At the top of the wobbly Jejawi Tower, we were not only rewarded with a grand view of Pulau Tekong and the magnificent mountains of Johor...
31 October 2009
New tame wild boar at Chek Jawa?
Chek Jawa is glorious today after a rainy morning! I was out guiding with the Naked Hermit Crabs on their monthly free public walk on the boardwalk.
At the top of the wobbly Jejawi Tower, we were not only rewarded with a grand view of Pulau Tekong and the magnificent mountains of Johor...
At the top of the wobbly Jejawi Tower, we were not only rewarded with a grand view of Pulau Tekong and the magnificent mountains of Johor...
What happens on Sentosa's unnatural shores?
The artificial beach on Sentosa with its imported sand and plastic rocks requires a lot of maintenance.
A recent article reports Sentosa has a beach cleaning machine! Described as a manly lovechild of a tractor and a digger, it was used "to make the sand softer and fluffier" and to clear debris 15cm beneath the surface. Despite this, the journalist reports "the sand didn't feel as angel-dusty as some other beaches overseas".
Among the duties of the lifeguards on the artificial shores are "clearing seaweed and setting traps for spiked critters like rabbitfish, catfish and stonefish"
Then, there was a man who had a catfish stuck in his chest.
A recent article reports Sentosa has a beach cleaning machine! Described as a manly lovechild of a tractor and a digger, it was used "to make the sand softer and fluffier" and to clear debris 15cm beneath the surface. Despite this, the journalist reports "the sand didn't feel as angel-dusty as some other beaches overseas".
Among the duties of the lifeguards on the artificial shores are "clearing seaweed and setting traps for spiked critters like rabbitfish, catfish and stonefish"
Then, there was a man who had a catfish stuck in his chest.
30 October 2009
Wildfacts updates: October sightings
It's supposed to be the 'slow' period for intertidal explorers as spring tides are not so frequent or so low. Yet, we STILL find new and interesting marinelife!
James shares this photo of a yet-to-be-identified pink spotted sea cucumber that the team found at Tanah Merah. Our first for the location, although it has been seen on the reefs of Sisters Island, Pulau Semakau and the submerged reef near Semakau.
James shares this photo of a yet-to-be-identified pink spotted sea cucumber that the team found at Tanah Merah. Our first for the location, although it has been seen on the reefs of Sisters Island, Pulau Semakau and the submerged reef near Semakau.
Shoreline restoration at the East Coast continues until May 10
Work that began in January will continue to May 2010. We saw these works at the East Coast during one of our field trips earlier in the year.
What marine life is at the East Coast?
Besides living walls, we've seen interesting stuff on the sandy shores.
What marine life is at the East Coast?Besides living walls, we've seen interesting stuff on the sandy shores.
29 October 2009
Shipping congestion in Singapore waters?
The Strait of Singapore can take a 75% increase in shipping traffic without needing any changes to its infrastructure or operations, a study has found.
But should the volume of traffic double in the busy and narrow Straits, as it is expected to by 2024, it will take vessels an extra hour - eight hours instead of seven - to get through the waterway. It will also become less safe.
The second phase of the study will examine how navigational safety in the strait can be improved through "physical, operational and technological adjustments".
But should the volume of traffic double in the busy and narrow Straits, as it is expected to by 2024, it will take vessels an extra hour - eight hours instead of seven - to get through the waterway. It will also become less safe.
The second phase of the study will examine how navigational safety in the strait can be improved through "physical, operational and technological adjustments".
Why we shouldn't pick up sea stars
An intertidal sea star was found to pump itself with sea water to stay cool when exposed to the sun at low tide. It sucks up the equivalent of a person drinking seven litres of water. This quantity of stored water allows a decrease of almost 4°C in excess body temperature, which is enough to avoid reaching dangerous body temperatures. 
Although the study was done on the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) found in the intertidal zone along the Pacific North American coast, the sea stars on our shores may also rely on the same mechanism to stay cool during low tide.
Sometimes, when we pick up sea stars and sea cucumbers, they expel lots of water. This loss of water may possibly endanger the animals.
Another reason why we shouldn't pick up sea stars is that some may purposely drop their arms when they are stressed. Some sea cucumbers may also fall apart.
Cool starfish (purple indicates cool areas, red indicates warm)
Although the study was done on the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) found in the intertidal zone along the Pacific North American coast, the sea stars on our shores may also rely on the same mechanism to stay cool during low tide.
Sometimes, when we pick up sea stars and sea cucumbers, they expel lots of water. This loss of water may possibly endanger the animals.
Another reason why we shouldn't pick up sea stars is that some may purposely drop their arms when they are stressed. Some sea cucumbers may also fall apart.
28 October 2009
Green Porno Season 3: sexy shrimp, squid and more!
Isabella Rossellini's critically acclaimed series is back with a new batch of very short films about the reproductive habits of marine animals. GREEN PORNO is scientifically accurate yet extremely entertaining.
27 October 2009
Will you survive a trip to the sea shore?
A trip to the shore is quite safe, IF you know what you are doing. Here's a short little quiz with 8 questions to find out if you will survive a shore trip:
Eye of the fiddler
"Should I fight, flee or err ... mate with it?" is a decision fiddler crabs have to make when they see something. A wrong decision can be fatal. Which probably accounts for the evolution of fiddler eyes that are superbly adapted to its life on the sandflats.
Mounted on a stick and not able to move, the crab's eyes have 9,000 facets each suited for different tasks on different parts of its visual field. Some provide a sharp focus and others just a general lookout.
Understanding fiddler eyes can help us build better robots. Dr Jan Hemmi says “Most robots use TV cameras which are like the human eye and provide a flood of information which is hard to process quickly. The crab’s eye, on the other hand, performs all the essential tasks needed in autonomy, but with far less information being processed. For certain types of robot, this type of machine vision may be far more practical and appropriate – and the crabs can teach us much."
Mounted on a stick and not able to move, the crab's eyes have 9,000 facets each suited for different tasks on different parts of its visual field. Some provide a sharp focus and others just a general lookout.
Understanding fiddler eyes can help us build better robots. Dr Jan Hemmi says “Most robots use TV cameras which are like the human eye and provide a flood of information which is hard to process quickly. The crab’s eye, on the other hand, performs all the essential tasks needed in autonomy, but with far less information being processed. For certain types of robot, this type of machine vision may be far more practical and appropriate – and the crabs can teach us much."
Freezing corals to preserve them
The Zoological Society of London is planning the first global “coral cryobank” where samples from each species would be stored in liquid nitrogen.
The decision follows research showing that most coral reefs will be largely dead by 2040, wiped out by a combination of rising temperatures and increasing acidity in oceans.
They include Australia’s 1,600-mile Great Barrier Reef, most Caribbean reefs and those in the “coral triangle” which spans Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor.
“Some reefs are already beginning to fail and many will die within a few decades. We need a plan B, and freezing them is the best option.”
The decision follows research showing that most coral reefs will be largely dead by 2040, wiped out by a combination of rising temperatures and increasing acidity in oceans.
They include Australia’s 1,600-mile Great Barrier Reef, most Caribbean reefs and those in the “coral triangle” which spans Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor.
“Some reefs are already beginning to fail and many will die within a few decades. We need a plan B, and freezing them is the best option.”
26 October 2009
Mantis shrimp eyes may inspire better DVD and CD players
The big googly eyes of the mantis shrimp are sometimes all you can see peeping out of its burrow.
These eyes have special light-sensitive cells that act as quarter-wave plates, allowing the animal to process polarized light. Manmade quarter-wave plates perform this function in CD and DVD players and in circular polarizing filters for cameras. The natural mechanism in the mantis shrimp is 'beautifully simple', comprising cell membranes rolled into tubes, and completely outperforms synthetic designs.
These eyes have special light-sensitive cells that act as quarter-wave plates, allowing the animal to process polarized light. Manmade quarter-wave plates perform this function in CD and DVD players and in circular polarizing filters for cameras. The natural mechanism in the mantis shrimp is 'beautifully simple', comprising cell membranes rolled into tubes, and completely outperforms synthetic designs.
25 October 2009
Tackling trash on Semakau's northern shore
Bright and early this Sunday morning, a small team headed out to Pulau Semakau to do something about the trash there.
There's a huge pile of wood and other large debris on the remote northern end of Pulau Semakau. This coming Friday, the Navy is doing an amphibious haul out.
There's a huge pile of wood and other large debris on the remote northern end of Pulau Semakau. This coming Friday, the Navy is doing an amphibious haul out.
Reclamation at Jurong Island near natural sites, continues until Feb 10
Works that began in Aug 09 continues to Feb 2010.
The reclamation area is very close to what seems to be two natural submerged reef: Terumbu Pidara and Terumbu Chawan, as well as a natural island called Pulau Buaya. Google Earth view.
The reclamation area is very close to what seems to be two natural submerged reef: Terumbu Pidara and Terumbu Chawan, as well as a natural island called Pulau Buaya. Google Earth view.
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