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Green Drinks Singapore
Building better homes for current and future generations of Singaporeans, as well as creating a liveable and sustainable country form key thrusts of both ministries.
Fann Sim and Aqil Haziq Mahmud Channel NewsAsia 8 May 18;
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) on Tuesday (May 8) laid down plans to create a liveable and sustainable Singapore.
In his ministry’s addendum to President Halimah Yacob’s address in Parliament on Monday, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong reaffirmed plans to build a more inclusive city for Singaporeans of all ages and abilities.
This includes seeing to the housing needs of senior and vulnerable Singaporeans.
For seniors, MND will pilot a new model of assisted living that combines housing and care services, in order to help them live more independently and with dignity. MND will also update the existing Enhancement for Active Seniors programme to provide more accessibility solutions.
For vulnerable Singaporeans living in rental flats, MND will study how to further support their homeownership aspirations.
Mr Wong said that his ministry also plans to build a “smarter, greener, and more liveable city”. Chief among its plans is the linking of up the 24km Rail Corridor to parks, nature areas and trails such as the Coast-to-Coast Trail and 150km Round Island Route by 2021.
By 2030, he said, 90 per cent of Singaporeans will live within a 10-minute walk of a park, and Singapore’s network of green corridors will be expanded from 310km to 400km.
MEWR is also doing its part to build a liveable and sustainable Singapore by integrating and transforming “our blue and green spaces”, it said.
“Through the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters programme, we will continue to turn concrete drains, canals, and reservoirs into vibrant and beautiful rivers, streams, and lakes,” Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said in his ministry’s addendum.
“Over the next few years, ABC Waters projects at locations such as the Jurong Lake and Sungei Whampoa will be completed.
The ministry will also continue to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as enhancing stormwater management systems and diversifying water supply with more desalination and NEWater plants.
“In tandem, we are pursuing better management of our water demand,” Mr Masagos said. “We will also deepen our local research capabilities on climate science and weather through the Centre for Climate Research Singapore.”
When it comes to tackling climate change, using resources efficiently is critical to reducing emissions, limiting pollution and strengthening Singapore’s economic resilience, he said.
“We will strive to become a zero waste nation and extract greater value from waste as a resource, so as to achieve our vision of a circular economy,” he added, highlighting the Government's implementation of a compulsory e-waste management system and mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans by 2021.
“While the Government will continue to strengthen our regulatory regime to safeguard our environment and public health, creating a liveable and endearing home ultimately depends on everyone taking ownership of our environment,” Mr Masagos said.
Source: CNA/hz
Quality living in a connected city, three ministers pledge
WONG PEI TING Today Online 8 May 18;
SINGAPORE — Through mega aviation and port projects, as well as continued investments in rail and mobility initiatives and new housing developments, the Government will ensure a quality living environment for Singaporeans and keep Singapore one of the most connected cities in Asia.
Some 3,000 flats with shorter waiting times of two to three years — instead of the usual four years — will be launched this year and next, and the first batch of flats in the Tengah "Forest Town" will be launched in the second half of this year, said Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (May 8) in his addendum to President Halimah Yacob's address at the opening of the second session of the 13th Parliament.
"Home ownership remains the key social pillar of our nation," said Mr Wong. "We are tapering the building of new flat to a more sustainable level, but we will continue to maintain a sufficient supply to meet the housing needs of Singaporeans, from young families, to seniors and singles."
For seniors, Mr Wong said a new model of assisted living that combines housing with care services will be piloted to enable them to live independently and with dignity.
On transport, Transport Minister and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Khaw Boon Wan said the rail network will expand by 130km in the next 12 years. The construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line is underway, with the Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line to follow. This plan is "on track" to bring eight in 10 households within a 10-minute walk from a train station by 2030, Mr Khaw said.
The authorities will introduce a licensing framework for bicycle sharing operators and registration for e-scooters by the end of this year, he added. This will enhance enforcement against indiscriminate parking and reckless riding and instil a more responsible culture among users.
On a larger scale, Singapore will continue to foster its connection to the global economy with Changi Airport's expansion, the next generation Tuas Port, as well as the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail and the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link.
Such developments continue to be important as aviation and maritime sectors continue to be the "lifelines of Singapore's economy", contributing more than 10 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product and 250,000 jobs, said Mr Khaw.
"We cannot take (Singapore's position at the heart of international trade and investment) for granted. Many in the region are working hard to replace us, with shipping and flight routes bypassing Singapore," he said.
The Government will balance economic growth with environmental protection, pledged Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.
Singapore will undertake a voluntary national review of the United Nations' sustainable development goals in July this year, he said.
It will implement mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans by 2021, while supporting the wider use of on-site food waste digesters at commercial premises and hawker centres.
The upcoming Tuas Water Reclamation Plant and integrated waste management facility — touted as the world's first — will cut carbon emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes a year, said Mr Masagos.
Technology will increasingly feature in the environmental services industry — to manage waste collection remotely, through the use of robotics to sort recyclables at materials recovery facilities, and the use of autonomous cleaning to free up workers to perform "higher value work", he said. "We will work together to build on (our pioneers') precious legacy, and leave our children with a smart, green and livable home," he said.
Key initiatives for each ministry:
Ministry of Transport
Rail network to grow by another 130km by 2030
Rail reliability target of 1,000,000 mean km between failures by 2020; to be achieved by accelerating asset renewal and intensifying maintenance of older lines through extended engineering hours
Licensing framework for bicycle sharing operators and registration of e-scooters to be introduced by the end of 2018
Ministry of National Development
First batch of HDB flats in the new Tengah 'Forest Town', designed to be surrounded by greenery and nature, to launch in the second half of the year
90 per cent of Singaporeans to live within a 10-minute walk of a park by 2030 as network of green corridors will be expanded from 310km to 400km
New assisted living model that integrates social services with housing to be piloted for seniors
Adoption of more productive construction methods to double from the current 20 per cent of all new projects to 40 per cent by 2020
Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources
Undertake a voluntary national review of UN's sustainable development goals in July
Implement mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans by 2021
Support wider use of on-site food waste digesters at commercial premises and hawker centres
Build 13 more modern hawker centres by 2027
David Shukman BBC 9 May 18;
Indonesian scientists have launched the largest ever study into whether tiny plastic particles can affect human health.
They are investigating the presence of plastic in seafood while also tracking the diets of 2,000 people.
There is no evidence yet that ingesting small pieces of plastic is harmful but potential impacts cannot be ruled out.
Plastic pollution has become so severe in Indonesia that the army has been called in to help.
While public attention is focused on larger items like bags and bottles choking rivers and canals, there is emerging scientific concern over the long-term implications of smaller and less visible pieces known as microplastics.
The project is being undertaken in Semarang, an industrial port city of 1.7 million people, on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java.
Led by food technologist Inneke Hantoro, the aim is understand how much plastic is contained in seafood, how much of it people eat and whether a safe level of consumption can be devised.
Her initiative is a response to US plastics researcher Jenna Jambeck and colleagues concluding that Indonesia was the world's second largest contributor of plastic waste to the oceans after China.
Ms Hantoro, of Soegijapranata Catholic University, says the lack of evidence about microplastics causing harm is not a reason to delay investigating the risks.
She told BBC News: "With the uncertain conditions right now, where the toxicological data is still limited, we cannot let the situation run as usual because we know consumers are starting to be aware of the presence of plastics – it will make them worry, so we need to do something."
She concedes that until more data is available, it will not be possible to set a definitive safety standard for plastic consumption so she’s hoping to come up with "interim guidance".
"We could propose a food safety standard to remove seafood that contains a very high level of microplastics from the market – people don’t want to buy something that contains plastic," she added.
The first stage of the work involved gathering 450 samples of six different types of seafood from local waters and also from further afield, and screening them for microplastics.
I joined her on a visit to fish farms on the coast near Semarang. To reach them we had to travel by boat through mangrove swamps that were blighted by plastic – huge loads of it hung from the branches and lay tangled in the roots.
The research has found that every species tested contained some plastic particles, including fragments and fibres – tilapia were the worst with 85% seen with plastic.
The majority of mullet, shrimp, and milk fish tested also had plastic particles. Cockles had the lowest reading with 52% containing plastic.
These findings are broadly in line with similar research conducted in the UK and elsewhere, and they confirm that plastic contamination of seafood is a global problem.
But the next phase of the work in Semarang breaks new ground with an unprecedented campaign to follow the diets of 2,000 volunteers over a period of 2-4 weeks.
As a coastal city, Semarang is known to have a relatively high consumption of seafood and a key task is to find out how people prepare it and whether they take any steps that might minimise their intake of plastic.
Milk fish, for example, can be eaten whole, including their intestines, which may be where microplastics might accumulate.
One of the co-authors of the study is a Dutch environmental scientist, Prof Ad Ragas, of Radboud University.
He plays down any fears of immediate health hazards from microplastics but says the problem does need to be understood.
"Keep in mind that it’s not as if everybody is dying from the plastics problem," he told BBC News.
"We know it's there but we don't know yet whether fish are dying or people are dying because of the microplastics, so there’s no reason or proof to be pessimistic there.
"But we don’t know for sure, so that’s the uncertainty we have to live with."
This comes as the city authorities in Semarang have organised a major clean-up - the main streets and rivers look largely clear of plastic waste.
But because the city only has one official landfill site, at least 200 illegal ones have sprung up in poorer districts and in the outskirts of Semarang.
We saw one sprawling dump on the coast, where thousands of bags of rubbish lay heaped and torn, with plastic waste blown by the wind into the ocean, all of it destined to break down into smaller fragments.
In an effort to minimise the amount of plastic reaching the environment, one major food packaging factory in the city has launched an initiative to contain waste and raise awareness.
PT Miramas, which uses plastic for sachets, bottles and other containers, is sponsoring classes in EcoBricks, a scheme that transforms plastic waste into blocks that can be used as furniture or building materials.
Harjanto Halim, director of the company, told me that at the moment he could see no alternatives to using plastic so he wanted to teach people how to make use of it and prevent it leaking into the environment.
As we spoke, dozens of people were learning how to prod old plastic bags into drinks bottles. The filled bottles are then being glued together in batches to form large "bricks" which can be stacked on top of each other.
"You cannot make a magical thing happen in a blink of an eye,” said Mr Halim, acknowledging that this project alone will not change attitudes."The people of Indonesia still consider throwing trash into the street or river is normal… but if I am able to get support from the government and schools I think we can make a difference."
KELLY NG Today Online 7 May 18;
SINGAPORE — To tackle food waste, Mr Nicholas Lim did not simply spread the word among his friends and family.
In an experiment to see if he could make a viable business out of the problem, he co-founded an online platform that allows individuals, eateries and voluntary welfare organisations to order discounted groceries that would otherwise be thrown away.
TreeDots began operations six months ago and now has about 180 business partners, which obtain discounted groceries from about 30 suppliers.
The items may be slightly defective or approaching their expiry dates, but prices are hugely marked down. For instance, 12 one-litre bottles of olive oil cost S$20, compared with about S$12 per bottle at a supermarket, while a kilogramme of Cavendish bananas can be had at S$1.75, about a third of the price elsewhere.
TreeDots offers free delivery and takes a 10 per cent cut for every successful transaction, said Mr Lim, 26, who co-founded the platform with fellow Singapore Management University graduates Tylor Jong and Lau Jiacai.
About 10 individuals also order TreeDots’ weekly “vege boxes”, which contain up to 14kg of fruits and vegetables that may look “ugly” or are blemished. The boxes’ content varies according to what the suppliers are looking to let go of. Each box costs S$40 and three boxes cost S$115.
Mr Lim said the start-up has generated enough revenue to cover its overhead costs, which includes a refrigerator truck, but the founders are still working unpaid.
“Response has been growing over the months, but still mostly on the business-to-business level…Despite growing interest in the issue of food waste, we still feel the majority of people here are not willing to accept such products,” said Mr Lim.
While eco-businesses selling items such as upcycled bags or bamboo and stainless steel straws are not new to Singapore, the experiences and ability of two fledgling ventures that deal in perishable food items could signal if a broader swathe of local consumers are ready to adopt low-waste habits in a bigger way.
On Saturday (May 5), a 1,200 sq ft grocery store opened in Sembawang Hills estate, targeting patrons keen to shop for daily necessities stripped of the usual packaging. Inspired by a video of a provision shop with the same concept operating somewhere in Europe, UnPackt’s co-founder Florence Tay, 36, is looking to help the average shopper to take small steps to reduce waste in everyday life.
For a start, the store has stocked about 70 types of toiletries, cleaning agents and dried foodstuff like cereal that are stored in self-service dispensers and priced according to weight.
Patrons are free to buy only the amount they want, and the items are a shade cheaper than what they would cost in a supermarket. For instance, UnPackt is selling 100g of raw sugar for S$0.30, the same amount of organic pasta for S$0.70 and, almonds, for S$4.50.
Customers bring their own receptacles or use the jars and containers that Ms Tay has collected, cleaned and sterilised.
UnPackt’s co-founder Jeff Lam, 38, who lives alone, said he used to throw out a lot of unfinished food that had expired and hopes to “debunk the myth that eco-friendly habits are expensive and unsustainable”.
The duo have pumped in about S$100,000 to get the business going and while they see it also playing an advocacy role, they stress the need to be financially sustainable.
“Profitability still has to come in, in order for us to keep running (the store) and prove to the man in the street that this is the one-stop shop for their low-waste lifestyle habits,” said Ms Tay.
GOOD CAUSE, BUT WILL CONSUMERS BITE?
The efforts by TreeDots’ and UnPackt’s founders come amid the growing amount of food and plastic waste generated in Singapore. A waste audit by the National Environment Agency found that over half of food waste generated by households here would not have been trashed had consumers bought the quantities they needed or cooked the right portions.
Meanwhile, packaging waste made up a third of the 1.7 million tonnes of domestic waste generated here last year. About 15 per cent of the packaging waste – or about 83,550 tonnes – is made up of plastic and paper disposables such as single-use plates and take-away food containers.
But the key ingredient determining the reach and sustainability of businesses such as TreeDots and UnPackt could ultimately be their prices, said business experts and observers.
The majority of consumers in Singapore still make their purchases based on prices, they said.
Said Associate Professor Lawrence Loh from the National University of Singapore's School of Business: “At this juncture, consumers are still very sensitive to what hits their pockets. We have not achieved a concerted vision and effort to cut waste. Economics still takes precedence.”
Assoc Prof Loh, who directs the school's Centre for Governance, Institutions & Organisations, said consumers also want to be assured that going “packaging-free” does not compromise hygiene.
Ms Ang Huan Ting, who has ordered six of TreeDots' vegetable boxes since the start of the year, said she finds their price "pretty reasonable considering the quality of the products and door to door delivery".
The 27-year-old civil servant and her husband takes up to two weeks to consume the vegetables.
"The offerings are different each time, and I like the element of surprise... Another reason why I keep subscribing (to the vegetable boxes) is because I find the founders very passionate about their vision to reduce food waste," said Ms Ang.
Dumpster diver Daniel Tay, who leads outings to “rescue” discarded edible produce and started the Freegan in Singapore Facebook page said it may be more difficult for such businesses to stay afloat here, given the cost of rentals and transport.
Mr Jeff Cheong, president of advertising agency Tribal Worldwide Asia, said brands that championing the zero waste culture must be “actively involved in education and outreach to share ideas that ‘normal people’ can do right from their home”.
“From producing content, to holding public talks, to interacting with patrons at their stores, these advocates-cum-businessmen need to invest time to build up the community from the heartlands. Working with young children is key in shaping their minds towards responsible living in the future,” said Mr Cheong.
Other smaller outfits that operate online or as pop-up stores said challenges lie in reaching out to a wider segment of Singaporeans.
Ms Danielle Champagne, who co-founded the Green Collective, a three-month pop-up store in Paya Lebar, said: "We might feel like there is a growth (of people reducing waste) but it could be because of the circles we are in... We don't want to just be preaching to the converted."
Ms Champagne owns Zhai Eco, which sells clothing made of natural fibres like bamboo and linen. Zhai Eco is one of 15 brands found at the pop-up, which offers customers recycled bags only when they request for one.
The Green Collective also holds do-it-yourself workshops, talks and "plant swaps" (sessions to exchange seedlings, seeds or gardening tips).
Others, like online shop The Sustainability Project and pop-up store The Zero Ways hope their wares — which include beeswax wraps and straws made of bamboo or stainless steel — can help Singaporeans adopt more eco-friendly behaviour.
Said Lily Khairunnisa, who started The Zero Ways in January with her family members: "More Singaporeans, especially of the younger generation, are getting more conscious of the waste we produce. We are still quite far from having these practices ingrained in our everyday lives, but it is picking up traction."
The 30-year-old also believes there is strength in numbers. "It takes time... We have seen many other green businesses come up in the last few months. We see one another as collaborators, and I think that would make it easier to spur the movement," she said.
Aubrey Kandelila Fanani Antara 7 May 18;
The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is now conducting rare plants. Among the rare plants in Indonesia is Bintangur (Calophyllum lanigerum). (ANTARA PHOTO/Joko Sulistyo)
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) offered training on survey methods for wild plants and wildlife on May 7-11 in Cipanas, Cianjur District, West Java, to prevent the extinction of biodiversity traded as a commodity.
As one of the countries ratifying the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the management of trade of wild plants and wildlife in Indonesia is conducted through the provisions of the conventions set forth in several laws and regulations.
"This method is designed to prevent the extinction of plant or animal species due to trade, especially international one. In addition, it is for maintaining a limit on the utilization of species," Deputy of Life Sciences of LIPI Prof. Enny Sudarmonowati stated.
Sudarmonowati said LIPI has been trusted as a scientific authority that provides recommendations to management authorities for the implementation of CITES. The recommendations include establishing a list of types, limiting trade quotas, and licensing restrictions.
As necessitated in government regulations, these recommendations should be based on scientific data and information provided by various parties but obtained by methods recognized by scientific authorities, she explained.
Meanwhile, Head of the Biology Research Center of LIPI Witjaksono noted that LIPI is also responsible for delivering to stakeholders related methods that can be used in data collection for monitoring or surveying population of traded species in natural habitat or for evaluation of production at breeding and cultivation facilities.
"In addition to the method, it is important for parties to improve the identification capabilities of TSL products circulating at home and abroad. One of the most concerned parties to both of these is the officer on the field, the Forest Ecosystem Manager (PEH) involved in granting permits and supervising the distribution of TSL," he stated.
LIPI as an institution that stores a collection of flora, fauna, and microbes of Indonesia and is a national reference for users along with playing a role in the collection and integration of data on natural resources.
Hence, the LIPI is tasked with providing a means to integrate national data and information from different sources of data providers through a portal that facilitates the interoperability of Indonesia`s databases known as the Indonesia Biodiversity Information Facility (InaBIF).
InaBIF is part of the international network of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) aimed at providing information on biodiversity to the audience. At the national level, InaBIF can facilitate the mapping of the rich biodiversity in the regions, providing an overview of the information gap, and assisting decision-making in terms of action priorities for biodiversity protection.
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Matt McGrath BBC 7 May 18;
A new study says global tourism accounts for 8% of carbon emissions, around three times greater than previous estimates.
The new assessment is bigger because it includes emissions from travel, plus the full life-cycle of carbon in tourists' food, hotels and shopping.
Driving the increase are visitors from affluent countries who travel to other wealthy destinations.
The US tops the rankings followed by China, Germany and India.
Tourism is a huge and booming global industry worth over $7 trillion, and employs one in ten workers around the world. It's growing at around 4% per annum.
Previous estimates of the impact of all this travel on carbon suggested that tourism accounted for 2.5-3% of emissions.
However in what is claimed to be the most comprehensive assessment to date, this new study examines the global carbon flows between 160 countries between 2009 and 2013. It shows that the total is closer to 8% of the global figure.
As well as air travel, the authors say they have included an analysis of the energy needed to support the tourism system, including all the food, beverage, infrastructure construction and maintenance as well as the retail services that tourists enjoy.
"It definitely is eye opening," Dr Arunima Malik from the University of Sydney, who's the lead author of the study, told BBC News.
"We looked at really detailed information about tourism expenditure, including consumables such as food from eating out and souvenirs. We looked at the trade between different countries and also at greenhouse gas emissions data to come up with a comprehensive figure for the global carbon footprint for tourism."
The researchers also looked at the impacts in both the countries where tourists came from and where they travelled. They found that the most important element was relatively well off people from affluent countries travelling to other well to do destinations.
In the leading countries, US, China, Germany and India, much of the travel was domestic.
Travellers from Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark exert a much higher carbon footprint elsewhere than in their own countries.
When richer people travel they tend to spend more on higher carbon transportation, food and pursuits says Dr Malik.
"If you have visitors from high income countries then they typically spend heavily on air travel, on shopping and hospitality where they go to. But if the travellers are from low income countries then they spend more on public transport and unprocessed food, the spending patterns are different for the different economies they come from."
When measuring per capita emissions, small island destinations such as the Maldives, Cyprus and the Seychelles emerge as the leading lights. In these countries tourism is responsible for up to 80% of their annual emissions.
"The small island states are in a difficult position because we like travelling to these locations and those small island states very much rely on tourist income but they are also at the same time vulnerable to the effects of rising seas and climate change," said Dr Malik.
Demand for international tourism is also being seen in emerging countries like Brazil, India, China and Mexico, highlighting a fundamental problem - wealth.
The report underlines the fact that when people earn more than $40,000 per annum, their carbon footprint from tourism increase 13% for every 10% rise in income. The consumption of tourism does "not appear to satiate as incomes grow," the report says.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has welcomed the research but doesn't accept that the industry's efforts to cut carbon have been a flop.
"It would be unfair to say that the industry is not doing anything," said Rochelle Turner, director of research at WTTC.
"We've seen a growing number of hotels, airports and tour operators that have all become carbon neutral so there is a momentum."
Experts say that offsetting, where tourists spend money on planting trees to mitigate their carbon footprint will have to increase, despite reservations about its effectiveness.
Awareness is also the key. The WTTC say that the recent water crisis in Cape Town has also helped people recognise that changes in climate can impact resources like water.
"There is a real need for people to recognise what their impact is in a destination," said Rochelle Turner, "and how much water, waste and energy you should be using compared to the local population."
"All of this will empower tourists to make better decisions and only through those better decisions that we'll be able to tackle the issue of climate change."
The study is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
Focus Group discussion on haze for parents with young kids
PM.Haze
Life History of the Cabbage White
Butterflies of Singapore
Sagor Catfish (Hexanematichthys sagor) @ Yishun Dam
Monday Morgue
SIAU MING EN Today Online 6 May 18;
The release of wildlife could also be regulated, but the committee studying this will first have to determine the scope of the Act given that several fishes and marine wildlife are excluded from the current definition of animals.
This was one of the issues raised at the first public consultation held at the Singapore Sustainability Academy on Friday (May 4), which was attended by more than 80 members of the public.
Mr Ng, who is MP for Nee Soon GRC, will be tabling a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to propose changes to the Act. He also chairs the 17-member Wild Animal Legislation Review Committee set up to look into this. The committee includes members from the Nature Photographic Society (Singapore), the National University of Singapore’s law faculty, and the Singapore Pest Management Association.
“We really need to align (the Act) with all other animal legislations that we currently have, the rest have been reviewed and amended… (this Act) really is quite outdated,” said Mr Ng, who is also the founder of wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).
Amendments to another animal legislation, the Animals and Birds Act, were passed in 2014, for instance, and was also introduced as a private member’s bill. Under the current Wild Animals and Birds Act, it is an offence for any person to kill, take or keep any wild animal or bird.
Among the 10 tentative proposed amendments are suggestions to ban the feeding of wild animals throughout Singapore. Currently, such feeding is only banned in the nature reserves and parks under the Parks and Trees Act.
Others include regulating the release of all wild animals, with exceptions made for government agencies and organisations such as Acres whenever they see the need to release these animals back into the wild.
Beyond the act of killing, taking and keeping these wild animals and birds, one of the suggestions was to criminalise the harassment of such wildlife. They are also proposing a Code of Conduct to spell out what constitutes as harassment.
The use of nets, traps and similar equipment should be regulated too, said the committee.
They are also calling for provisions for “citizen empowerment against offenders”, which is similar to how the National Environment Agency’s community volunteers are given enforcement powers to issue warnings and summonses.
Other suggestions include raising the penalties under the Act, and introducing tiered penalties for first and repeated offenders, for instance. Currently, the penalty is set at maximum fine of S$1,000, and the forfeiture of the wild animal or bird.
At last week’s session, several participants asked if species such as bees, crabs, fish, and other marine wildlife would be covered under the Act. One participant pointed out that many marine wildlife are invertebrates, and they “completely fall through” the Act while another said the definition would not cover the fish and crabs often released for religious reasons.
The Act states that wild animals and birds include all species of animals and birds of a wild nature, but excludes domestic dogs and cats, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, domestic pigs, poultry, and ducks. Under the Interpretation Act – which defines certain terms and expressions used in written law – an animal “includes bird, reptile, fish and every kind of vertebrate animal and the young”.
This means invertebrates such as insects and the endangered horseshoe crabs are excluded. Amending the definition in the Wild Animals and Birds Act would also have implications on other sections in the Act as well, noted Mr Ng.
“The trapping of animals, (for instance), you can’t really stop someone from trapping say, a cockroach,” he said.
But the committee will look into the possibility of including some species of invertebrates – such as the fish and crabs that are often released during Vesak Day – in the relevant section to regulate the release of such wildlife.
Other issues raised during the consultation session included whether the amendments could cover the accidental escape of captive wildlife, which was not intentionally released but could also affect the environment. Another participant pointed out that it should similarly be an offence for individuals or organisations who facilitate the release of wildlife such as through the sale of these animals.
The committee plans to gather more feedback from the public through an online questionnaire that will be posted within one or two weeks. Closed door consultation sessions will also be held with the relevant stakeholders, including those from religious groups. All feedback will be taken into account before the committee drafts the Bill, and puts it up for consultation again.
Night Walk At Lower Peirce Reservior (04 May 2018)
Beetles@SG BLOG
The forest that will be making way for the “Forest Town”
The Long and Winding Road
Channel NewsAsia 5 May 18;
SINGAPORE: The father of the famous Bishan otter family died on Saturday (May 5) afternoon in Boon Keng, veteran otter enthusiast Jeffrey Teo told Channel NewsAsia.
The member of the group OtterWatch said the creature died at around 2.30pm surrounded by "otterers", who sat a "comfortable distance" away.
"Two attempts were made to trap and treat him by ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) and WRS (Wildlife Reserves Singapore) this morning, but he managed to slip away," said Mr Teo. "We made the decision to call off the trapping at about 10am so that he could rest in peace.
"Could sense his life was fading away so we decided to accompany him at his side instead."
The animal's carcass was taken to Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Mr Teo said.
An account of the otter's last moments was posted on the OtterWatch Facebook page. He was estimated to be more than seven years old.
"At about 2.30pm, Bishan Dad came out from the holt, found a comfortable spot and lay down. It was a peaceful afternoon, with occasional water splashing sound caused by boats passing by ... His life faded away at 2.40pm. R.I.P," the post read.
The Bishan otter family was first spotted at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in 2014. The initial family of five gained national attention in 2015, when the National Parks Board posted photos and videos of them on their Facebook page.
The family had grown to 16 strong by 2017.
Mr Teo added: "He brought so much learning on smooth-coated otter behaviour which we applied other otter families in Singapore, and shared with rest of the world."
Dad of Bishan otter family dies, otter watchers mourn his loss
Lydia Lam Straits Times 5 May 18;
SINGAPORE - An otter believed to be the father of the friendly Bishan otter family died on Saturday (May 5), surrounded by otter watchers, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) officers and those who have followed his journey since 2014.
Veteran otter watcher and member of the Otter Working Group Jeffery Teo told The Straits Times that the smooth-coated otter had been observed to be sickly for about a week. His energy levels were low and blood was spotted in his stool.
The Otter Working Group is a volunteer group set up with several government agencies including the National Parks Board, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and PUB in 2016.
On Saturday, more than 10 otter watchers gathered from 6am to track the otter.
They had been unsure that it was the Bishan dad, as they affectionately term the creature, but confirmed on Friday that it was him.
They did so by noting his unique markings, the relative position of the individual in the group, his size and behaviour, National University of Singapore (NUS) biology lecturer N. Sivasothi, who heads OtterWatch, told ST.
After being left behind by his family, the otter trailed sluggishly behind them before stopping under a wooden bridge along the Kallang River.
Although the Otter Working Group had planned to trap and treat the otter, they decided against it as they could see that his health was failing.
"We could see that his life was fading," said Mr Teo. "We stayed behind so that at least he's being accompanied in his last journey, and also to make sure his carcass wasn't eaten by other animals."
At around 2.40pm, the otter breathed his last. He had been around seven to eight years old, Mr Teo said.
"A lot of people cried," he said. Wildlife Reserves Singapore received the carcass and will perform a post-mortem on it. After that, the carcass may be preserved as a wet museum specimen at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.
Bishan dad with his two youngest children in February 2018. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/OTTERWATCH
Mr Sivasothi, who has studied the mammals since 1994, said otters in the wild can live for about eight years, while those in captivity can survive for up to 14 years.
He said the otter watching community was saddened by the death.
"He's been followed since 2014," said Mr Sivasothi. "This otter is quite unusual. He's very successful in how he led the family and that's why they managed to stay intact in such a large group. We know this from zoos - not every parent is good. An adult which is a very good parent is prized in a captive collection."
This brings the number of otters in the Bishan family to 14. The future of the family is uncertain, and both Mr Teo and Mr Sivasothi were unsure on whether the mother would take a new mate.
"It will be the first time we will be able to clearly observe how this turns out," said Mr Sivasothi.
He said the Bishan dad was "quite indifferent to otter watchers" and not shy, allowing them to view many aspects of his behaviour up close.
"I think this is the most intimate interaction between an otter brood and a whole community of otter watchers in the world," he said. "I think that's why they all feel the loss so strongly. But they understand - these are things that happen in a natural life cycle."
Acres deputy chief executive officer Kalai Vanan told ST that three Acres officers were present.
"It's very unfortunate and sad indeed that he died," he said. "For now, we would need to find out the probable cause of death so that we can be better prepared if there is a similar scenario in the future."
Channel NewsAsia 5 May 18;
SINGAPORE: Three people have died and 60 dengue cases have been reported in a dengue cluster at Jurong West, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (May 5).
The cluster at Jurong West Street 91 and 92 is largest dengue cluster thus far this year. All of the cases are residents in the area, authorities said.
As of Friday, MOH and NEA have been notified of three dengue-related deaths associated with the cluster.
A 68-year-old woman died on Apr 13 while she was overseas. A 41-year-old man was admitted to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital last Sunday. His condition deteriorated and he passed away on Thursday.
The third fatality is a 63-year-old woman who was admitted to NTFGH on Tuesday. She also died on Thursday. All three are Singaporeans.
"MOH and NEA wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. We are currently investigating the factors that may have contributed to the severe cases in the cluster," the authorities said.
PREVENTION MEASURES TAKEN
A total of 117 breeding habitats have been detected in the area since Apr 3 after checks by its officers, NEA said. Most, or 82 of these, were found in common mosquito larvae habitats such as flower bowls, flower vases, fountains, pails, and dish drying trays, around or in residents' homes.
Another 35 habitats were found in common areas such as ground puddles, gully traps and scupper drains. There was no construction-related mosquito breeding found.
NEA has sprayed insecticides in the common corridors and in residents’ homes and put up dengue cluster alert banners and posters around the estate.
It is also working with members of the community from Jurong West Street 91 to conduct house visits to create awareness, remind residents to take precautions and distribute insect repellent.
Those showing symptoms suggestive of dengue should see a doctor early, authorities added.
"Early diagnosis can facilitate better case management, and persons with dengue can also help prevent further transmission by applying repellent regularly so that mosquitoes do not bite and pick up the virus from them," MOH and NEA said.
The symptoms include the sudden onset of fever for two to seven days, severe headaches with pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, skin rashes, nausea and vomiting, and bleeding from the nose or gums or easy bruising in the skin.
Source: CNA/hm
5 more dengue cases found in Jurong West
Channel NewsAsia 8 May 18;
SINGAPORE: Five more cases of dengue have been found in the last three days in a Jurong West cluster where three dengue-linked deaths have been reported.
In the National Environment Agency's (NEA) latest update on Monday (May 7), the number of dengue cases in the cluster stands at 65, five more than the 60 reported on Saturday.
Eighty cases were found in the whole of Singapore in the last week, from Apr 29 to May 5, a jump from the 56 reported the week before.
However, the number of cases is still low compared to previous years.
The dengue cluster at Jurong West Street 91 and 92 is the largest thus far this year, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and NEA earlier said.
A total of 877 dengue cases have been reported since the beginning of this year and there are six active clusters listed on the NEA website.
Besides Jurong West, other high-risk clusters with more than 10 cases include one at Bedok North Street 3 where there have been 37 cases, and one at Cashew Crescent/Chestnut Drive in Bukit Panjang, where 17 cases have been reported.
The three other clusters are in the areas of Balestier Road, Elliot Road and Gangsa Road.
NEA and MOH have asked residents to help prevent the spread of the mosquito-borne virus by keeping their environment free of breeding habitats for the insects.
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