How's Singapore doing in efforts to conserve our biodiversity?

Singapore is in the final stages of developing the world's first Cities' Biodiversity Index. This self assessment tool helps cities benchmark their biodiversity conservation efforts.

And how is Singapore itself faring on this Index?

In media articles today, Dr Leong Chee Chiew, Deputy CEO, NParks and Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, said: "I would say that we are okay. I think as Singapore goes, we know that there are certain areas that we are strong in, and areas that we need to improve in."

"Each of us can do our part to reduce the fragmentation, increase the natural linkages between habitats and eco-systems, so that the conservation strategy of Singapore will not be confined to nature reserves."

Dr Leong said the index - with its 23 different indicators - will give cities the scope to pick areas they are comfortable with improving on. For Singapore, this might include having more park connectors and adding greenery to both the streetscape and skyline, he added.

In his speech at the event, Minister Mah Bow Tan said "Despite being a highly urbanised and densely populated country, we are in fact quite well endowed in biodiversity. At last count, we have over 2,000 species of native plants, more than 370 species of birds, 280 species of butterflies and 98 species of reptiles. Our waters harbour about 250 species of hard corals, which is one third of the global total, and this, despite us being one of the busiest ports in the world. We have 12 of the 23 seagrass species found in the Indo-Pacific region in our waters."

Full media articles on the wildsingapore news blog.

More about the Singapore Cities' Biodiversity Index.