Heritage Fest 2009
asks "Who's your neighbour?" So the Raffles Museum
of Biodiversity Research (NUS) and Reflections at Bukit
Chandu (NAS) have decided to invite you on a 4-hour walk
with the Raffles Museum Toddycats. They
have plenty of stories to share with you about their
neighbours in the Pasir Panjang/Kent Ridge area - about
people as well as the plants and animals!
Learn about wildlife at our doorstep
at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity
Research in the National Universtiy of
Singapore. There are many surprising neighbours of
ours that have defied the catastrophe of disappearing
forests, shores and reefs.
Our guides will share stories of both hope and loss and encounters with these old neighbours of Kent Ridge as well as Singapore. These include the:
- Siglap Turtle (1883),
- Pasir Panjang Tiger Shark (1967),
- East Coast Black Marlin (1986),
- Bukit Timah's last Leaf Monkey (1987),
- Mandai Road Leopard Cat roadkill (2001)
- East Coast Sea Cow (2001)
- The 4.4 metre King Cobra (2002)
From the Raffles Museum, we will walk
to Kent Ridge Park and along the way
you will learn when and how the name of this
neighbourhood changed from Pasir Panjang Ridge to Kent
Ridge. The plants that populate the ridge are a
community that can cope with the special challenges of
living in this area and and you will be delighted to
learn of their adaptations and uses.
At the Gap you will hear of motorbike races in the 60's
and from the the view in Kent Ridge Park, you will see the
former Buona Vista Village and learn of the steadfastness
of the neighbourhood who stood together in turbulent times
and shook off agent provocateurs, hoping to so mischief.
During the walk, we will share with
you the heroic stories we learnt of the Malay Regiment
who fought in these very ground during the Battle of
Pasir Panjang. These valiant soldiers dug in against
great odds and their heroic final stand against a
triumphant foe is remembered until today.
At the Reflections at Bukit Chandu,
their story will come together for participants who will be
left to quiet contemplation.
