90 per cent chance of the El Nino weather phenomenon - linked to drier weather - occurring before the end of the year.

One silver lining is that the European Centre for Medium- range Weather Forecasts - considered one of the world's most reliable prediction centres - said this week that the effect of the El Nino is likely to be moderate. It added that the situation will be clearer "in the next month or two".

Meteorological Service Singapore has predicted a "weak to moderate" El Nino, with rainfall here from June to September expected to be 10 per cent to 40 per cent lower than the long-term averages.

Average daily temperatures for those months are expected to be 1 deg C higher than the long-term averages of 27.2 deg C to 27.7 deg C.

People in Singapore have already felt the heat, with the highest recorded temperatures from Monday to Wednesday ranging from 35 deg C to 36.2 deg C.

On Wednesday, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono called on Singapore's Minister for Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan. He stressed Indonesia's commitment to resolve the recurrent problem and welcomed Singapore's offers of assistance.

The Republic has offered to provide, among other things, high-resolution satellite images and hot spot coordinates, Singapore Civil Defence Force teams, and even an aircraft for cloud-seeding.

Dr Balakrishnan said on Facebook that it was "a very good meeting", adding: "We agreed both governments need to work closely to safeguard the health and welfare of citizens from both Indonesia and Singapore."

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