Worst-recorded bleaching wipes out 73 per cent of UAE’s coral reefs

NYUAD-EEA study uncovers massive destruction in UAE
Anjana Kumar Gulf News 29 Oct 18;

ABU DHABI: Over 73 per cent of coral reefs in the UAE have been wiped out due to bleaching, according to studies conducted by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in collaboration with Emirates Environmental Agency (EEA).

Coral bleaching is a phenomenon where coral reefs turn white due to exposure to high water temperature and other local impacts like sewage, overfishing, sedimentation, dredging and construction. Reefs located in warm, shallow water with low water flow are more prone to bleaching than those with higher water flow.

John Burt, associate professor of biology and head of the marine lab at NYUAD said the worst recorded coral bleaching event in the region took place last year, stretching over 200 kilometres across UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Nearly three fourths of our coral reefs were destroyed. But Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were the worst hit, losing 90 per cent of their reefs.

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Best of our wild blogs: 29 Oct 18

Pulau Hantu Intertidal walk
Sengkang Babies

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Wildlife rescue group ACRES to send 50 smuggled star tortoises home to India

Junn Loh Channel NewsAsia 28 Oct 18;

SINGAPORE: In about a month, 50 Indian star tortoises that were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Singapore will embark on their journey back home to India.

It is Singapore's biggest mass repatriation of rescued animals to date.

The tortoises are being cared for at a wildlife rescue centre run by animal welfare group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), which is closely monitoring them for any health abnormalities ahead of the long trip.

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First section of Lornie Highway, formerly Bukit Brown Road, opens to traffic

Janice Tai Straits Times 28 Oct 18;

SINGAPORE - After repeated delays stretching more than two years, the first section of the Lornie Highway - previously known as the Bukit Brown Road - was finally opened to traffic on Sunday (Oct 28) at 3am.

The southbound section of the road, which runs parallel to Lornie Road, facilitates traffic flow from Thomson towards the Pan-Island Expressway as well as Adam and Farrer roads.

An underpass near the entrance of the highway allows motorists to access the residential area in Lornie Road, while a temporary road connection near Sime Road has been built to connect traffic from the existing southbound Lornie Road to southbound Lornie Highway.

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Best of our wild blogs: 28 Oct 18

Pulau Semakau (South) quickly
wild shores of singapore

Night Walk At Windsor Nature Park (26 Oct 2018)
Beetles@SG BLOG

Butterfly Anatomy
Butterflies of Singapore

1-4 Nov: Singapore Eco Film Festival, The Conscious Festival and Clean & Green Singapore Carnival!
Green Drinks Singapore

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Singapore lowers 2030 water consumption target to 130 litres

Channel NewsAsia 27 Oct 18;

SINGAPORE: Singapore is planning to further reduce water usage among households, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean announced on Saturday (Oct 27).

Singapore will get households to cut daily consumption of water to 130 litres per person by 2030, down from the previous target of 140 litres, Mr Teo said at a celebration to mark the 10th anniversary of the Marina Barrage.

"Generations of Singaporeans understand our neverending search to assure our own future and are prepared to pay the price, so that we can have water security and no one can ever threaten our survival through water," he said.

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Best of our wild blogs: 27 Oct 18

10 Nov (Sat): R.U.M. mangroves and coastal cleanup
Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

Rainy romp around Chek Jawa!
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

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Bishan otters defeat Marina rivals again in Kallang Basin clash

Toh Ting Wei Straits Times 24 Oct 18;

SINGAPORE - The two most well-known otter families here have clashed again, more than a year after a fight that resulted in the death of at least one otter pup.

The Marina otter family clashed with its Bishan rival at the Kallang Basin on Wednesday (Oct 24), in an hour-long confrontation documented by otter watchers.

In a video uploaded on the Ottercity Facebook page, the two groups of otters are seen charging towards each other, baring their teeth and squeaking loudly.

But just as the two sides seemed set for a physical fight, the Marina otters retreated at the last minute. The Marina family was eventually split up and pursued by the Bishan family.

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Energy inefficient light bulbs to be phased out as part of NEA measures to go green

Ng Huiwen Straits Times 26 Oct 18;

SINGAPORE - From 2023, all light bulbs sold in Singapore are likely to be as energy efficient as a light emitting diode (LED) bulb.

The move is part of the Republic's efforts to go green.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it is making the first step towards this target by raising the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) of lamps from Nov 1 next year in order to phase out those with low energy efficiency, such as halogen lamps.

The move will save households about $3.5 million in energy costs annually, the NEA said in a statement on Friday (Oct 26).

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Malaysia issues permanent ban on import of plastic waste

joseph kaos jr The Star 26 Oct 18;

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has issued a permanent ban on the import of plastic waste effective Friday (Oct 26), says Zuraida Kamaruddin.

The Housing and Local Government Minister said the country would also be phasing out the import of other types of plastic within three years.

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Indonesia: BMKG monitoring four hot spots in Aceh

Antara 27 Oct 18;

Banda Aceh, Oct 26 (ANTARA News) - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) is monitoring four hot spots detected by sensors using satellites in Aceh.

"This afternoon, there are four hotspots in Aceh," said BMKG Head of Data and Information Section of the Blang Bintang Meteorology Station, Aceh, Zakaria Ahmad, in Aceh Besar on Friday.

He noted that these four hotspots were spread across three districts in the West and South in Aceh, namely West Aceh, Aceh Jaya, and Aceh Singkil.

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Great Barrier Reef forecast warns entire system at risk of bleaching and coral death this summer

US oceanographic agency forecasts 60% chance of extreme heat stress and bleaching
Lisa Cox The Guardian 26 Oct 18;

Mass bleaching and coral death could be likely along the entire Great Barrier Reef this summer, according to a long-range forecast that coral experts say is “a wake-up call” for the Australian government.

The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) has forecast a 60% chance that the entire Great Barrier Reef will reach alert level one, which signals extreme heat stress and bleaching are likely.

The forecast period covers November 2018 to February 2019 and the risk extends to the southern Great Barrier Reef, which escaped the mass mortality seen in the middle and northern parts of the reef in 2016 and 2017.

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