4 Jun (Sat): Visit RUM at Pulau Ubin for Pesta Ubin!
Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative
To conserve or not to conserve
BES Drongos
Love MacRitchie Update July 2015-May 2016
Toddycats!
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum Presents Palaeontology workshops for school students and educators
News from Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
The SGX Sustainability Indices aim to provide an avenue for investors to assess the sustainability practices of SGX-listed companies, and identify environmental, social and governance (ESG) leaders in Singapore.
Channel NewsAsia 30 May 16;
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Exchange (SGX) on Monday (May 30) announced the launch of the SGX Sustainability Indices, which aim to provide an avenue for investors to assess the sustainability practices of SGX-listed companies, and identify environmental, social and governance (ESG) leaders in Singapore.
In a media release, SGX said the SGX Sustainability Indices are composed of SGX-listed stocks introduced by SGX Index Edge, while SGX partner Sustainalytics provided the ESG research and ratings for SGX-listed companies which underpin the Indices.
"In addition to meeting the necessary ESG requirements, companies must also meet (the) minimum liquidity requirement in order to qualify for inclusion," SGX said in the media release.
SGX added that the introduction of the SGX Sustainability Index suite complements the bourse's efforts to enhance disclosure and access to sustainability information, including the introduction of sustainability reporting for listed companies on a "comply or explain" basis.
In January 2016, SGX sought public feedback on proposed rules and a guide for sustainability reporting.
- CNA/dl
He's taken to hospital after chase by wild boar, woman spots wild boar in the same area
DARRYL LAIU, NG JUN SEN The New Paper 31 May 16;
A boy was hurt after he was chased by a wild boar on Sunday afternoon in Punggol.
The incident happened at about 2.15pm near Block 184 in Edgefield Plains.
The boy was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital in an ambulance, a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said.
When The New Paper approached the boy's father at his flat yesterday, he declined to comment other than to say the boy is at home and feeling better.
Stomp contributor Ferlyn posted a video of a wild boar in the vicinity of Block 106B in Edgefield Plains on the citizen journalism website yesterday.
She said she was in a lorry at about 3.30pm on Sunday when she came across the animal.
Her husband, who was driving, followed the animal for about two minutes as it raced down the middle of the two-lane road.
It then ran up the pavement and into a housing estate.
It is unclear where the animal went and whether it is the same wild boar that chased the boy.
TNP asked residents in the area if they had seen the wild boar on Sunday afternoon.
While there have been reports of wild boar sightings, none of the residents said they had seen the wild boar.
Officials from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) are conducting control operations in Punggol.
This is in response to reports of wild boar sightings in the area, its spokesman told TNP yesterday.
"Members of the public who encounter wild boars should stay calm and not approach the animal," the spokesman added.
OPERATIONS
Last year, an AVA spokesman said it has been conducting operations in the area after reports of wild boars and wild dogs at a field close to Edgefield Plains.
According to a joint advisory by AVA, National Parks Board and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, wild boars are native here and their quick reproductive rates mean they are increasingly spotted all over the island.
Wild boars primarily feed on seeds, tubers and young plants.
"The increase in the population of wild boars may result in a higher frequency of human-wild boar conflict," said the advisory.
"Although they appear shy, they are still wild animals and are unpredictable in behaviour which could pose a risk to public safety."
It warns that wild boars can attack if they are cornered or feel threatened. Their speed, sharp teeth and solid build can result in "serious injuries in case of an attack" and are "particularly dangerous when involved in car accidents".
The advisory gives three tips to avoid injury:
Be calm and move slowly away from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal.
Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal. For example, do not use a flash to take a picture of it.
If you see adults with piglets, leave them alone. They are potentially more dangerous as they may attempt to defend their young.
Incidents involving wild boars
April 21, 2016
A 49-year-old motorcyclist was thrown several metres after he crashed into a wild boar on the Seletar Expressway.
The accident, which happened at about 8.30pm, killed the wild boar.
The motorcyclist was taken to hospital where he was treated for abrasions and pain in his right shoulder.
June 17, 2015
Sightings of wild boars and wild dogs in Edgefield Plains in Punggol were reported to the Agri-food and Vetinary Authority Singapore.
Some residents reportedly carried wooden sticks to defend themselves against the animals.
Nov 30, 2013
Five wild boar piglets were rescued by a man from a drain in the Thomson area.
The resident of Springleaf estate found the piglets stranded on a ledge in the drain after a heavy downpour.
The piglets were subsequently released on a wild boar trail in Mandai forest.
Sept 16, 2012
A 64-year-old woman fell and broke her hip when a wild boar charged at her during an outing to Pulau Ubin.
The woman was on an excursion with a group who were reportedly taking pictures and feeding the animals. One of the boars charged at her from behind, causing her to fall.
She was taken to hospital.
Sept 5, 2012
A wild boar was killed when it was hit by a car at Upper Thomson Road.
The driver said the animal had dashed out suddenly from the bushes at the side of the road. His car was dented in the accident.
June 22, 2012
A five-year-old boy and a Cisco officer were injured in a wild boar attack at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.
The animal reportedly rammed into the boy and knocked down the patrolling officer, who hurt his hand in the fall.
Boy hurt by wild boar in Punggol discharged from hospital
Lee Min Kok, My Paper AsiaOne 1 Jun 16;
A BOY who was taken to hospital after a wild boar reportedly chased and injured him in Punggol has returned home.
The boy, whose age is unknown, was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital on Sunday after the Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to an incident at Block 184 Edgefield Plains at 2.17pm and dispatched an ambulance.
However, it was not clear what injuries the boy suffered.
When approached at his flat on Monday, the boy's father would only say that his son had returned home and was feeling better, reported The New Paper.
Meanwhile, several people also said they spotted the creature in the neighbourhood.
A Facebook post by user Joanne Wan on Sunday night claimed that a wild boar about 1m in size had been spotted at the same block.
"It was last seen fleeing near Meridian LRT," she added.
A wild boar was also sighted in the vicinity by a contributor to citizen journalism website Stomp at around 3.30pm on the same day. She said the animal had dashed in front of a lorry she was in, near Block 106B.
In response to queries, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said it had received feedback on wild boar sightings in the Punggol area and was conducting control operations.
"Members of the public who encounter wild boars should stay calm and not approach the animal," said a spokesman.
The presence of wild boars in the area is not new.
Last year, residents of Edgefield Plans also complained to the AVA regarding wild boars, with some even resorting to carrying wooden sticks to defend themselves.
A recent joint advisory by the AVA, National Parks Board (NParks) and Wildlife Reserves Singapore states that the wild boar is native to Singapore. It can weigh up to 100kg and has a lifespan of over 20 years.
The advisory said the animals are increasingly spotted all over the island in recent years, due to their quick reproduction rates, presence of ideal foraging habitats and the lack of natural predators.
"Although they appear shy, they are still wild animals and are unpredictable in behaviour which could pose a risk to public safety," the advisory said.
"Like many other wild animals, wild boars will only attack if they are cornered or if they feel threatened."
The three tips when one encounters wild boars are:
Be calm and move slowly away from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed the animal;
Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal, such as using a flash while taking pictures of it;
If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. These are potentially more dangerous because they may attempt to protect their young.
High-rise buildings which block wind and have large surfaces to absorb heat, the lack of vegetation and the heat generated by energy usage are some causes of the phenomenon.
Liyana Othman Channel NewsAsia 30 May 16;
SINGAPORE: As a high-density city, Singapore is susceptible to urban heat island effect. Hence, adequate planning to mitigate the effect is crucial, said Mayor of North West District Dr Teo Ho Pin on Monday (May 30).
The urban heat island effect - where temperatures in urban areas are significantly higher than in rural areas - is increasingly becoming a concern in cities worldwide. High-rise buildings which block wind and have large surfaces to absorb heat, the lack of vegetation and the heat generated by energy usage are some causes of the phenomenon.
In Singapore, more than 80 per cent of the nation's population live in approximately 1 million Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats across 23 towns.
To look for solutions to improve the urban environment and lower temperatures, more than 200 scientists, engineers, builders and architects worldwide gathered at the Fourth International Conference on Countermeasure to Urban Heat Islands, which is being held for the first time in Singapore.
Dr Teo also said “eco-towns” are developed to counter the effect. “For example, in our Punggol Eco-town developed by the HDB, residential blocks are designed through passive design strategy, strategically oriented to face the prevailing winds in order to maximise natural cross ventilation," he added.
According to Dr Teo, smart technology and eco-friendly features are also embedded into our towns and homes. He revealed that solar photovoltaic system is installed on the housing blocks rooftops as a clean and sustainable energy to meet part of the energy demand in the estate, while energy efficient lighting and motion sensors are used along common corridors and staircases.
Dr Teo also highlighted Singapore's greening efforts to transform it into a city in a garden, like building more parks and waterways, as well as incorporating green spaces in high-rise buildings.
- CNA/xk
The Star 30 May 16;
KOTA KINABALU: Do enjoy and aramai ti (Kadazandusun term for let’s be merry) this harvest festival with one exception – stay off the bush meats.
As Sabahans begin their Kaamatan celebrations today, WWF Malaysia has reminded all about the importance of wildlife conservation.
It says the best way to contribute is to avoid buying or consuming wild meat and wildlife-based products.
“This Kaamatan, let us be responsible by appreciating the forests and wildlife that we have been blessed with. Let us also send a strong signal to poachers of wildlife and traders to stop their act.
“Together, everything is possible,” WWF executive director Datuk Dr Dionysus Sharma said in a statement yesterday.
He said a survey by WWF showed that 56% of the people interviewed consumed wildlife meat, with 14% admitting that they bought wildlife products.
He said the bearded pig (509 hunted down) and sambar deer (120) were among the most popular wildlife hunted, adding that 85% of the animals caught were for the hunters’ own consumption.
“The others are the pangolin, snake, crocodile, monitor lizard, monkey, civet, and barking deer,’’ he said, adding that turtle eggs were also among the most popular items.
The survey from May to June 2015 sampled 353 households in 66 villages spanning Tenom, Nabawan, Pensiangan and Ulu Pinangah.
Dr Sharma said an earlier wildlife trade study from April to July 2014 monitored 871 animals, of which 137 were native to Sabah.
The bearded pig had topped the list of traded mammals back then (86 pigs), followed by the sambar deer (21).
He said many of Sabah’s unique wildlife species were seriously declining in numbers due to illegal and unsustainable hunting, loss of habitat and human-wildlife conflict.
Edi Purwanto and Soren Moestrup Jakarta Post 30 May 16;
Indonesia’s economic development and resource utilization are largely driven by global demand. At present a large part of natural-resource management is in the hands of the private sector.
Palm oil is a prime example, as the unprecedented growth in global demand, during the past 20 years, has resulted in major changes in land use in the country. Without strong governance and law enforcement on natural resources and land use, the expansion of palm oil production has resulted in a dramatic loss of forests through deforestation, as well as ecosystem degradation.
During the last decade, growing consumer expectations that agro-commodities should be environment friendly and sustainably produced have provided drivers for civil society campaigns on investor and company producer practices to better comply with environmentally friendly and socially sensitive commodities. Such consumer expectations and campaigns have become new drivers of sustainable resource management and utilization in production chains, as well as at landscape level and have as such supported the government in law enforcement on the sustainable production and use of natural resources.
Consumers and investors are participating in commodity-specific forums, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil ( RSPO ), which has initiated strict standards preventing oil-palm plantation development in areas with a high carbon stock ( HCS ) or of high conservation value ( HCV ). The sustainability standards, to which RSPO members are committed, can lead to a positive environmental impact on the development of new palm oil plantations. RSPO members have an obligation to compensate HCV areas that have been lost to deforestation since 2005.
Given RSPO members control the largest palm oil concessions in the country, the scheme, in combination with a declining palm oil price, reduced the establishment of palm oil plantations by more than half a million hectares per annum in the period of 2007-2013.
Consumer expectations on environmentally friendly and sustainably produced agro-commodities have also led to an unprecedented increase in the number of companies that have adopted strict environmental regulations on sustainable management and production systems.
Prime examples include APP Pulp and Paper, which in 2013 first published its sustainability targets announcing an immediate halt to natural forest clearing throughout the supply chain. Major palm oil companies Wilmar International, Cargil Inc., Golden Agri Resources, Asian Agri and Musim Mas have signed the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge ( IPOP ), “No deforestation, no peat, no exploitation policy”, which is a commitment to transparency, accountability and to ensuring compliance of all third-party suppliers. Oil palm and pulpwood plantations take up about 11 million ha and 3.5 million ha ( out of 10 million ha granted permits ) of land in Indonesia, respectively.
The growing concerns on environmental safeguards have also been well responded to by the government. As part of a larger goal of reducing deforestation and carbon emissions, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo extended, in May 2015, a moratorium on the clearing of primary forests and peatlands.
It was the second time the ban on issuing concessions to plantation companies had been renewed since a presidential decree was issued in 2011. In May 2016 the President plans to issue a decree on the suspension of new oil-palm plantation development. This applies to the suspension of the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s authority to release convertible state production forests ( outside the existing moratorium map ) for palm oil plantations.
How do the conservation NGOs in this country respond to this development?
NGOs have come to realize that anti-corporate demonstrations, organized boycotts, and protests can be far more effective and powerful than anti-government campaigns, particularly when targeting established, reputable global brands. In response, corporations have attempted to identify and select the available areas and opportunities to cooperate with NGOs to cement fruitful relationships. Some leading conservation NGOs are involved in safeguarding the environmental sustainability of leading palm oil and pulp and paper companies.
When building partnerships with the private sector, the NGOs should not forget their long-term watchdog function and therefore continuously monitor the environmental effects of private companies’ involvement in the protection of Indonesia’s natural resources.
NGOs should be able to manage the impacts of IPOP on smallholder plantations; they have to facilitate buyers, producers, banks and other financial institutions with a practical guide on how to engage with smallholder farming-related challenges and opportunities, especially on access to markets, financing innovation, improving legality, preventing deforestation and remediating agricultural labor problems.
With reliable, verified and well-framed evidence, NGOs have strategic roles in assisting government and frontrunner companies to create and strengthen strategies in multi-stakeholder dialogues on policy change that improve smallholder resilience and sustainability.
________________________________
Edi Purwanto is a director of Tropenbos International Indonesia. Soren Moestrup is senior adviser at the Department of geoscience and natural resource management at the University of Copenhagen.
Slamet Susanto The Jakarta Post 30 May 16;
High tides caused by changing pressure in the oceans have damaged dozens of ships and swept away residents’ possessions along the coasts of Yogyakarta and Aceh over the past few days.
On Depok beach, Yogyakarta, which is located on the south coast of Java, the homes and ships were hit by 5-meter high tides that swept away furniture from residents’ houses.
“There was no structural damage, but many tables and chairs were swept away by the tides,” Dardi Nugroho, a resident and a food stall owner at the beach, said on Sunday.
Fishermen were also unprepared for the high tides.
“More than 20 ships have been damaged. Fishermen did not see this coming. Dozens of fish nets are gone,” he said.
In Gunungkidul, dozens of boats are also heavily damaged.
“Boats were docked next to each other at the beach when the tides came. So they crashed into each other and were broken,” said Yanto, a fisherman from Baron beach, Gunungkidul.
Marjono, a search and rescue team member at Baron beach, said a total of 95 boats had been damaged and reminded fishermen to temporarily halt going out to the sea for the next week while waiting the tides to recede.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency ( BMKG ) office in Sabang, Aceh, also reminded residents of the country’s most-northern area, We Island, not to go fishing due to strong winds and high tides.
“Sabang and nearby regions will experience downpours, strong winds and high tides so we ask fishermen to stay at home until the weather improves,” said BMKG Sabang office head Siswanto, as quoted by Antara news agency.
He said that the strong winds along the north eastern part of We Island were caused by low pressure in Philippine waters.
Siswono also said that the generally bad weather in several parts of the country was caused by Madden-Julian Oscillation ( MJO ), a moving system of wind, cloud and atmospheric pressure that brings rain as it circles around the equator. The MJO is currently located at the western part of Indonesia, he added
“The MJO’s position has caused a lot of air in the clouds, causing the strong wind and high tides,” he said.
He predicted that the bad weather will continue until Tuesday.
The BMKG office in Aceh’s Meulaboh-Nagan Raya made a similar appeal to residents along the west coast of Aceh.
“All this week, there is a 3.5-meter high tide and strong wind. People should remain alert,” said BMKG Meulaboh-Nagan Raya office head Edi Darlupti on Sunday, as quoted by kompas.com.
Edi said residents in West Aceh should also be careful if spending their time along the beaches and avoid swimming in the open ocean.
“Now the waves at the beaches have reached 3-meters high. Please do not swim in the ocean at the moment,” he said.
5 Jun (Sun): Balik Chek Jawa with the Chek Jawa community
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs
Butterfly Photography 101
Butterflies of Singapore
Communicating the Urgency of Climate Change Impacts in Singapore
Life in Transition
Red Egg Crab (Atergatis integerrimus) @ Sentosa
Monday Morgue
NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 30 May 16;
SINGAPORE — Singapore has taken to the global stage to raise concerns about the impact of transboundary air pollution, stressing that both domestic action and greater international cooperation are essential to address the challenge.
Speaking at an event convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) in Nairobi, Kenya, last week, Senior Minister of State (Health and the Environment and Water Resources) Amy Khor said air pollution stunts economic development and is detrimental to human health.
Calling it a key environmental challenge faced by many countries, Dr Khor said the burning of peatlands and forests in South-east Asia has resulted in transboundary haze.
Singapore thus works actively with countries in the region to mitigate it, she said in Singapore’s statement for the high-level segment of the UN Environment Assembly, which was attended by more than 120 environment ministers.
Dr Khor did not refer specifically to the worst-ever haze episode in the region last year, which affected tens of millions of people and cost Indonesia an estimated US$16 billion (S$22.1 billion) and Singapore about S$700 million.
Nor did she mention a recent disagreement with Indonesia, in which Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) obtained a court warrant against the director of an Indonesian company that is linked to forest fires that cause haze.
The director had failed to turn up for an interview with the authorities in Singapore despite being served a legal notice to do so when he was here. He could be detained the next time he enters the country.
But Dr Khor reiterated Singapore’s enactment of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act in 2014 to penalise errant companies and individuals who cause haze pollution here.
“Singapore will not tolerate any actions of entities that harm the environment and put at risk the people’s health,” she said.
Singapore is also a party to the Association of South-east Asian Nations’ Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which requires parties to take measures to prevent and control haze, said Dr Khor. Singapore collaborates with its neighbours on fire prevention and mitigation.
Civil society and businesses play an important role, she added. Civil society can boost consumer support for sustainably-sourced products, and businesses can ensure accountability in their supply chains.
The Unep’s flagship environmental publication recently highlighted the impact of peatland fires and cited transboundary haze as a pressing regional air quality challenge.
The World Health Organization estimates that seven million deaths occur every year from air pollution exposure.
Dr Khor, who was accompanied by officials from the Environment and Water Resources Ministry and the NEA, also met key partners and Unep’s outgoing executive director Achim Steiner and his successor Erik Solheim during her trip.
LIYANA OTHMAN Today Online 30 May 16;
SINGAPORE — Nearly 480kg of rubbish were collected as part of a major clean-up exercise at Yuhua yesterday morning. This was part of a nationwide movement aimed at getting residents to take greater ownership of keeping the country litter-free.
And there was plenty to do, as several blocks in the area were not cleaned on Saturday. These blocks were designated “No Cleaner Day” by Jurong-Clementi Town Council, to discourage littering and get residents to feel responsible for their estate’s cleanliness.
But Yuhua Member of Parliament Grace Fu said the results were “less than satisfactory”.
“We have found a significant amount of litter on the ground, and we’d like to keep up with this initiative to encourage residents to be socially gracious, and to be publicly-spirited,” she said.
“So it’s about wanting to keep our environment clean (and) the public area clean — that will really make us a gracious society — (and) not just rely on cleaners.”
So what were some of the most common types of trash?
“Cigarette butts all over — especially in the flower beds — toilet paper, cotton buds, toilet roll coils thrown from toilets, I think,” said Ms Fu, who is also the Minister for Community, Culture and Youth.
“These are very common litter, which are very unhygienic, but sometimes I think an act that an individual feels is inconsequential actually adds up to a whole lot of rubbish in the morning.”
Residents, grassroots leaders as well as students and teachers from two primary schools in the area got their hands dirty as they picked up the litter.
“A lot of rubbish today because yesterday there was no cleaning, so we had to pick up a lot of rubbish today,” said Ramachandran, a 69-year-old resident. “Awareness should be brought to them to clean up because this is their own place, Singapore is their own place.”
Mr Johan Lim, a Primary 4 student at Yuhua Primary School, said: “This activity is quite hard, so I think I gained a lot of experience from doing this and at the same time it’s also quite fun. It’s fun because I made a lot of new friends and I get to put myself in the cleaners’ shoes, so that I can help to clean up the environment and help to clean up the community.”
Some of the estate’s cleaners were also at the event to receive recognition for their service and dedication.
Straits Times editorial 30 May 16;
Plans by the State to rehabilitate Pulau Ubin's crumbling shoreline would cheer many who see the island's 720 native plant species and more than 500 animal species as precious natural assets that should be safeguarded. There was a time when some wanted Ubin to be simply left alone, as when the Chek Jawa Wetlands controversy arose 15 years ago. Such thinking has since evolved.
The seemingly paradoxical demands highlight the challenge of conservation as new threats arise alongside existing ones.
Climate change, for example, is expected to heighten coastal erosion in many places as sea levels rise and project more wave energy to the shoreline. Up to 20 per cent of coastal wetlands are expected to suffer, according to studies elsewhere. Wilder storms and shifting currents (due to shipping traffic and land reclamation) also play a part. Much of what has been learnt from efforts to protect Ubin could be applied to other coastal areas here that are being besieged.
Caught between advancing development and the deep blue sea are the world's 70 species of mangroves that might disappear altogether, say scientists. That would be a considerable loss as tidal wetland ecosystems formed by mangrove forests help prevent erosion, sustain mudskippers, crabs, snails and birds, and help to improve water quality.
Singapore had 6,400ha of mangroves in 1953 but only a fraction now remains, mostly in Ubin, Sungei Buloh, Labrador Park and Pasir Ris. Quite apart from the value of saving endangered species like the Eye of the Crocodile tree species, protection of mangroves can reinforce the effectiveness of man-made sea walls that will be needed to hold back the seas. A combination of natural and engineering methods is envisaged for Ubin which is facing severe erosion in its northern areas, leading to the closure of popular Noordin Beach.
Small though it is - about the size of Changi Airport - Ubin can play a useful role in promoting awareness of the threats being faced by coastal areas. Every new generation needs to appreciate that conservation is a never-ending task, not just along the coast but also farther inland - like the reforestation undertaken earlier at the western side of Ubin to restore the land after a bush fire there. In joining hands for such efforts, people might value more the biodiversity that remains.
Such appreciation can act as a buffer against any invasive land-use plans that might emerge in the future. One cannot rule out radical approaches should demands arise for more land for development. The 2001 Concept Plan, for example, had mentioned the possibility of linking Ubin, Tekong and Changi. Thankfully, plans have since emerged to keep Ubin the way it is for now - protecting what still thrives there and preserving traces of what used to be.
Lin Yangchen Straits Times AsiaOne 29 May 16;
Singapore's sandy beaches are a popular place for people to enjoy a relaxing day off, but they are also vital to the survival of one of the world's most fascinating creatures.
Throughout the year, endangered sea turtles make landfall on beaches like Changi and East Coast Park to lay their eggs.
The emerging baby turtles, however, risk being trampled on by people or disoriented by bright city lights.
More than 200 turtle hatchlings have been rescued from such predicaments since 2009, according to the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).
Soon, turtle eggs will have a safe place to develop should they need protection, with plans being hatched for the country's first sea turtle hatchery, supported by a $500,000 donation from HSBC Singapore.
The facility will be set up at the southern lagoon on Small Sisters' Island by the end of next year, and will form an integral part of Singapore's first marine park.
National University of Singapore's (NUS) Mr N. Sivasothi, who has been working with Acres, the National Parks Board (NParks) and volunteers in turtle rescue and release since the 1990s, said: "This initiative will be very helpful in coordinating action and educating people who may not know we have turtles landing on our shores to lay eggs."
Mr Stephen Beng, chairman of the marine conservation group of the Nature Society (Singapore), noted that the effort could facilitate the collection of reliable population data, especially in the face of rising sea temperatures.
Turtle beach sagas have been chronicled in Singapore for about 20 years.
Back in 1996, a group of colleagues having a barbecue at East Coast Park could not believe their eyes when a turtle came up on the beach and laid 100 eggs. One of them said she thought that "it was impossible for such things to happen in Singapore".
In 2006, rollerbladers at East Coast Park raced to rescue about 80 hatchlings crawling haphazardly onto cycling tracks and falling into drains, disoriented by lit lampposts.
Since 2012, there have been 10 reported sightings of turtle hatchlings or adults laying eggs on the shores of East Coast Park and Changi Beach, said NParks, while Acres said it receives about six calls a year related to sea turtle sightings on Singapore's beaches.
When a turtle sighting is reported, an NParks officer will assess the situation on site, and decisions are made based on sound science, in consultation with Acres and NUS where necessary, said Dr Karenne Tun, director of NParks' National Biodiversity Centre.
"It is best to leave the eggs in the natural habitat that the turtle has chosen," said Acres deputy chief executive Anbarasi Boopal.
Eggs are moved only when there are risks such as poaching, predation, pollution or flooding and the risks cannot be mitigated on site.
Ms Boopal added that Acres would look at getting hands-on training from other hatcheries and turtle rehabilitation centres in the region, and adapt it to Singapore's context.
Turtles remain under threat in the region despite the presence of more than 10 sea turtle sanctuaries and hatcheries in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Their eggs are popular as a delicacy in Malaysia, with a study finding that more than 400,000 eggs were traded in the state of Terengganu in 2007. Turtle eggs were sold in Singapore many years ago before it became illegal to harvest them.
With the new hatchery, there will be one more safe refuge where they can develop close to their natural environment.
Mr Beng said that the design of the hatchery, which has not been finalised, should include a buffer zone of native vegetation and reduce light pollution, which can be fatal to nesting females and their young.
Besides hatching eggs and studying local sea turtle populations, the facility will conduct outreach programmes.
HSBC staff will also be involved in habitat maintenance and possibly the collection of eggs.
Said HSBC Singapore chief executive Guy Harvey-Samuel: "Building a sustainable environment requires public and private sectors, NGOs and communities to work together to deliver lasting positive changes."
Mr Beng stressed that outreach activities must be managed carefully to minimise disturbance to the turtles, giving the example of one overseas nesting site where the nesting population crashed following swelling tourist numbers.
"The hatchery must remain a place for the benefit of the sea turtle and not one for human entertainment."
Turtle haven
Singapore is in a region considered by the World Wildlife Fund to be one of the world's most important for sea turtles, as it is next to Indonesia whose sprawling archipelagoes host all but one of the world's seven species of these reptiles.
Five turtle species have been recorded in the waters around Singapore, although only two are regulars here - the green and the hawksbill.
The green turtle is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List as endangered, while the hawksbill is critically endangered.
Hawksbill populations have suffered from centuries of hunting for their beautiful shells, which are used to make ornaments.
The three other species that have been seen in Singapore are the leatherback, loggerhead and Olive Ridley turtles.
Mr Stephen Beng, chairman of the marine conservation group of the Nature Society (Singapore), said that sea turtles demonstrate the interconnectivity of marine and coastal ecosystems.
"The sea turtle relies on our coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves for food and shelter, and needs our sandy beaches for reproduction," he said.
"By conserving our sea turtles and studying them, other marine species and habitats may benefit as well."
In 2010, Underwater World Singapore released 18 hawksbill turtles, eight of them outfitted with satellite tracking devices, in a study of migratory behaviour in collaboration with organisations in Japan and the United States.
One of them travelled more than 2,600km in 83 days, reaching waters near the Philippines.
Posts
visitors since Nov 07