Year of Turtle 2006 Public Seminar

Saturday 24 June 2006: 3.00 - 5.00 pm
Venue: Imagination Room, Level 5, National Library
100 Victoria Street
Admission is free

Facilitator:
Jeffrey Low
Senior Biodiversity Officer,
Marine and National Biodiversity Reference Centre,
National Parks Board


I: “Sea Turtles and Singapore: Biology, recent nesting, and conservation”
by C H Diong , Nanyang Technological University, NIE

Sea turtles are slow growing, late-reproducing, long-lived air breathing marine reptiles. Their life history, migratory behaviour, and roles in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, as well as the causes of population declines, are better understood today. Of the seven species of sea turtles – all recognized as endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), four have been recorded from our territorial waters. One of them, the hawksbill turtle has been nesting on our shores. An inter-institutional group and other NGOs have been involved in a sea turtle conservation and public education programme in the past few years.


II: “Underwater World Singapore and Sea Turtle Conservation”
By Wah Yap Hon,
Assistant Curator, Underwater World Singapore Pte Ltd

Underwater World Singapore houses four species of turtles; hawksbills, greens, loggerheads, and olive ridleys. Our work on public education, and the rehabilitation of injured and stranded animals should continue to interest members of the public on these fascinating and wonderful sea creatures


III: “Singapore CITES and Sea Turtles”
By Gerald Neo,
Senior Wildlife Enforcement Officer,
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority

The Agri-Food and Veterinary (AVA) safeguards food safety, and animal and
plant health. It also regulates wildlife trade and animal welfare. The role of AVA in the implementation and enforcement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), particularly in relation to conservation of sea turtles through prevention of illegal trade of marine turtle products such as, eggs, meat, shells, living and preserved specimens, is discussed. Cases involving illegal trade of marine turtle products will be highlighted.


IV: Q & A and Panel Discussion


V: Display of Sea Turtle Exhibits and Materials

Organised by Year of Turtle Singapore Committee and the National Library Board Singapore Partners: IOSEA, Raffles Museum (NUS), NTU, NIE, UWS, NParks, AVA, NSS, WildSingapore, Blue Water Volunteers, Pulau Hantu Bloggers