Rescued dugong at Underwater World celebrates 12th birthday

By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
13 January 2009

SINGAPORE: Twelve years after Gracie the sea cow was rescued off the shores of Singapore, she is now thriving at Underwater World Sentosa (UWS) and ushering in the new Chinese Zodiac Year of the Ox.

For the first time, visitors will be able to interact with Gracie in a meet-and-greet session to celebrate her birthday and the Lunar New Year.

The series of month-long activities include cake parties and dive sessions with Gracie.

Gracie was found in 1998 beside her drowned mother and was relocated to Underwater World Sentosa with the approval of Singapore authorities.

The sea cow, also known as the dugong, is a highly-endangered species similar in shape and size to the dolphin.

Strictly herbivorous, dugongs forage along coastal waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific region and feed by grazing on the beds of sea grass.

Dr Jeffrey Mahon, curatorial director, UWS, said: "Dugongs are a highly endangered species and instances of successful rehabilitation of orphaned dugongs are pretty rare worldwide.

"We are one of a handful of aquariums in the world to showcase a dugong and we worked really hard over the years to make sure Gracie is healthy and feels at home here. We want to share that joy with everyone on her birthday." - CNA/vm

Nature Society of Singapore adopts Kranji Reservoir

By Esther Ng, TODAY
16 January 2009

SINGAPORE: First it was Chek Jawa, then Pulau Semakau - now soon, another strip of nature little known to Singaporeans, the Kranji Bund Marshes, will be made more accessible to the public.

The Nature Society of Singapore (NSS) adopted the Kranji Reservoir and the surrounding marshes in November, under the PUB's waterways adoption programme.

The wetlands are the island's last remaining chunk of freshwater marshes, and are home to threatened bird species. Measuring 90 hectares, the Kranji marshes have fallen victim to neglect, urbanisation and poachers over the years.

Now, the NSS hopes to get Singaporeans to treasure the area's rich biodiversity, and is launching its first tour for the public on January 31. The three-hour tour will be held every last Saturday of the month, and will involve a 4-kilometre trek.

The society will conduct a survey of the plant and wildlife in the marshlands. It also plans to rehabilitate an overgrown pond located at the end of Neo Tiew Lane 2.

Said the chairman of the conservation committee, Dr Ho Hua Chew: "The pond is clogged with aquatic vegetation. It's conducive for some birds, like the Purple Swamphen, but not others.

"By removing some of the vegetation and opening up the water surface, we hope to attract the pond's original inhabitants - the Lesser Whistling Duck and the Common Moorhen - and other species of birds and dragonflies to forage or visit here."

Much of the wildlife has been threatened by poaching, which seems to have increased in recent years. "We've encountered illegal angling. We've found monitor lizards, terrapins, the Baya Weavers caught in traps and nets. We try to educate these poachers when we meet them," said Dr Ho.

As there are not enough perching areas for birds, the NSS is considering placing a platform in the middle of the pond or on the shore of the reservoir. Once this is done, the public can expect to see Ospreys, Kingfishers and Perns on these perches.

The management of a nature reserve marks a first in the NSS' 54-year history. "As a non-profit organisation, we are constrained by resources and our focus has been mainly on... conservation studies," said Dr Ho.

"However, the PUB has given us this opportunity to go 'hands-on' for the conservation of biodiversity and we've secured some funding from Bloomberg to help us carry out this project."

The PUB's adoption programme, which aims to transform our waterways and reservoirs into community and recreational spaces, enjoys wide patronage.

Senoko Power, Dunman High School and Waterways Watch Society are some groups that organise clean-ups and educational programmes.

To sign up for the Kranji Bund Marshes tour, email contact@nss.org.sg. - TODAY/fa

Conservation alone 'is not enough'

VIEWPOINT
Richard Leakey
BBC News
10 September 2007

Ahead of Wednesday's publication of the 2007 Red List of Threatened Species, Dr Richard Leakey argues that conservation alone cannot save threatened species such as the mountain gorilla. In this week's Green Room, he calls for action on humans' needs as well.

These deaths were repulsive for the fact that the gorilla corpses served no use to the killers

Millions of people were horrified by the recent slaughter of mountain gorillas that dominated headlines for the inhumanity that seems to cling to this corner of the world.

In the space of a month, nine gorillas - more than 1% of the known population of these charismatic relatives of ours - were wiped out. All were from the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Virunga National Park.

Predictably, the slaughter drew an outraged response. Wildlife conservation organisations leapt into action and began raising funds to deal with it, and a crisis team went in on the ground.

In the following four weeks, peoples' compulsion to do something to save the species produced donations amounting to tens of thousands of dollars.

Living at the epicentre of the bloodiest conflict since the Second World War, the mountain gorillas share their habitat with heavily armed militia.

In other lawless regions, where wild meat comes into contact with hungry gunmen, species are slaughtered for food, or for trophies to be traded for cash and weapons.

But these deaths were repulsive for the fact that the gorilla corpses served no use to the killers.

On the contrary, it is the very presence of mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park that threatens them, for the animals draw attention to an area that unscrupulous people would rather have us forget.

Fuelling conflicts

At the heart of the crisis is charcoal - the main form of household energy in Africa. And making charcoal means felling forests, destroying wildlife habitats, damaging ecosystem services such as water catchments and soil fertility.

Charcoal production has been going on for millennia, but recent events in eastern DRC have led to a sharp escalation in demand.

In neighbouring Rwanda, an enormous human population has stripped almost all its indigenous forests bare; while in the Congolese border town of Goma, refugees fleeing the region's crises have swelled the population to more than half a million.

Together, they've created an insatiable demand for charcoal worth an estimated $30m (£15m) a year.

To save Rwanda's few remaining forests and the gorillas that have become a major source of tourist revenue, President Paul Kagame has installed a surprisingly efficient and effective ban on charcoal production.

Ironically, however, that has driven the black industry across the border into DRC, threatening the habitats of the very same gorillas in the park which straddles both countries.

Given the lack of any form of effective government in eastern Congo, and the ludicrously small government salaries - a ranger earns about $5 (£2.50) per month - it is not surprising that the parks' forests have become a commons and virtually everybody is involved in the scramble for resources, from peasants to high ranking government officials and rebel militia.

If gorillas focus unwelcome global attention on the park, it is hardly surprising that those getting rich on charcoal will want to remove that attention by getting rid of one of our closest biological relatives.

As shocking as the gorilla executions were, this is fundamentally a human tragedy, with very human solutions.

There must be alternative sources of energy to meet the demand in both Rwanda and eastern Congo. There must be a return to the rule of law in DRC, where the forests are saved for the long term good of all, rather than looted for the short term riches of a few.

In it together

Although it seems to be a very local problem, we all have an interest in protecting the forests.

It will take a focused global initiative to end the conflict, introduce alternative sources of household fuel, and create alternative livelihoods

Not only do we risk losing one of the most charismatic and important species on Earth, but we are in danger of doing more damage to the world's warming climate.

In that respect, the forests' destruction is a double whammy. Burning charcoal is one of the greatest sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide, but it also strips away the trees that otherwise soak up so much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

While the alarm has been raised by conservation organisations concerned about gorillas, and the global public has responded, it is clear that the problem is much greater than one of conservation alone.

This is a human development crisis and it will take a focused global initiative to end the conflict, introduce alternative sources of household fuel, and create alternative livelihoods for the population living in eastern Kivu.

If the underlying demand for charcoal is ignored and we focus too much on the gorillas alone, we will not only see the extermination of the mountain gorillas, but the forests, woodlands and all the unique species that inhabit this biologically diverse landscape.

We will also lose the climate mitigation services that the intact forests provide. In the end, we could see a human crisis that will dwarf the tragedy of nine gorillas.

Dr Richard Leakey is the founding chairman of WildlifeDirect, a former head of the Kenyan Wildlife Service and a leading palaeontologist

The Green Room is a series of opinion pieces on environmental topics running weekly on the BBC News website

Protecting nature's beauty

BY Liana Tang
10 September 2007
Straits Times

GETTING wet and dirty, sometimes knee-deep in mud, may not sound like a great day out for most. But for undergraduate Loh Kok Sheng, it is just what he needs to unwind - conducting a guided walk on Sentosa's shore.

The third-year life sciences student at the National University of Singapore also regularly explores the muddy crevices of shores like Changi beach and Chek Jawa, sometimes in pre-dawn darkness, to photograph the wildlife he encounters. He then shares his photographs and experiences through his blog: http://wondercreation/blogspot.com .

The 23-year-old discovered this newfound passion on a visit to Sentosa last year. 'When I was first introduced to the Sentosa shoreline, I was amazed at how marine life was thriving on a tourist island.' He cites colourful creatures such as giant anemones and stealthy crabs among many intriguing finds.

A project he is currently working on is charting the recovery of wildlife on Chek Jawa following
damage to the marine environment caused by heavy rainfall earlier this year.

Mr Loh reports his findings on a blog: http://cjproject.blogspot.com where he notes that despite having to adhere to unearthly timings and strict schedules 'chasing' the low tides to survey the wildlife, his friends who volunteer to help in his field surveys thoroughly enjoy themselves, discovering something new each time.

Why his many blogs? He simply hopes to raise awareness among youth about Singapore's natural heritage.

He is among an increasing number of young people and groups who conduct workshops and guided walks in various nature spots in Singapore.

Mr Ron Yeo, 32, founded one such group. Suitably named Naked Hermit Crabs (NHC), the group's 30 volunteers provide guided shore walks for the public, doling out historical tidbits and facts while pointing out ecological highlights.

Of the 20 youth volunteers in NHC, Mr Yeo believes that engaging young people in such volunteer roles is key to the future of conservation.

'It is refreshing to work with young people as they always bring in new ideas that help improve the way we conduct our walks and other conservation efforts,' he said.

In agreement is Mr N. Sivasothi, an instructor at the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He believes that the efforts of such individuals and groups, along with education in schools, provides comprehensive opportunities for creating awareness among youth about environment and conservation.

'Young people who are inspired by the volunteers they meet tend to take up committed leadership roles in the conservation community,' said the former research officer at the Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity Research.

'This is one way that we maintain a dynamic, motivated community that works towards making positive impacts on conservation in Singapore.'

The writer, 23, graduated with honours in biology from NUS

Play your part

HERE are some useful resources close to home:

Keep up-to-date with news about nature spots at www.wildsingapore.com
Seek out information on Singapore's natural history at Habitatnews http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg
Find out how you can help the Blue Water Volunteers at http://bluewatervolunteers.org
Volunteer to be a part of shaping Singapore's garden city by visiting
www.nparks.gov.sg/involve.asp
Find out more about visits and workshops on Semakau Landfill with the Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity Research at http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg

Let's make use of natural heritage to cut down huge ecological footprint

In Review - Tech & Science
By Hugh Tan and L.M. Chou and Darren Yeo and Peter Ng
26 May 2007
Straits Times

No matter how small the habitats, protecting them is better then having them eliminated

WE HAVE become aware of how important the natural heritage is to the environment and to human society. People in this region rely heavily on natural resources - providing them with food and material.

But in urban Singapore, just how useful is our natural heritage? What can we expect from the isolated pockets of nature and how do we justify conservation when the demand for land is so acute?

We do not depend on the natural habitat for food, or material for construction or other purposes. Fishing is carried out but on a limited scale.

As a nation with limited land and sea, we depend very much on imported food and material. Singapore is environmentally unsustainable.

Our ecological footprint is large, estimated at 7.2ha per person. This is the area of land needed to generate the amount of food and material needed by each person here. Our demand is much higher than the global average, which is estimated at 1.7ha per person.

The demand for energy is high as we seek to keep cool indoors. What we have available is equivalent to only 0.1ha per person.

If environmental sustainability is a long way down the road for Singapore, does this mean that we should not worry about protecting the natural environment?

Perhaps we should consider how we can make the best use of our natural heritage to reduce our ecological footprint. Lowering our energy demand can help reduce our footprint.

Since we live in a built environment, strategies should also seek to improve the built environment to make it more environmentally friendly.

We need also to look at the natural environment, including modified habitats, to see what can be done to enhance the level of environmental goods and services.

Effective management

FOR the built environment, imagination and a willingness to try out ideas are important, provided that the innovations are based on scientific understanding. If rooftop gardens are developed over all commercial buildings and apartment blocks, this will significantly lower ambient temperature and reduce air-conditioning costs.

Changi Airport's Terminal 3 will have trees and waterfalls within the building to help cool the interior. The other two terminals have been upgraded to make more effective use of natural light. There are many architectural innovations that can be tested to make buildings more environmentally friendly and less demanding on the resources.

Nature has already shown that these innovations work. The large mounds built by termites are a marvel in animal architecture. They permit natural ventilation and the constant flow of air within keeps the internal temperature constant. At the same time, there is sufficient air exchange.

For the natural environment, effective management is needed to prevent loss of habitat quality and decline in habitat health. An understanding of how a habitat functions will help in the formulation of suitable management policies.

For example, it is now accepted that protection of a species will not work if its habitat is not protected as well. For degraded habitats, restoration activities can help to give them a lease of life, provided the techniques and approaches used are based on a good understanding of ecological principles.

For example, it is not wise to plant deep forest species in open land. A better approach is to first plant species adapted to open land and later introduce deep forest species as the restored habitat develops.

Protecting habitats and biodiversity is essential to the management of the whole environment. No matter how small or fragmented the habitats are, protecting them and reversing degradation is better then having them totally eliminated. The environment without the living component is not wholesome.

Development is necessary, but steps can be taken to minimise unnecessary habitat loss and to restore unused areas that had to be cleared for the development, but were not used after completion of a project. Natural habitats help to maintain environmental quality and can accommodate a variety of other activities, such as fish farming.

Protecting nature areas, reducing unnecessary habitat loss, restoration and the linking of habitats with nature corridors are all very important efforts at ensuring that it is possible for us in a city state to live close to nature.

Apart from maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, our natural heritage has educational, research and tourism value. The high biodiversity concentrated in the habitats here, most of which are confined to small areas, is an attraction in itself.

Visiting these places is always a delight for those who want to see as many species as possible in a short time. Most of our natural habitats do not disappoint: it is common to come across species not encountered in earlier visits.

Local and visiting scientists have described many new species from Singapore. And the potential of new species discovery remains high. Scientists have also turned their attention to screening natural compounds from plant and animal species in the hope of uncovering compounds that have pharmaceutical or agricultural applications.

Many bioactive compounds have been isolated from local species; this further emphasises the need to preserve biodiversity. Our natural heritage is a rich genetic bank from which promising bioactive compounds can be found.

Biodiversity crucial

STEPS have been taken to allow the public to enjoy the natural heritage. Museums and herbariums are a storehouse of preserved specimens, important for keeping a permanent record of the country's natural heritage.

But habitats maintain them alive!

And they offer an altogether different aspect for observation. Facilities and educational centres in some of the nature reserves and parks help visitors to learn more and to see more.

Boardwalks and pathways at places such as Sungei Buloh and Chek Jawa permit people to move comfortably through the habitat and to see more from a vantage position. The HSBC TreeTop Walk, opened in 2004, is a suspension bridge in MacRitchie that goes across different stages of a mature secondary forest. Visitors walk at eye level with the forest canopy and can view such life from a perspective often missed when walking over the forest floor.

There is the accompanying problem of too many visitors. As many of our habitats are limited, visitor numbers have to be regulated. When the public heard about the rich biodiversity at Chek Jawa coming under threat of impending reclamation, scores of visitors went across and almost trampled the place to death.

This needed a quick response and management plans were implemented to prevent excessive damage. This involved limiting the number of visitors and building a boardwalk that prevented trampling.

The case of the Semakau Landfill also shows positive commitment to balance conservation and development. It is an indication that conservation and development can co-exist.

The restored mangroves and the protected coral reefs were saved by design. If these were not planned for, there would be only the landfill today and nothing of environmental significance.

Biodiversity is all the more crucial in our urbanised city state.

We need to maintain what natural heritage we have left, and take full advantage of the benefits it readily provides for free.

This article was adapted from an excerpt in the recently published second edition of The Natural Heritage of Singapore, a book detailing Singapore's natural history. The writers are Singaporean academics at the National University of Singapore's Department of Biological Sciences. Between them, they have several decades of research experience in land and water ecology, botany, zoology and conservation in Singapore and South-east Asia.

REVERSING DEGRADATION

Development is necessary, but steps can be taken to minimise unnecessary habitat loss and to restore unused areas that had to be cleared for the development, but were not used after completion of a project. Natural habitats help to maintain environmental quality and can accommodate a variety of other activities, such as fish farming.

100 trees planted in Kent Ridge Park to tackle global warming

By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
29 August 2007

SINGAPORE: A hundred trees were planted in Kent Ridge Park on Wednesday morning in a joint initiative by the South West Community Development Council, the National Parks Board (NParks), and corporate partner Bayer.

In a small but significant step to tackle the global warming problem, about 40 National University Singapore (NUS) students, Bayer employees and other volunteers planted 100 trees along a 50-metre cycling trail.

The day's activity was part of the 100,000 Native Plants @ South West Programme which the CDC and NParks initiated last year.

Some 40,000 plants and trees have since taken root.

Dr Amy Khor, Mayor of South West District, said: "This programme was actually (initiated) to bring back our green heritage by the planting of native plants, as well as to create a greener environment in the district in the next two years. If the programme continues to be very welcomed by the community, which I think it is, we will look to increasing the target."

"I think it's very special in the sense that it allows youths to actually have something hands-on to do, something tangible that they can do for the environment," said Teo Shu Li, a 17-year-old junior college student.

Pharmaceutical company Bayer also has good reasons for taking part.

Marcus Yim, Senior Bayer Representative, South ASEAN, said: "Environment protection is always a very big part of requirements for all the corporate organisations around the world. It's very important to protect our environment as the future generations will also benefit from it."

Its green cause was in support of the worldwide Billion Tree Campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).


- CNA/so

Singapore unveils first coral nursery to conserve underwater habitat

By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia
30 July 2007 1754 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore now has a coral nursery.

It is located on the shores off Semakau Island on Singapore's southern coast.

Its aim is to conserve and grow the country's natural corals.

It's estimated that three-fifths of Singapore's reefs off its southern coast have been lost over the past 200 years because of rapid economic growth.

So a two-year conservation effort is trying to reverse that effect.

It's focusing on using fragments of naturally-broken hard coral to protect existing reefs.

The location was chosen because of the amount of light and oxygen available to the corals, so that they can grow and spawn.

The corals are placed about three metres under the seawater at mid-tide on the seabed.

Scientists hope that after a year, the corals can be transplanted to reefs around Singapore's southern coast.

They believe the coral will grow to form part of a new coral reef.

To maximise the chances of success, the coral is grown on the rubble and is then secured onto plastic platforms.

This will make sure they are protected.

"That will immediately remove the impact of sediments, which otherwise would accumulate around them. And we'll also secure the fragments so that they don't roll about. This helps to stabilise them and improve their chances of survival," says Professor Chou Loke Ming, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore (NUS).

And helping other species survive also has other benefits.

According to the project partners, chemical compounds are found in corals as well as in the organisms living on them.

These compounds can also be used to test for contaminants in developing drugs and vaccines.

So project organisers, NParks, NUS and Keppel Corporation hope more corals can lead to more opportunities to grow Singapore's bio-chemical industry. - CNA /ls

S'pore unveils first coral nursery to conserve underwater habitat

By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia
30 July 2007

SINGAPORE : Singapore now has a coral nursery.

It is located on the shores off Semakau Island on Singapore's southern coast.

Its aim is to conserve and grow the country's natural corals.

It is estimated that three-fifths of Singapore's reefs off its southern coast have been lost over the past 200 years because of rapid economic growth.

So a two-year conservation effort is trying to reverse that effect.

It is focusing on using fragments of naturally-broken hard coral to protect existing reefs.

The location has been chosen because of the amount of light and oxygen available to the corals, so that they can grow and spawn.

The corals are placed about three metres under the seawater at mid-tide on the seabed.

Scientists hope that after a year, the corals can be transplanted to reefs around Singapore's southern coast.

They believe the coral will grow to form part of a new coral reef.

To maximise the chances of success, the coral is grown on the rubble and is then secured onto plastic platforms. This will make sure they are protected.

"That will immediately remove the impact of sediments, which otherwise would accumulate around them. And we'll also secure the fragments so that they don't roll about. This helps to stabilise them and improve their chances of survival," said Professor Chou Loke Ming, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore (NUS).

Helping other species survive also has other benefits. According to the project partners, chemical compounds are found in corals as well as in the organisms living on them.

These compounds can also be used to test for contaminants in developing drugs and vaccines.

So project organisers, NParks, NUS and Keppel Corporation, hope more corals can lead to more opportunities to grow Singapore's bio-chemical industry. - CNA /ls

National Parks Board plans new measures to prevent mishaps

By Leong Wee Keat, TODAY
27 July 2007

SINGAPORE: New preventive measures are being taken by the National Parks Board (NParks) following the deaths of two people who were killed by a falling tree and a falling branch in May, a coroner's inquiry was told yesterday.

State Coroner Ronald Gwee, who recorded misadventure verdicts in the deaths of Madam Ho Siew Lan and Mr Nguyen Ngoc Quang, expressed confidence that the new measures would help prevent future accidents. Their deaths, the court held, were attributable to "forces of nature".

At Bukit Batok Nature Park, where Mdm Ho, 42, was killed by a falling tree on May 15, NParks will install weather alert signs so that park users can call the Meteorological Services for the latest weather reports.

Tree Top Walk, at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, where Mr Nguyen, 25, was hit by a falling branch, will be closed to visitors in the event of lightning and thunderstorms.

NParks will also build rain shelters with lightning protection along the trail. These shelters are expected to be ready by the end of this financial year.

The court heard that Mdm Ho had decided not to continue with her walk after the wind began blowing strongly, and a drizzle started, on the day of the incident. She died from multiple injuries after a 30-m-tall tree fell on her. Investigations revealed that the fallen tree's roots and trunks were healthy but that the ground was wet due to heavy rain earlier.

Two weeks later, Mr Nguyen, a Singapore permanent resident from Vietnam, died from head injuries after a falling tree branch hit him as he was trekking with friends. - TODAY/fa

Nature lovers, sign up to be the ‘official eyes and ears of the forest’

By Daphne Chuah, TODAY
10 July 2007

SINGAPORE - Fancy yourself a champion of wildlife and nature? Now, you can help stop poachers and other despoilers of our local parks and reservoirs.

Local non-profit group Nature Trekker Singapore is launching the Park Policing Programme (PPP) in collaboration with the National Parks Board (NParks).

It aims to get Singaporeans to report illegal activities they come across, such as the releasing of wildlife into the reservoirs and parks, poaching, bird-trapping, plucking of flowers and fishing in unauthorised areas — including netting tiny fish in rivers and canals.

“Those who sign up will be the official eyes and ears of the forest,” said Mr Ben Lee, the founder and head of Nature Trekker, adding that volunteers will also be urged to participate in organised policing trips to parks and nature reserves, so they can learn how the system works.

“The objective of PPP is to create a peaceful environment where nature can strive, survive and live in harmony. We want to reach out to as many people as possible, from working adults to students,” he said.

NParks, which last month urged Singaporeans not to release their pets and other caged animals into the nature reserves, will dispatch its rangers upon receiving volunteers’ reports and take appropriate action.

“NParks takes a serious view of such illegal activities. The nature reserves and parks are common places meant for the public to enjoy,” said Ms Sharon Chan, the assistant director of NPark’s Central Nature Reserve. “Removing flora and fauna from their natural habitat will deprive others of a chance to see our biodiversity.”

More than 300 people have been fined for fishing and capturing animals in Singapore’s nature reserves and parks since 2000. Under the Parks and Trees Act, anyone found guilty of poaching can be fined up to $50,000 and/or jailed up to six months.

Nature Trekker is looking to recruit some 300 volunteers for its first phase. Registration closes at the end of this month, and a briefing for volunteers will be held next month. Those interested can call 6300 6000 for details. - TODAY/fa

Sentosa corals to get new home as work on integrated resort begins

By Teresa Tang, Channel NewsAsia
06 July 2007

SINGAPORE: Corals from Sentosa's Northern coastline are being permanently moved to a new home, to make way for the construction of the integrated resort on the island.

To ensure a successful migration, marine biologists are assisting Resorts World at Sentosa in a major conservation project.

Galaxia and Turbinaria are two hard corals having to leave Sentosa which has been their home for some five years.

The corals will first be chiselled off rocks, placed in an underwater holding site and then transported to the Southern Islands.

But not all corals will make the move.

Sonja Pans, Head, Environmental Management Services, DHI Water & Environment, said: "Our divers must be able to carry them around, which limits the size of the corals, maybe to 30 cm, maximum 50 cm in diameter.

"We chose them as well in terms of the suitability of survival rate, meaning how likely it is that the coral will survive... if they are really healthy, you want to take them."

Organisers say preserving corals like these means preserving a part of Sentosa.

Said Patrick Too, Deputy Director, Projects, Resorts World at Sentosa, "This is another one of our efforts for Resorts World to conserve whatever we can. We try to protect whatever's available right now, because this marine life is part of the heritage in Sentosa."

The coral conservation project complements the resort's tree conservation programme, to ensure the island's natural habitat is protected.

The coral project is expected to be completed by early August. - CNA/yy

New Design, Easy Access, Pioneering Tools for Gombe 'Geoblog' Users

June 18, 2007 — By the Jane Goodall Institute

ARLINGTON, VA. — The Jane Goodall Institute's (JGI) Gombe Chimpanzee Blog, launched in 2006, has delighted web users with regular reports and photographs of Gombe's famous chimpanzees, set against a lush digital representation of Gombe National Park in Tanzania - a unique blend of scientific field reporting, high-resolution satellite imagery and cutting edge web technology via JGI and Google Earth.

Now a redesigned Gombe Chimpanzee Blog has more surprises in store for users, including a unified viewing experience incorporating Google Maps, an innovative new tool allowing users to leave "geotagged" comments, and new feeds and formats.

Most exciting, the blog also features an open source content management system, Earthwatcher,TM that will be made available to other conservation organizations and officially launched in July 2007.

The blog's new layout incorporates Google Maps, making it possible to browse and read the blog entries without having to download or run Google Earth. But it also has enhanced Google Earth Content so users who prefer that interface can more seamlessly read, browse and interact with the blog and its other readers.

New geo-referenced commenting tools allow users to post comments or ask questions geographically - right in the Google Earth or Google Maps environment.

It has integrated new feed formats including Atom RSS, GeoRSS and an improved KML feed, so users can keep up to date with the blog in a variety of readers and formats.

JGI launched the Gombe Chimpanzee Blog in January 2006 with daily updates from field researcher Emily Wroblewski, who is studying paternity among the chimpanzees. Her entries give us a glimpse of the delights and rigors of chimpanzee field research and an ongoing view of the research program begun by Jane Goodall in 1960. Emily is trying to determine if paternal relatives treat each other in special ways, favoring each other, for example, through grooming or sharing of meat.

The Gombe blog serves thousands of visitors through the Institute's website, www.janegoodall.org, and through Google Earth's Global Awareness Layer. There are more than 200 million Google Earth users.

Look for more information about the innovative Earthwatchr application in July 2007, when it is set for pubic beta release. This "conservation geoblogging" software seeks to address the needs of conservation organizations, eco-travellers and earth bloggers looking to use geoblogging to make a difference in the world. It is.

Several organizations have already expressed interest in applying this technology to their work.

"It will be the first integrated system that will allow people to "geoblog" from the road or field without specialized knowledge or tools beyond a laptop," says JGI's Bryce Tugwell, who designed the first geoblog and this latest version as well.

Check out the blog: www.janegoodall.org

About JGI :

Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute continues Dr. Goodall's pioneering research into chimpanzee behavior - research that transformed scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals. Today, the Institute is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs (TACARE) in Africa and the Roots & Shoots education program, which has groups in more than 95 countries. For more information, visit: www.janegoodall.org

Contact Info:

Nona Gandelman
Tel : 703-682-9220
E-mail : ngandelman@janegoodall.org

Website : the Jane Goodall Institute

New Atlantic Salmon Conservation Agreement

June 21, 2007 — By the Atlantic Salmon Federation

Safer Ocean Migration Ensured

ST. ANDREWS, NB — A new Greenland Conservation Agreement will suspend commercial salmon fisheries in Greenland's territorial waters for seven years, beginning with the 2007 season. The fishermen of Greenland have agreed to continue a moratorium which began in 2002 under an earlier agreement. The moratorium has already saved thousands of wild Atlantic salmon that originate in rivers of North America and Southern Europe, migrate to feeding grounds off West Greenland and then return to their home rivers to spawn.

The new agreement signed by the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) of North America, the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) of Iceland, and the Organization of Fishermen and Hunters in Greenland (KNAPK), three non-governmental organizations, has been endorsed by the Greenland Home Rule Government which will help enforce it.

"This is an outstanding achievement that should ensure the return of many more wild salmon to spawn in the rivers of North America and Southern Europe," said Bill Taylor, President of the ASF, and "we are indebted to Orri Vigfusson of Reykjavik, Chairman of NASF, and Buff Bohlen of Washington DC for their leadership in negotiating this agreement." Both conservationists are members of ASF's Board of Directors.

The agreement allows the continuation of salmon fishing for recreation and local consumption, but calls for a sustained effort to reduce the number of salmon being killed thereby. "I am grateful to the leaders of KNAPK," said Mr. Bohlen, "for their commitment to keep this fishery at a minimal level and for their overall cooperation in helping us restore salmon populations in Maine and Eastern Canada."

Scientists of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) have recommended that there be no kill of wild salmon off West Greenland for at least the next four years. They estimate that the population there has declined 89 percent from 917,000 in 1975 to a predicted 113,000 in 2007. Salmon that make the long Greenland migration are particularly susceptible to mortality at sea. Fewer than 74,000 large salmon are believed to have made it back to North American rivers last year, while 152,548 salmon are needed to meet the overall basic conservation target. Unfortunately, ICES predicts no improvement in 2008 and 2009.

The new agreement is contingent upon the Greenland Government continuing to abide by the scientific recommendations of ICES and adhering to a zero commercial quota under the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean, 1982.

ASF and NASF will provide annual contributions to a "Salmon Fund" in Greenland which will be used to finance projects that redirect salmon fishermen into alternative sustainable fisheries, reduce bycatch of salmon in those fisheries, purchase and destroy salmon nets, and provide employment in coastal communities.

Visuals, including a graph of salmon numbers (pre-fishery abundance) and an Atlantic salmon migration map can be found at atlanticsalmonfederation.org

The Atlantic Salmon Federation is an international, non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and wise management of wild Atlantic salmon and their environment. ASF has a network of seven regional councils (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Maine and Western New England. The regional councils cover the freshwater range of the Atlantic salmon in Canada and the United States.

Contact Info:

Muriel Ferguson
ASF Communications
Tel : 506-529-1033
Alt : 506-529-4581

Website : the Atlantic Salmon Federation

Haze in two weeks' time?

By Nazry Bahrawi in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, TODAY
20 June 2007

Somewhere on an open airstrip in Riau, an airplane is ready to spring into action as a fire-fighting machine. The AT602 plane, used more frequently to spray fertiliser on plantations, can also carry about 2,400 litres of water — enough to help douse fires in the haze-prone region.

But, it hasn't been busy on that front lately. Its owner, pulp and paper manufacturer Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (April), had offered to share the one-seater plane with the Riau authorities to control fires about three months ago. The firm has yet to receive a reply.

"We proposed it in March this year but they (the Riau government) haven't signed it yet. They probably will once the fire starts," said Mr Brad Sanders, head of fire and safety at the Singapore-based April.

And that would be soon — the haze period is slated to start in two weeks' time. Officials from five Asean countries, including Singapore, are in Jambi to hear how Indonesia plans to tackle the problem this year (see box).

Forest fires in parts of Indonesia, such as the Riau and Jambi provinces in Sumatra, are largely the cause of the transboundary haze that had hit Asean in the past few years. Last October, Singapore's haze situation reached unhealthy PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) levels — between 101 to 200.

With two weeks left to the dry season, farmers in Riau are preparing to clear their lands using the inexpensive slash-and-burn method — inevitably leading to forest fires — again.

Last year, the province recorded almost 9,000 hotspots, said Mr Sanders. But only about 2 per cent of these took place within April's plantation areas, which measures more than twice the size of Singapore.

And this is not solely because of their fire-fighting capabilities, which includes another 70 full-time fire-fighters, 20 pick-up trucks, an airboat and a helicopter, said Mr Sanders. This, he believes, is also due to April's active attempts to provide economically viable avenues for locals living in its jurisdiction to steer clear of slash and burn practices.

He said: "We help communities develop small profitable enterprises such as haircut shops and honey production. So, people have other sources of income other than the agrarian-based one. There will be a lesser chance of them resorting to slash and burn."

But there is only so much one company can do.

A large part of the problem in tackling the haze situation boils down to bureaucracy and a lack of political will — at all levels. "In Indonesia, there is really no system in place to respond to all the sources of fire at one time. The problem here is that the people want the fires to burn. They are lighting them on purpose to clear the land. ... It's a conundrum," said Mr Sanders.

He also cited the inefficient use of two fire-fighting airplanes that the Indonesian government leased from Russia late last year: "By the time they (the airplanes) arrived, the rainy season had already started. They spent US$5.2 million ($8 million) and it wasn't used effectively, unfortunately."

Mr Fitrian Ardiansyah, programme director of climate and energy for WWF Indonesia, believes Indonesia's commitment to reduce the number of hotspots by 50 per cent this year is a "big challenge".

He told Today: "Transforming political pledge to action on the ground requires more than just willingness. Infrastructure and coordination to prevent and fight fires need to be under one command. Nowadays, the blame game is still happening among different sectors and levels — that is, between the central and local governments." - TODAY/sh

FINGERS CROSSED IN JAMBI

It has promised to reduce its hotspots by 50 per cent this year.

And today will see Indonesia updating its immediate neighbours of its progress towards achieving this objective.

Representatives from five Asean countries – Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia – are in Jambi to attend the third meeting of the sub-regional steering committee on the transboundary haze pollution.

Singapore's Minister of Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim – leading the Singapore delegation – told reporters last week that he hopes Indonesia can keep their promise.

He also said that Singapore had submitted to Indonesia a haze masterplan that covers fire prevention and suppression, legislation and enforcement as well as regional and international collaboration.

But Indonesian Forestry Minister M S Kaban was quoted by its national news Antara as saying that he had not received the proposal.

China Tiger Trade Ban Won't Last - Official

CHINA: June 20, 2007
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
Source

BEIJING - China will inevitably lift its ban on the trade of tiger bones and body parts, a wildlife official told state media, saying groups seeking to profit from the government's captive-bred tigers were too strong to resist.

China was rebuked last week at a UN wildlife conference after it said it planned to lift a domestic ban that has been in place since 1993 if a scientific review proved it would reduce poaching and help stocks of wild tigers worldwide.
"The ban is in place," Wang Wei, wildlife deputy director at the State Forestry Administration told Tuesday's China Daily.

"But it is open for review ... The ban won't be there forever, given the strong voices from tiger farmers, experts and society," Wang said.

"It will be a waste if the resources of dead tigers are not used in traditional medicine," he added.

Beijing has come under intense pressure from companies seeking to cash in on local demand for tiger bones and parts in traditional Chinese medicine. Tiger bones are used to treat everything from skin disease and convulsions to laziness, malaria and rheumatism.

The country only has about 30 tigers left in the wild but keeps about 5,000 in several commercial breeding farms around the country.

At a meeting in the Hague last week, John Sellar, senior enforcement officer at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), criticised China's intensive breeding programmes as having "limited" potential for conservation.

A farm in the country's south also had openly flouted the tiger trade ban by serving tiger meat in its on-site restaurant, Sellar said.

Wang said Chinese research suggested the trade in captive-bred tigers, growing at about 1,000 every year, would not affect conservation efforts.

"Authorised breeding and trade might, in fact, benefit the survival of the tiger", Wang said, given that people "would not risk penalties to hunt in the wild".

But conservationists warn that any relaxation in the ban would result in a massive surge in demand for tiger parts and increased poaching of wild tigers.

There are believed to be only 5,000 to 7,000 tigers remaining in the wild.

Resorts World at Sentosa launches tree conservation programme

By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
13 June 2007 1658 hrs

SINGAPORE: When the S$5.2 billion (US$3.2b) integrated resort at Sentosa opens in three years' time, not everything will be brand new.

Its operator, Genting International, is launching a massive conservation exercise to protect hundreds of trees that are currently on its 49-hectare site.

Of the 3,000 trees on the site, one third are earmarked for conservation.

The trees that make the cut will be pruned and packed off to a temporary nursery - about 1.5 times the size of a football field – located nearby.

So far one hundred trees have been transplanted and over the next few weeks Resorts World at Sentosa will transplant 200 more.

The trees will be replanted at the resort when construction is complete.

It will cost about S$400,000 (US$259,000) to maintain the trees over three years.

This is three times the price of buying new nursery stock.

But the operator says the mature trees will add to the tropical ambience of the attraction, and provide "instant" shade, lowering the temperature by up to 8 degrees Celsius.

Henry Steed, Landscape Architect, said: "Not only does the shade cool the air, it cools the ground so you don't have the heat coming off the ground.

"... the other thing about trees is that they suck up moisture and pump that moisture out at the top, which means there's an air current flowing up the top of the tree.

"... that means air will be drawn in underneath the tree and pass [upwards], which is why when you sit under a tree you'll find there's a slight breeze."

Most of the protected trees are about three to five metres high and between 20 and 25 years old.

They comprise 15 species, including Banyan trees, Rain trees, Palms and Khaya trees.

It takes two days to transplant a large Banyan tree, while smaller ones can be processed in half a day.

Experts say only mid-sized trees are transplanted. Those that are too big are unsafe to be moved and have a low survival rate.

Some trees that cannot be transplanted will be re-used.

The timber from some 300 trees of 10 different species will get a new lease of life as furniture, souvenirs, and even sign posts at the new resort.

This recycling project is expected to cost about S$300,000.

Said Patrick Too, Deputy Director of Projects, Resorts World at Sentosa, "Doing the souvenirs, this is another cost for us. We've not cost it [yet], but it's probably another chunk of money.

"It actually involves a lot of cost for Resorts World, not only just to put them in the mills or in the nursery... [but also] the cost of putting them back. Each of these trees... involves a few tonnes, so the machinery to bring them around... is a big task."

Separately, a 2.9 hectare forested area will also be conserved and protected from heavy engineering works.

The operator is currently studying various minimal-impact construction measures such as light-weight structures and suspension systems.

The woodland will also be incorporated into its building plan.

Genting will have another nursery, likely to be in Johor, where it will cultivate some 1,500 trees for its Sentosa resort.

The contract for the project will be up for tender in about a month.

The conservation plan is one of the largest tree transplanting exercises carried out for a commercial development in Singapore. - CNA/yy

Nature guide calls for more checks along Tree Top Walk

09 June 2007 (CNA)

SINGAPORE: Nature lovers are back on the Tree Top Walk off Upper Thomson - after it was re-opened to the public on Saturday.

It had been closed since Vesak Day (31 May) after a man was killed by a falling tree branch while on the trail that rainy day.

Nature Trekker Volunteer Guide Siva Venthan felt he cheated death on that fateful Vesak Day.

The 52-year old was on his regular trek through the Tree Top Walk, when it started raining heavily.

He immediately sought shelter under the suspension bridge.

It proved to be a wise move, for just minutes away on the boardwalk, a Vietnamese man died instantly - after a falling branch, measuring about 1.5metre long and 20cm thick, hit him on the head.

Nature trekkers say rotten branches can break off any time, not necessarily only during stormy weather.

Therefore even in good weather, there are hidden dangers that nature trekkers must keep a constant look-out for.

"When you're walking along the forest trail, and suddenly, even on normal days, when you suddenly hear a loud cracking sound, straight away you put your hands over your head, and look up! And if you see anything falling directly in front of you, or above you, dive for cover, away from the falling branch," advises Siva.

What bothered Siva was just a couple of days before the fatal accident, a huge tree had fallen on the lower end of the boardwalk - damaging it.

NParks have since replaced the planks.

But Siva was of the view some trees along the popular boardwalk are less than healthy, and more rigorous checks are needed for the rotting branches to be removed.

But trekkers should also learn to protect themselves, for example if it should rain suddenly.

"You see the man-made structure is already there, you can take advantage by going under the bridge. And then if it's stopped raining then you can continue from there. But you still got to have nature sense. Get some guidance," says Siva.

Tips like these are something groups like Nature Trekkers hope to share - especially with first-time visitors to Singapore's tropical rainforests. - CNA/yy

Cameroon, Hong Kong Win Interpol Award for Their Efforts in Fighting Wildlife Crime

June 08, 2007 — By the International Fund for Animal Welfare

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands — Representatives from wildlife enforcement agencies in Cameroon and Hong Kong were honored this evening by Interpol in recognition of the extraordinary level of cooperation that they provided in the investigation surrounding the 3,900 kg cache of ivory smuggled out of Cameroon and seized in Hong Kong in May 2006.
Interpol's Ecomessage Award comes with a prize sponsored by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare -- www.ifaw.org) valued at US$30,000.

"By recognizing Cameroon and Hong Kong as the 2007 award recipients, Interpol wishes to acknowledge that in utilizing the Ecomessage system, these agencies were directly responsible for the dismantling of a significant organizational structure perpetrating the illegal trafficking of large amounts of raw ivory from Africa to Southeast Asia," said Peter Younger, Program Manager for the Interpol Wildlife Crime program. "Their willingness to contribute information and quantifiable data has enabled the Interpol General Secretariat to conduct an analysis that revealed the depth and breadth of this organizational structure, information which will be invaluable to a number of member countries in further enforcement work to combat the illegal trade in ivory."

The award was presented at an official reception held by Germany in The Hague, in its capacity as current President of the European Union and on the occasion of the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Ecomessage was created by Interpol in the 1990s as a reporting system to improve sharing of wildlife crime information among international wildlife law enforcement agencies. It was designed to facilitate the efficient transmission of critical data to the Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France. IFAW's sponsorship of the Ecomessage Award and its collaboration with Interpol on the development of a guidebook on Ecomessage are provided in recognition of the costs of compliance with the reporting system as well as its significant benefits.
Interpol and IFAW both distribute an Ecomessage packet containing information and instructions on how to report in Interpol's four working languages-Arabic, English, French and Spanish-to all CITES Management Authorities and selected wildlife law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Kenya, the recipient of the first Ecomessage Award in 2004, applied its prize to an enforcement training program for the agency's staff.
To learn more about the critical elephant ivory issue, and to take action to save elephants, visit: www.ifaw.org today.

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) :
Founded in 1969, IFAW is an international animal welfare and conservation organization that works to protect wild and domestic animals and to broker solutions that benefit both animals and people. With offices in 15 countries around the world, IFAW works to protect whales, elephants, great apes, big cats, dogs and cats, seals, and other animals.

Contact Info:
Lynn Levine (IFAW)
Mobile: 1 (508) 648-3557
Temp. Local Mob.: 31 (0)6 3882 4186
E-mail: llevine@ifaw.org

Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell (IFAW)
Mobile: 1 (508) 737-1584
Temp. Local Mob.: 31 (0)6 3882 4184
E-mail: jfm@ifaw.org

Website : the International Fund for Animal Welfare

More certified sustainable wood in Bolivia

The Rainforest Alliance Joins with ForestWorld to Maximize Availability of FSC-Certified Wood to Use in Production of Furniture, Flooring and Decking in Bolivia

June 08, 2007 — By the Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance has signed a SmartSource agreement with SumaPacha Industrial S.A., a Bolivia-based wood product manufacturer, to help maximize the availability of wood that comes from responsibly managed forestlands certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for the company's use in the production of furniture, flooring and decking. SumaPacha is a subsidiary of ForestWorld LLC, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based manufacturer of FSC-certified wood products made from Latin American tropical hardwoods.

SumaPacha is the first company in South America to sign a SmartSource agreement, which is an initiative of the Rainforest Alliance's forestry program that aims to help businesses improve their forest product purchasing policies and practices and increase their access to FSC-certified wood by strengthening relationships throughout their supply chains. The agreement will help the company meet its growth targets and fulfill the increasing market demand for home products that come from responsibly managed forestlands.

"The Rainforest Alliance promotes collaboration among private industry, producers and consumers as a tool for truly integrating responsible practices throughout a supply chain," said Daphne Hewitt, senior project manager with the Rainforest Alliance. "ForestWorld and SumaPacha have demonstrated their commitment to responsible production by continually seeking to increase the volume of FSC-certified wood that is purchased for their manufacturing facility in Bolivia and have become leaders in their industry. The Rainforest Alliance is pleased to work with SumaPacha to ensure continued success with FSC certification."

Goals of this agreement include getting more than 400,000 new hectares (988,400 acres) of forestland in Bolivia and Peru to meet the FSC's environmental and social standards and providing market incentives for community and indigenous suppliers to participate in a sustainable forest product market chain with SumaPacha.

"ForestWorld is excited to work with the Rainforest Alliance on increasing the area of FSC-certified forestlands in Bolivia and Peru," said Chris Anderson, CEO of ForestWorld. "This joint effort will help in our mission of protecting tropical forest areas through responsible forest management. By including a goal to certify indigenous community areas, this endeavor will also help us ensure that local residents benefit from the natural resources from which our products are made."

SumaPacha manufactures high-end outdoor furniture, flooring and decking, using traditional and non-traditional tropical hardwood species from Bolivia and Peru and specializes in offering socially and environmentally responsible products. The company owns a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in La Paz, Bolivia and supplies leading retailers in the United States and Europe.

With growing market demand for certified products, SumaPacha called on the Rainforest Alliance to help reach out to concession holders and indigenous communities to certify their areas and thus increase the volume of available FSC-certified wood that meets the company's specifications.

The Rainforest Alliance will design training for SumaPacha's priority suppliers to enable them to meet the company's specifications, including enhanced business and processing skills, and explore the potential for additional new suppliers to become FSC-certified in the near future.
This agreement builds on Bolivia's leadership role in FSC-certified tropical forestland. With nearly 2 million hectares (nearly 5 million acres) of tropical forest certified in Bolivia, the country is second only to Brazil with the largest area of FSC-certified tropical forest in the world.
The Rainforest Alliance's SmartSource initiative helps manufacturers, retailers and consumers develop responsible purchasing plans and supply chains for forest products such as lumber, paper and packaging. As part of SmartSource, Rainforest Alliance experts review and outline steps to improve supply chains, offer workshops and training related to forest product supply chains and responsible forest management, and provide guidance in developing a purchasing policy, among other things.

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org

Proposed animal sanctuary delayed due to lack of funding

By Koh Su-Lynn, Channel NewsAsia
31 May 2007

SINGAPORE: Over the past few years, more than 5,000 animals have been confiscated from being traded.

This is according to the "Animal Concerns Research and Education Society" or Acres.

It also added that more than half of the smuggled animals die.

So, to try and save the animals, Acres wants to build a sanctuary for them.

But the plan has hit a snag.

Blue was rescued from a factory in Singapore four years ago, and repatriated to a sanctuary in Zambia.

The vervet monkey has since settled in, and now has a wife, Toni, and two kids - Indigo and Sapphire.

"I think it's the very least that we can do for these animals. To get Blue, you have to kill his mother. He would have watched that," says Louis Ng, Executive Director of Acres.

"Packed in a crate, sent to Singapore on board a ship from Cape Town. Spent so many years in a cage. And I really believe that the very least that we can do for him when we rescue him, is to give him a bit of his life back. The reality is for most of these animals. They can never go back into the wild again."

A survey by Acres found one in five pet shops in Singapore illegally selling prohibited wild animals.

"We're not talking about say a small business here. It has become a billion dollar industry, that is literally raping our environment," says Ng.

"We all know the impact that this is having on the environment now and I think that we really need to step up our efforts here in Singapore to make a difference not just for our own society and community, but essentially for the animals," he continues.

The animal research group wants the public to join in the fight and blow the whistle on anyone who illegally owns or trades in exotic animals.

It operates the 24-hour Wildlife Crime Hotline.

It is also developing a two hectare site at Sungei Tengah into Singapore's first wildlife rescue centre, with a little help from the community.

20 May 2007 saw more than 120 youths from eight schools joining hands to paint the education centre and various enclosures.

Once completed, it will be able to hold 400 animals - primates, reptiles, marsupials, tortoises and turtles - seized from dealers and pet owners in Singapore.

It can be a place for animals to rest, before being sent back to their native countries.

Currently, many are euthanised.

"Singapore is one of the major hubs for the illegal wildlife trade in the world today, if not Asia at least. I think over the past few years, over 5000 animals have been confiscated from the wildlife trade…

"There is an urgent need to provide these animals with a sanctuary so that they can at least have a second lease of life. But more importantly, we want to use this rescue centre here as an educational facility.

"We sort of realise that if we go on rescuing animals, it will never end. So there is quite an important role to create awareness on what's illegal but most importantly, why it is illegal," says Ng.

When ready, the centre will start guided tours and overnight stays for students and members of the public.

So far, work is only halfway through.

Acres says it needs to raise just over a million dollars (around US$650,000) to build and run the sanctuary for a year.

The building cost is S$737,000 and the annual operating cost S$354,000.

Acres is appealing to the public for more funds to help give the animals a second chance at life.

More information on fund-raising can be found at www.acres.org.sg. - CNA/yy

editor: Donate a brick or even a tree today! Help make the wildlife rescue center a reality.