Terumbu Semakau with mass coral bleaching

Dr Jani Tanzil alerted us that mass coral bleaching may have started on our shores since the second week of June. So we are on the look out for this as we check up on Terumbu Semakau.

Today, I estimate about 5% of the hard corals that I saw are bleaching, with an additional 20% showing stress (paler than usual or with bleaching portions) or with recently dead patches. I didn't see many leathery soft corals. About 5% of these were outright bleaching (white), while about 30% were more yellow than usual. This is not as bad as what I saw during mass coral bleaching here in 2016.

Pulau Hantu with mass coral bleaching

Dr Jani Tanzil alerted us that mass coral bleaching may have started on our shores since the second week of June. So we are on the look out for this during our annual survey of Pulau Hantu. Although it lies just across the petrochemical plants on Pulau Bukom, there are living reefs, seagrasses and even mangroves here.

Today, I estimate about 5% of the hard corals that I saw are bleaching, with an additional 20% showing stress (paler than usual or with bleaching portions) or with recently dead patches. Some parts of this shore have large patches of leathery soft corals. About 5% of these were outright bleaching (white), while about 40% were more yellow than usual. We didn't survey Pulau Hantu during the 2016 mass coral bleaching event.

Share your Singapore sea turtle sighting!

Have you seen sea turtles in and around Singapore? Perhaps while on a stroll by the sea, or while boating, kayaking, fishing or diving?

Green turtle seen at Pulau Semakau
Photo by Marcus Ng

Share your sightings in this survey to help Dr Zeehan Jaafar and her team identify areas where sea turtles (alive, injured, or dead) are encountered. So that we can all better understand these magnificent creatures!

No Biscuits at Sekudu?

Well before dawn, we survey one of our favourite shores, Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island that lies just off Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin.

Today, we didn't see the usual diversity that we have come to expect. And none of us saw Biscuit sea stars, which are usually abundant. On the plus side, we didn't  notice much bleaching.

Rich reefs at Kusu Island with some coral bleaching

Dr Jani Tanzil alerted us that mass coral bleaching may have started on our shores since the second week of June. So we are on the look out for this during our annual survey of the rich reefs of Kusu Island.

Today, I estimate about 5% of the hard corals that I saw are bleaching, with an additional 20% showing stress (paler than usual or with bleaching portions) or with recently dead patches. Some parts of this shore have large patches of leathery soft corals. About 5% of these were outright bleaching (white), while about 40% were more yellow than usual. The situation wasn't as bad as what I saw during mass coral bleaching in 2016.

NParks Heron Watch (25 Jul - 2 Aug)

Our beautiful wild herons! Learn more about them and make a difference by helping in this survey. Suitable for families. Training is provided. A great way to visit some of our great shores and wetlands.

Herons at Terumbu Pempang Tengah,
off Jurong Island and major shipping lanes,
waiting for the tide to fall so they can begin hunting.

Registration closes 15 July.