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Sat 06 Feb 2010 Mon 15 Feb 2010: 7am - The Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative WalkCategory : heritage The Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk
The battle accounts left a strong impression on the Pasir Panjang Heritage Guides, and thus we commemorate the Malay Regiment's defense of the ridge every year. We will share with you stories about the Battle of Pasir Panjang, the geography, history and the flora and fauna of the area that first drew us to explore the ridge decades ago.
The National University of Singapore is built on parts of old battle ground and still contains a WWII military outpost that strategically oversaw Jurong, Bukit Timah and Singapore City. In 1954, the ridge was renamed 'Kent Ridge,' and the old stone marker commemorating the renaming can still be seen today, though is often missed.
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Wed 27 Jan 2010 URA Concept Plan 2011 - take the survey, submit your feedbackCategory : conceptplan Every ten years, the URA unveils a Concept Plan which it subjects to review by working groups and invites the public to participate through surveys and letters. The resulting reccomnedations and suggestions are integrated into the Master Plan, on angoing document that maps out probable directions about land use in Singapore in the decade ahead. On 23 January 2010, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced "the launch of the Concept Plan 2011 (CP2011) Review Public Consultation exercise." In the last exercise which was conducted in 2002, some 4,500 feedback replies were submitted and read [link]. The areas identified in this CP2011 are:
You can participate in the survey at: http://www.ura.gov.sg/conceptplan2011/
Meanwhile, two Focus Groups will address the various topics - for more information, see the media release and the Annex. Selected details and discussion areas The details for the Sustainability discussion lists: "As a small island nation with limited land resources, sustainable development has always been a priority for Singapore to ensure that we can continue to grow our economy while providing a good quality living environment for our people. Achieving sustainable growth however, requires the participation and contribution of the wider population, involving all segments of society, from individuals and households to community groups and businesses in adopting more environmentally friendly practices. Under Identity, the issue is encapsulated as: "In ensuring our sustainable growth, we will have to consider how we can strengthen our people’s sense of belonging to Singapore as an endearing home while balancing against the need for Singapore to continue to develop and grow as a distinctive global city. Links
Mon 11 Jan 2010 New guide books from the Singapore Science Centre: Mosses and SpongesCategory : books The natural history guide book series has just added two titles to the range - "A Guide to the Mosses of Singapore" and "A Guide to Sponges of Singapore". The books are useful in planning a walk or field trip as the colour photographs and illustrations make identification easy. Both students and educators would find the guides useful and also interesting in finding more about nature. The books are available for sale at $5.35 (Mosses) and $6.42 (Sponges) at the Science Centre's Curiosity Shop as well as major bookshops. Display at SSC, 19-31 Jan 2010 The SSC guidebook series was initiated in 1981 is in response to the paucity of educational material then on the local flora and fauna. Approximately 160 pages in length, these compact and rugged books contain a wealth of information well-illustrated by many colourful photographs and extremely handy in the field. They are intended for both science teachers, students and nature lovers. A total of 43 guidebooks have been published up to date.
"Mosses, like other members of bryophytes, are generally small and inconspicuous plants that are hardly noticed and appreciated by the layman. However, the term "mosses" is sometimes misused and misinterpreted by many people, even those who have the basic knowledge of plant diversities."
A Guide to Sponges of Singapore "What is a sponge? Is it a plant, or an animal? Some of us may not have seen a live sponge in Singapore waters, or recognize one when we see one, although we are familiar with their texture, which is sometimes not very different from the kitchen sponge. Living sponges are certainly animals,but superficially look more like plants. "  Thanks to Anne Dhanaraj at Singapore Science Centre. Tue 22 Dec 2009 Job opportunity: Education Officer with the Raffles MuseumCategory : jobs The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research is inviting applications for the position of Education Officer to assist in its education and outreach programmes.
Scope of work
Requirements:
Interested applicants are invited to submit a cover letter and CV to Wang Luan Keng at dbswlk@nus.edu.sg by 8th January 2010.
Thu 03 Dec 2009 Toilet seat spider hoax: Malaysian variant in circulation once again (Aug 2006)Category : internet This was first published on 6th September 2006 at a peak of the hoax emails's circulation. I just removed the "fictitious name" which the 2004 Malaysian variant of the hoax email was signed off with. It was the name, designation, address and phone number of a technician. As it turns out, it was a NOT fictitious name, but that of an innocent person who had her name appended to the emails. This was probably added to improve the appearance of legitimacy, as she works in a lab. After one too many calls from friends, she finally wrote me yesterday to have it removed from the Habitanews post, at least! --- In 1999, an email circulating through the internet reporting an incident in which three women in Chicago "turned up at hospitals over a 5 day period" with the same symptoms, eventually dying. The cause of their deaths were ultimately traced to a small spider under a toilet seat. The email proclaimed that it was 'determined to be the South American Blush Spider (Arachnius gluteus).' This email was quickly debunked as a hoax and a paper was even published in the American Entommologist: Vetter, R. S. & P. K. Visscher, 2000. Oh, what a tangled web we weave: the anatomy of an internet spider hoax. American Entomologist, 46: 221-223 (see webpage). As far as hoaxed go, this email did not try very hard to deceive, leaving many clues to suggest it was a joke, especially the name of the spider. When the new variant of the 1999 hoax emerged in 2002, it tried much harder to be credible. This story was about three women still, but this time they hailed from North Florida. The spider at the centre of the mystery? The Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata) and the story involved a subject who travelled through Singapore! By 2004, that variant introduced a link to an online version of Joseph Koh's "A Guide to Common Singapore Spiders" which is hosted on Habitatnews. One version, localised for Malaysia (i.e. the 'Malaysian variant') also carried the elaborate signature of a technologist from a Photonics Technology Laboratory from Malaysia (see below)! Localised versions of an American urban legends are not new, e.g. see the Singapore-localised July 2000 version of The Knockout Perfume. This hoax is still alive in some circles, as a friend (ATSL) just told me that she received a Malaysian version of hoax in May 2006. The Toilet Seat Spider hoax (and others) are documented in the Urban Legends and Folklore page:
In August 2006, the 2004 Malaysian variant appears to have been revived in Singapore, and I have received this three times from various circles up to today. All the emails included many others in their CC-list but unlike the first hoax in 1999 however, there is litle need to explain. There are enough people these days who know to check with Google, and the plethora of hoax-buster pages that cluster at the top of a typical search quickly identify the email as a hoax. Still its about time I added some defense to the humble little page for the Two-Striped Telamonia and so it now bears a link to the Urban Legends and Folklore webpage.
A last word about these emails - read "Email facts of life." Wed 02 Dec 2009 Sat 05 Dec 2009 - Sungei Buloh Anniversary WalkCategory : events Update: Registration for 2009 is closed (full). We will be back next year! Meanwhile, see Wild Happenings for a wide variety of free guided walks throughout the year at Sungei Buloh and other natuies areas in Singapore: http://wildsingaporehappenings.blogspot.com Sungei Buloh mangrove was declared a nature park in 1993 and subsequently upgraded to nature reserve status in 2001. Since 1997, a bunch of veteran guides have conducted a free guided walk for the public in celebration of this remnant of an extraordinary ecosystem.  And yes, the tide will eventually rise to 3.2metres! The guides from Raffles Museum Toddycats will regale you with stories about the animals, plants and the ecology of the mangrove. During the rising tide and you will see tree-climbing crabs, mudskippers, drills, neritas, water monitors, archer fish, mullets, halfbeaks and garfish. Besides their ecological adaptations and regional economic uses, we will also point out the nearby Mandai mangroves, remember the WWII invasion of Singapore through this area and contemplate the uncommon scene in of a river draining into the straits of Johor! It is also time for the migratory birds that have winged down from the north. And sometimes the crowd pleasers appear - the resident family of Smooth-coated otters and the crocodile. Guides for 2009: Airani S, Kok Oi Yee, Marcus Ng, Adrian Loo, Anand Balan, Ivan Khong, Anne Devan, Trina Chua, Xu Weiting, Siti Aisyah Bte Jamal, Joanne Khew, Teo Kah Ming, Grace Lo and N. Sivasothi (a.k.a. Otterman). For registration (free) and more details, please visit the SBAW webpage. Mon 30 Nov 2009 Sun 06 Dec 2009 - Raffles Museum Public Gallery open!Category : events  The Raffles Museum's Public Gallery will be open this Sunday 6th December 2009. The small gallery is usually closed on weekends, but is specially opened as part of Singapore Explore! 2009, which "encourages members of the public to embark on fun and fascinating journeys to discover our colourful past, rich heritage, exciting art and vibrant cultures." "Be amazed by urban Singapore’s rich biodiversity and grab this rare experience getting up close to many animal specimens. Learn about different species of animals that inhabited Singapore and the region through games and colouring activities. Children will learn about the different habitats, biodiversity, conservation and environmental awareness." How to get there - Gothere.sg link Wed 21 Oct 2009 Mammal sightings in SingaporeCategory : nature Animal sighting records have always been an important resource - over time, these can contribute to public awareness and education, suggest student research projects and supplement research in conservation and management projects. So any mammal record on land, sea and air is useful and large marine animals too - this includes turtles and interesting fish!
We would love to receive photos, of course, please send them to: mammal@sivasothi.com This data will be shared with other vertebrate researchers and managers in Singapore. Highlights may be featured on Habitatnews from time to time (if the records are not confidential), e.g. http://tinyurl.com/habitatnews-mammal Your contribution is greatly appreciated, thank you! N. Sivasothi & Xu Weiting Mon 12 Oct 2009 Flowering Sea Apple trees in OctoberCategory : nature Sea apples or Jambu Air Laut (Syzygium grande, previously known as Eugenia grandis) are flowering in south-western Singapore this past couple of weeks - I first noticed a tree in full bloom at the Labrador cliff forest last week when I was there with a class. Walking along a corridor in NUS, I noticed another flowering tree on Kent Ridge. A chorus of feeding birds alerted me to a third tree a day later at Holland Village. Synchronous flowering is demonstrated in many species of trees in the aseasonal tropical forests of Asia and these can flower over much larger area than the island of Singapore! Along our roads, Sea Apple trees are highly noticeable as they are a common wayside tree planted in many areas around Singapore. Flowering makes the tree prominent all of a sudden, much like Cinderella at the ball. Two years ago, I posted a note to Habitatnews: "[Synchronous flowering of Sea Apple (Syzygium grande) trees around Singapore," Habitatnews, 16 Oct 2007]. In that note, was a link to Subaraj's observation of October 2005 at Sime Forest. So does Syzygium grande flower regularly in October? I am sure the old botanists of old in Singapore have remarked upon this previously; if you look it up, do let me know in the comments below.  Labrador rocky shore, 07 Oct 2009
Since flowers and fruits attract birds and insects, you can spend a satisfying morning near such trees with a pair of binoculars or camera. When multiple species of wayside trees flower over a long period, this suggests a general flowering event and it is likely then that forest trees would be just as productive. Many a naturalist respond to this cue from our wayside trees by heading out with camera, binoculars and a guidebook or two! Since I don't get around much, do let me know if Sea Apples are indeed flowering elsewhere in Singapore and the region - you can drop a note in the comments below and if you would, email me your photos at toddycats@gmail.com with:
Photos will be added to the Flickr album with the 2007 photos - these photos are all released for non-commercial use so take note when sending me your photos. I am also plotting the locations of flowering Sea Apple trees on Google Maps - the map below will be updated as I add points; let's see how widespread this is. View Flowering Sea Apple trees, Oct 2009 in a larger map Fri 09 Oct 2009 Blog Action Day 2009Category : internet Anything to say?
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A Guide to the Mosses of Singapore
Kent Ridge, 08 Oct 2009
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