Have a Crabby National Day!

Singapore freshwater crab;
(Photo by David Maitland, from A Guide to Freshwater Life in Singapore)

It's National Day, and I thought that it would be appropriate to highlight some very special fellow Singaporeans.

Where it comes to food, chilli crab has got to be one of our favourite local dishes. And given that it was created here, it certainly is a serious contender for Singapore's national dish.


(Photo by ladyironchef)

The crabs that we most commonly consume in Singapore are the various species of mud crabs (Scylla spp.), with flower crabs (Portunus pelagicus) coming in a distant second. Both kinds of crab are regularly encountered on many of our shores, especially in shallow waters with muddy or sandy seabeds.


Mud crab, Pulau Pawai;


Flower crab, Pulau Sekudu;
(Photos by Ria Tan)

However, did you know that we have some very special crabs? They're way too small to be eaten, but that doesn't mean that they don't deserve attention from fellow Singaporeans.

Singapore's cool colugos: why they glide

Studying Singapore's colugos, researchers including our very own Norman Lim have discovered why these animals glide.

Although called flying lemurs, these creatures are not lemurs and they don't fly!

Harry Potter and the Owls of Singapore

Today marks a significant milestone in a much-loved book and film series; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the concluding instalment of the movies, is being released in cinemas throughout Singapore today. Ever since the first of the books was released in 1997 (and the first movie in 2001), audiences everywhere have been captivated by the adventures of Harry Potter and his friends in Hogwarts, as well as his epic struggle against his nemesis, the Dark Lord Voldemort.



Given that the story revolves around a magical world where wizards and witches routinely create potions and cast spells on one another, a great deal of the so-called 'wildlife' are based on mythical creatures. Fantastic wildlife such as acromantulas, Hungarian horntails, hippogriffs, phoenixes, and basilisks are unfortunately not known to us muggles (people incapable of wielding magic). However, there are several species that are very much real creatures, the owls.

Monitors of Singapore: Who's the Rarest of Them All?

(Photo taken from Varanus.nl)

Singapore has 3 species of monitor lizard, and 2 of them, the Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator) and clouded monitor (Varanus bengalensis nebulosus), are commonly encountered.

Previously, I wrote about the Malayan water monitor, corrected some misconceptions and discussed some threats faced by monitors, and also shared information about the clouded monitor. In this last post of the series, we take a look at our 3rd monitor lizard, a rare and elusive species that was once thought to be extinct in Singapore.

More on Monitors

Many of us are familiar with the Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator), a large lizard commonly found near water, from urban drains and canals to reservoirs, as well as in coastal areas such as beaches and mangroves. This species was the focus of 2 earlier posts, one discussing its biology, and another post about how this common species is so often misidentified or feared, as well as some of the threats it faces. However, this is not the only species of monitor lizard found in Singapore, and another relatively common species will be covered in this post.

2011 is International Year of Forests!

With the theme of “Forests for People”, 2011 is designated International Year of Forests and will celebrate the central role of people in our world’s forests.
The elements in the design depict some of the many values of forests and the need for a 360‐degree perspective. Forests provide shelter to people and biodiversity; provide food, medicine and clean water; and a vital role in global climate and environment. More on the official International Year of Forests website.

Busting Myths about Monitors

(Photo by Ria)

In my previous post, I discussed some basic aspects about the biology of the Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator). Despite being relatively common, and often encountered by visitors to many of our parks and coastal areas, a great deal of misinformation about this lizard exists. And despite its size, it also faces a number of threats from human activities.

Magnificent Monitors

Today is the last day of 2010, and to conclude the International Year of Biodiversity, I decided it would be a good idea to talk about an iconic member of Singapore's native fauna.

Where it comes to scaly encounters, almost all of us would be familiar with the little house geckos that scurry about on walls and ceilings. Many of us would also be familiar with the changeable lizards (often misidentified as chameleons) that are often seen basking on trees and fences in parks and gardens. But these lizards are featherweights compared to their massive cousins, the monitors.

Biodiversity for kids during the December holidays!

Exciting nature activities for kids are lined up for the coming school holidays! Lots of fun ways to learn more about Singapore's biodiversity!
Have oceans of fun at Pasir Ris with marine-themed activities, join a Nature Camp for kids at Sungei Buloh, go for a night walk to check out owls, bats and frogs, find out about our forests, learn how to take nature photos and more!

Here's highlights of some of the many nature events for kids during the December holidays.

Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity adopted in Nagoya

It's official! The Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity has been endorsed for use globally!
Singapore is "a small city-state with limited land resources, but rich in flora and fauna. It is our contribution towards ongoing global efforts on biodiversity conservation" said Minister Mah Bow Tan.

Sivasothi and the best of biodiversity blogs

Congratulations to The Biodiversity Crew @ NUS!The blog has been featured by the Pimm Group among the best biodiversity blogs, right next to legendary blogs such as Mongabay.com!

This recognition is well deserved. The blog is led by the inexhaustible N. Sivasothi and gives me an excuse to share about him.

Bats in Singapore: one new record and two rediscovered

Unseen and unappreciated, we know very little about these secretive and fascinating mammals.

But thanks to a two-year survey by NParks and volunteers, led by the intrepid Dr Leong Tzi Ming, we now know more about our bats!

Global Biodiversity Outlook: bleak but not too late yet

The report card on global biodiversity is out.

And the results are not good. But there is still hope.

The Singing Forest and Forest of Giants at the Southern Ridges

Soon the forests at the Southern Ridges will sing!
Native trees are being planted to provide nectar, attract insects, which in turn attract birds, as well as provide fruits for fruit-eating birds. This, as well as the Forest of Giants were recently launched by NParks as part of International Year of Biodiversity celebrations.

Civets of Siglap: Singapore' last wild urban carnivores

The Common palm civet aka musang or civet cat, is believed to be the last small wild carnivore in Singapore.
A study at Siglap showed that there are 20-30 civets there! And that they are breeding!

Saving a living dinosaur in Singapore

"Imagine that a prehistoric creature exists here in Singapore, right under your very nose. Now, imagine that this same creature has been dying out slowly. Would you do everything in your power to save it from extinction?"
From the latest issue of My Green Space - Issue 5 Vol 2/2010, the NParks Newsletter, I found out more:

I and the Tiger: you CAN make a difference for tigers

Singapore no longer has wild tigers in our forests. Nevertheless, Singapore continues to wipe out wild tigers.
The last wild tiger, killed in Choa Chu Kang in the 1930s from ramblinglibrarian

Although selling tiger parts is banned in Singapore, an undercover investigation by Acres last month found 59 out of 134 jewellery and antique shops offered alleged tiger parts, including claws, teeth and pieces of skin.

Singaporeans' attitude to the plight of wild tigers are such that a major magazine didn't seem to find anything wrong in featuring this cover.

Orgy on Singapore Reefs: coral mass spawning

Our corals have just mass spawned! After much anticipation, a different kind of Easter Egg were in abundance in our waters on Easter Sunday.

Photos by Neo Mei Lin

Photos by Tan Heok Hui

Why is coral mass spawning in Singapore a big deal?

Dazzling Dragonflies of Singapore!

Rapacious predators on gossamer wings, these jeweled aerial acrobats play a key role in the habitat and are a delight to observe.

Crimson dropwing by Tang Hung Kei

A study of Singapore's dragonflies and damselflies reveals that we have now more than 120 species (124 to be precise)! This is as large as the number in the whole of Europe.

What's special about Singapore's dragonflies?

'Bad' biodiversity: Invasive alien species

Not all biodiversity is good for the ecosystem. One example are the freshwater stingrays found in Singapore's reservoir.
Growing to the size of 'dinner plates', barbed Motoro stingrays (Potamotrygon motoro) are breeding in Upper Seletar Reservoir, Grace Chua reports in the Straits Times today quoting a paper by authors from the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research.

Why are these exotic animals dangerous?