Share your hopes for our reefs and shores by leaving a comment on this post.
Every voice counts!
You CAN make a difference!
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Celebration Guestbook: Speak for the Reefs!
International Year of the Reefs 2008
2008 is the International Year of the Reef (IYOR), celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and threats to their sustainability, and to motivate people to take action to protect them.
IYOR was first declared 10 years ago in 1997 and a decade later, IYOR is back! This time, Singapore will be celebrating along with 50 countries around the world to celebrate our reefs! In fact, all the reef-loving groups in Singapore have come together to dedicate 12 months of round the year events to celebrate the amazing coral reefs we have in Singapore! All are welcome to participate in these events and to submit to the IYOR Singapore executive committee any related projects that they would like to add on the IYOR calendar of events! More details can be found in the Events section.
Background information
The first IYOR campaign in 1997 was initiated in response to the increasing threats and loss of coral reefs and associated ecosystems, like mangroves and sea grasses. IYOR 97 was a global effort to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, and support conservation, research and management efforts.
IYOR 97 proved to be very successful, with over 225 organizations in 50 countries and territories participating, over 700 articles in papers and magazines generated, hundreds of scientific surveys undertaken, and catalyzed conservation and policy initiatives, as well as numerous local and global organizations dedicated to coral reef conservation.
Recognizing that ten years after IYOR 97 there continues to be an urgent need to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, and to further conserve and manage valuable coral reef and associated ecosystems, the International Coral Reef Initiative designated 2008 as the International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2008).
In the year 2008, IYOR aims to:
Read more!
Events to celebrate IYOR all year round!
Lots of events are planned throughout 2008. From family walks on our shores and reefs, to exhibitions and talks. There's also lots of opportunities to make a difference for our reefs!
Here are some of the events you can expect in 2008!
For exact dates and other details, please view the listing on the left sidebar of this blog.
ALL YEAR ROUND!
Chek Jawa Intertidal Walks with the volunteers of Ubin NParks A guided walk for the entire family to explore this now famous shore and the new boardwalk. There are reefs at Chek Jawa too, but these are too delicate to bring large groups of people to. Nevertheless, there is plenty to see on the vast seagrass meadows and other amazing shore ecosystems. Sea stars as big as your face, giant sea anemones, crabs and more! More about Chek Jawa and the Ubin NParks volunteers.
Chek Jawa Boardwalk Tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs Our shores are fascinating even when the tides are not super low! Volunteer guides introduce the coastal forest, mangroves as well as other intertidal habitats on this walk designed especially for families. Chek Jawa has reefs too! But these are rather delicate so we don't conduct walks on them. More on the Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs blog
Pulau Hantu dives with the Hantu Bloggers A unique and educational dive experience in our very own reefs. Discover what is truly, uniquely Singapore! Your support helps the Hantu Blog monitor and document Hantu's fascinating living reefs on a regular basis. More on the Hantu Blog.
Kusu Island Reefwalks with the Blue Water Volunteers Our wild and wonderful coral reefs are just too exciting to be enjoyed by divers only! Non-swimmers are most welcome, as we only visit the reefs during low tide, so you only expect to get wet around your ankles at most. Trained and enthusiastic volunteer guides will introduce you to the marine life found on Kusu Island and share reef stories. More on the Blue Water Volunteers website
Pulau Semakau intertidal walks with the volunteers of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research A half-day guided walk that introduces you to the operations of the landfill and the pristine intertidal area of Pulau Semakau. Explore the rich seagrass meadows and coral reefs without having to dive! More on the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research website.Sentosa intertidal walks with the Naked Hermit Crabs Explore this natural shore with reefs, seagrasses, natural cliffs and coastal forest. Sentosa is often thought to be an artificial 'Disneyland'. Few realise that there are still some natural treasures on this island. Come see them for yourself before they are lost to further development. Volunteer guides conduct this walk designed especially for families. More on the Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs blog
TeamSeagrass monitoring of our seagrass meadows at Chek Jawa, Sentosa, Pulau Semakau and more! Ordinary people CAN make a difference! This team of volunteers from all walks of life regularly monitor our seagrasses. The data gathered will help us better understand and manage our seagrass meadows. More details on the teamseagrass blog.
Sports Fishing at Semakau with the Sport Fishing Association of Singapore. From January to September 2008, SFAS Semakau sport fishing trip will be an on going fishing league, based on a point system, there will be total of nine trips to compete for the League Champion and a final shoot out in October 2008. Those who do not wish to take part in the league can also come for the trips during this time. The SFAS practice catch and release and among the rules are that anglers must demonstrate proper conduct and practice good fishing ethics and etiquette, and anglers are to use artificial lures or flies for sport fishing and not to use any organic baits (dead or alive) in all fishing activities. More details on the Sport Fishing Association of Singapore website.
SPECIAL IYOR EVENTS IN 2008
JANUARY
17 Jan: Talk about our living shores to 450 people at the National University of Singapore. By Ria Tan as part of the Department of Geography's 'Biophysical Environment of Singapore' course.
22 and 25 Jan: Young Writers Blogging about our Reefs! The homeschoolers learn about blogging and our reefs! The young ones go for a seashore walk and later are introduced to blogging by NIE Green Club and the Naked Hermit Crabs, while Joseph Lai introduces them to the shores. The young bloggers will then post about their reef experiences throughout the year! More about the homeschoolers on the Flying Fish Friends blog.
10 Jan (Thu): "SharkWater: Protect them, not eat them" This Charity Premiere by the Singapore Environment Council features biologist and investigative reporter, Rob Stewart who follows the trail of the multi-billion dollar shark fin trade and sets off a chain of events that has to be seen to be believed. Proceeds from this premiere support Singapore Environment Council and OceanNEnvironment’s SAY NO TO SHARK FINS campaign in Singapore. More details.
FEBRUARY
15 Feb: Talk on Pulau Hantu About 50 students were treated to Debby Ng's stories about Pulau Hantu's underwater beauty and the threats it faces, while Toh Chay Hoon also shared about all our other wildlife beneath the sky - from spiders and lizards to slugs and bugs! More about the talk.
22 Feb: Talk about our wild shores about 40 people at NIE attended a talk by Ria Tan. More about the talk.
MARCH
18 Mar: Talk about our shores 80 students at Woodlands Ring Primary School attended a talk by Ron Yeo about our shores. More about the talk.
31 Mar: Talk about our shores students at North Vista Secondary School attended a talk by Ron Yeo about our shores. More about the talk.
31 Mar - 1 Apr: Code Blue features our reefs at NUS, raising awareness and inspiring action. More about the event.
APRIL
3 Apr: Reef talk for NUS 60 students attended a talk about our shores by Ria Tan. More about the talk.
18-20 Apr: Asian Dive Expo (ADEX) features International Year of the Reef in their eco-village. More about the event.
MAY
1 May: Dugong Ambassadors at Chek Jawa the homeschool kids will paint a mural, conduct public outreach and beach clean up to celebrate International Year of the Reef. More about the event.
SEPTEMBER
Clean up our shores! International Coastal Cleanup Singapore will be conducted in September to clean up our mangroves, beaches and reefs. Come join us to not only help clean up our shores and reefs, but also learn more about them. What are the threats they face? And what can we do to help. More on the News from the International Coastal Cleanup Blog
Read more!
Reef Talks: invite these speakers
These speakers are ready to to give talks! Learn more about our shores and reefs, and how you can make a difference for them. If you have a group of at least 50 people, do contact us at iyor08singapore@gmail.com to discuss arrangements.
List of talks and speakers
The Fascination of the Wet and Wild
by Dr Chua Ee Kiam
Walk on the wild side: Marine conservation in Singapore
by Jeffrey Low
Southern Haunt
by Debby Ng
Sustainable Seafood for Singapore: How can seafood be not enough?
by Tan Hang Chong
Our Splendid Shores: and How You Can Help to Preserve Them
by Ron Yeo
Secret Shores of Singapore
by Ria Tan
SPEAKERS
The Fascination of the Wet and Wild
by Dr Chua Ee Kiam
Duration of talk: 1 hour
Target audience: anyone
Talk content: Dr Chua has always been concerned about the constant degradation and devastation of the rainforests and coral reefs in the region. He shares his vision of a better tomorrow by highlighting the beauty of the natural heritage with his photography and writing.
About the speaker: Winner of 2 Book Awards - National Book Development Council Award,1994 and “Honorable Mention” (Independent Publisher’s Book Award, New York, 2005, Dr Chua has written five nature books: Nature in Singapore – Ours To Protect; Pulau Ubin – Ours To Treasure; Chek Jawa – Discovering Singapore’s Biodiversity; Borneo’s Tropical Eden – Sabah and Singapore’s Splendour – Life on the Edge. Proceeds from the sales of his books have been donated for nature–related activities. He has contributed articles to NatureWatch and takes an active role in promoting his love for nature with his lectures to schools and to the public. He was also the main photographer for the book on Dentistry, "Dentistry - 1915 to 1996". Dr Chua is a Senior Consultant with the National Dental Centre and Clinical Associate Professor with NUH.
Walk on the wild side: Marine conservation in Singapore
by Jeffrey Low
Duration of talk: 1 hour
Target audience: anyone
Talk content: Singapore is well known as a "Garden City", and many people do not know the natural wonders that exist just off shore. As much of the country has been reclaimed, many of the marine environments have been impacted. However, marine life still has a tenuous hold in many of the islands off the coast of mainland Singapore.
A small, but growing, number of conservationists have endeavoured over the past 20 years to promote the conservation of our least known natural heritage. The speaker will give a brief insight into the history of the marine conservation movement in Singapore, focusing mainly on the southern islands and coral reefs. Individual efforts and group activities will also be discussed to highlight the actions Singaporeans can take to help conserve the wonderful underwater world.
About the speaker: Jeffrey graduated from NUS in with a Bachelors of Science degree in 1988, and obtaining his Masters degree in 1999. He has worked on many coral reef and marine-related projects as a Research Assistant with NUS, first at the Reef Ecology Laboratory and then at the Tropical Marine Science Institute. He joined NParks in 2003 as a Senior Biodiversity Officer, overseeing development and marine conservation issues in the southern islands of Singapore.
An experienced scuba diver with over 2000 dives, he has dived not only in many parts of Asia, but also on many of the reefs in Singapore. He is an active guide and trainer with the Blue Water Volunteers, a local marine conservation NGO, in their Reef Walk, Reef Friends and Reef Xplore! programmes.
He has also co-authored a Singapore Science Centre guidebook Common Marine Fishes of Singapore, was a research writer for the ASEANAREAN Expedition series The Marine Parks of Thailand (1997), as well as the for the Marine Parks of Indonesia (1999), in which he was also the principal underwater photographer.
Southern Haunt
by Debby Ng
Duration of talk: 1 hour
Target audience: Secondary 1 and above
Talk content: Pulau Hantu is one of Singapore's most renowned Southern Islands. Despite its prominence, it is constantly left to cope with a relentlessly changing coastline and marine environment. For a long time, the threats to Pulau Hantu have avoided the scrutiny of the public and the brilliance of its marine habitat gone unheralded. Debby Ng will bring clarity to the usually murky waters of Pulau Hantu with her underwater photos and videos.
About the speaker: Debby Ng is a full-time environmental journalist. She began her work in film and moved on to television, but eventually realised that she gained the most satisfaction from communicating her concerns on the environment through her photography and writing. Her work has been published in several regional and international magazines, including the award-winning Lebanese magazine, Environment & Development. She has also worked with numerous Asian and international non-government organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). In 2005 she assisted the Indonesian government in their assessment of fisheries, a project funded by The World Conservation Union (IUCN), the only conservation organisation with official observer status at the United Nations. Debby Ng is founder of the Hantu Blog, an education and awareness project powered entirely by volunteers and utilising free electronic media. She is also a volunteer dive guide and a freelance nature guide with Creative Kids.
This talk was given to 50 students at Marris Stella High School and at the Biodiversity Talk Series by the Conservation Division, NParks.
Sustainable Seafood for Singapore
How can seafood be not enough?
by Tan Hang Chong
Duration of talk: 30-45 mins (adjustable to your audience and time slot)
Target audience: anyone
Talk content: The world's fisheries and marine ecosystems are threatened by habitat destruction, pollution, warming waters, invasive species and industrial-scale overfishing. These growing threats can put the precious food resources we get from the sea in grave danger. But whether you're holding a restaurant menu or wheeling your shopping cart through the supermarket, some of the simplest solutions to keeping our oceans healthy are at your fingertips. Find out how your personal choices *can* make a real and positive difference to our blue planet.
About the speaker: Tan Hang Chong has been a volunteer with various environmental and nature organisations in Singapore for the last 15 years. A desire to learn more about sustainable seafood and its local implications has provided him with the impetus share his findings through this talk. He also volunteers as a nature guide at Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve and Central Nature Reserve and with the Blue Water Volunteers.
Our Splendid Shores
And How You Can Help to Preserve Them
by Ron Yeo
Duration of talk: 45min - 1 hour (adjustable to your audience and time slot)
Target audience: Youths, but can be adjusted for all ages
Talk content: From cute starfishes, colourful sea slugs, and beautiful corals to spiky sea urchins, ugly stonefishes, and venomous sea snakes, the audience will be treated to a photographic introduction to the various marine life that can be found on Singapore shores. The speaker will also elaborate on how everyone can play a part in marine conservation. Subject to availability, two other nature volunteers will also be invited as part of the talk to share their experiences.
About the speaker: Ron is an active nature volunteer with the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR), Naked Hermit Crabs, Wildfilms, TeamSeagrass and Pulau Ubin. He also runs the tiDE CHAsER blog and contributes to the Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs blog. His photos have been published in several RMBR publications, including Private Lives: An Exposé of Singapore's Shores.
This talk was given to 80 school children at Woodlands Ring Primary School and North Vista Secondary School.
Secret Shores of Singapore
by Ria Tan of wildsingapore
Duration of talk: 30 mins - 1 hour (adjustable to your audience and time slot)
Target audience: anyone
Talk content: 300-600 recent photos and stories of adventures and discoveries on our living shores. From Changi to Tuas, Sentosa to the Sisters Islands and beyond. Nemos, sea snakes, living corals and more. Ria will also share about some of the threats to our shores, and the many ways ordinary people CAN make a difference about our little-known shores. For a sample of the photos in the talk, see the wildsingapore flickr site
About the speaker: Ria is not a scientist and is just an ordinary person who has been photographing the shores for the last 7 years. She is also co-author of the Chek Jawa Guidebook and Southern Shores guidesheet. She also volunteers as a guide with Chek Jawa, Pulau Semakau as well as wildfilms, the Naked Hermit Crabs and TeamSeagrass. She contributes to several blogs including wildfilms, wildsingapore news, wildsingapore happenings and this blog.
This talk was conducted for 450 people at NUS and 40 people at the NIE Green Club and 60 people at NUS and about 40 people at the Biodiversity Talk Series by the Conservation Division, NParks. and 40 people at MUIS
Read more!
Reef Briefs (May 08)
Here's a quick summary of some recent international articles on reef and marine issues.
Dr J.E.N. Veron, leading coral specialist, highlights the plight of the Great Barrier Reef. He says "here I am today, utterly convinced that the Great Barrier Reef will not be there for our children's children to enjoy. Unless we dramatically and immediately change our priorities, and the way we live".
Indeed a study finds growing ocean acidity may erode coastal ecosystems due to rising carbon dioxide emissions. At one spot in northern California, waters acidic enough to corrode seashells now rake the shore, researchers point out.
While a wave of predatory starfish decimate Palawan’s reefs. One possible reason, "most of the predators that provide a natural control mechanism for the starfish are long gone". These include Napoleon Wrasse (Mameng), Harlequin Shrimp, Giant Triton (Budyong) and larger types of pufferfish.
Cyclone Nagis in Maymar highlights the importance of our coastal habitats. The ASEAN chief and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says Myanmar cyclone damage worsened by loss of mangroves and IUCN urged Myanmar to restore mangroves, reefs and other natural barriers to protect against natural disasters. While WWF says environmental protection vital to reducing natural disaster impact.
There's some good news in global marine biodiversity: WWF reports record birthrate of leatherback turtles in Costa Rica, while a study reports population increase in the North Pacific humpback whales,
On the other hand, reports suggest that the majority of oceanic shark species face extinction as a result of over-fishing. A report suggests weddings boost shark's fin consumption in Singapore, while there are reports of health hazards of eating shark's fins due to high mercury levels.
While a blue whale nursery threatened by fish farms.
You CAN make a difference
In Singapore, join upcoming activities and efforts for our reefs and shores.
Visit Cyrene Reef, a special reef in the middle of our port. Join the blogging contest to get a seat on upcoming working trips to Cyrene.
In Malaysia, to celebrate International Year of the Reef, a group of volunteers is surveying the reefs on several islands in Malaysia under the Sustainable Island Programme.
Read more!
7 Jun (Sat): Reefwalk at Kusu Island -- registration now open
Our wild and wonderful coral reefs are just too exciting to be enjoyed by divers only! Non-swimmers are most welcome, as we only visit the reefs during low tide, so you only expect to get wet around your ankles at most.
Registration now open!
Trained and enthusiastic volunteer guides will introduce you to the marine life found on Kusu Island and share reef stories.
Suitable for children.
Pre-registration is required.
Time: 6a-10am
Venue: Marina South Pier
Cost: $15/person
Website: http://www.bluewatervolunteers.org
Contact: reefwalk@bluewatervolunteers.org
Read more!
Upcoming Chek Jawa specials this week
This week, get a glimpse of work done for Chek Jawa, before deferment, and just last year! Want to see Chek Jawa for yourself now? Join the free guided walk on the Chek Jawa Boardwalk by the Naked Hermit Crabs this coming weekend!
19 May and 26 May: Screening of "Remember Chek Jawa"
“Remember Chek Jawa” is an independent documentary by Eric Lim. It chronicles the efforts of individuals who volunteered to help out with Joseph Lai’s biodiversity survey of Chek Jawa, one of several efforts that would provide feedback to government.
Many efforts and factors eventually contributed to the deferment of reclamation at Chek Jawa. Eric Lim was particularly inspired by one element that he witnessed - the efforts of the ordinary, urban Singaporean’s efforts to help out a tiring, muddy and incomprehensible biodiversity survey, at a time when all hope had been lost.
The video shoot was sporadic and conducted between July 2001 - 2004. Post-production was an ongoing process from 2001-07 whenever my schedule allowed. It was finally completed in March 2007. The film was first unveiled at Wildlife Asia on 13 Mar 2007.
More about the film on the Remember Chek Jawa website.
Time: 9.30-10.30pm
Venue: Sinema Old School, 11B Mount Sophia, #B1-1.
Cost: $5/$4 student concession
Contact: 6336 9707 or oldschool@sinema.sg
24 May (Sat): A talk on "Life and death at Chek Jawa"
Mr. Loh Kok Sheng will talk about "Life and death at Chek Jawa: a UROPs research experience in Life Sciences"
Mr. Loh graduated from Serangoon Junior College and joined NUS in 2005, majoring in life Sciences with specialization in Biology. In July 2007, he received the MOE Teaching Award. Mr. Loh has great interests in ecological work and did an UROPS project under the supervision of N. Sivasothi, Peter Todd and Dan Rittschof. His project aimed to study the mass mortality and recruitment of macrofauna at Chek Jawa in Pulau Ubin. Since the project has application value in understanding and conserving the Singapore macrofauna at Chek Jawa, Mr. Loh’s achievement has been featured in Embracing passion, NUS Advertorial and The Straits Time (March 25 2008). In this talk, Mr. Loh will share with the audience his experience in project work (UROPS) in Life Sciences and highlight those qualities that he has developed through this project as a junior scientist.
More about the project and talk on the Chek Jawa Mortality and Recruitment Project blog
Time: 2-3.30pm
Venue: LT27, Department of Biological Sciences, the University of Singapore
25 May (Sun): Free Chek Jawa Boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs
The Naked Hermit Crabs introduce you to Chek Jawa without getting your feet wet. Enjoy the great view and find out more about rare coastal plants, cute fiddler crabs, aggressive mudskippers, sturdy mangrove trees, interesting bugs and more!
The free walk will be held every the last Sunday of the month. You don’t even have to sign up. On each public walk day, a few of the volunteer guides will be stationed at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk in front of House No. 1 at Chek Jawa. The Crabs will trial this format for 4 months and then review it after that.
Group size? Come in small friends and family groups of around 6 people or fewer. We expect to have a few guides volunteering each time, but cannot guarantee that we will have a lot of guides. Please …. don’t organize a huge company group and show up at our free walk-in tours. We will be overwhelmed and you will go away very disappointed.
Time: 3 pm meet at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk
Duration: Two hours
Cost: no charge for now, but donations accepted.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com
Read more!
Star Tracker! A new sea star programme
In a galaxy nearby, stars are being observed!
A team of volunteers have started an important project to learn more about our Knobbly sea stars.
The recent launch of the study at Cyrene Reef identified 62 unique individuals!
Cuddly and lovable, individual sea stars can be told apart! Some have already been given names such as "White Chip".
These beautiful stars are unfortunately listed among the threatened animals of Singapore, primarily due to habitat loss. Thus learning more about them will help us understand how to protect them.
Read more about the programme on the nature scouter blog and star tracker blog with details of what is a Knobbly sea star and why we should track them, what to do when you see a Knobbly sea star and sightings on Cyrene on 9 May and 10 May!
Read more!
“Let’s go to Cyrene Reef” blogging contest
Want to go to Cyrene Reef? Now is your chance!
In conjunction with the "I want to go Cyrene Reef" Facebook Group, the Naked Hermit Crabs will be organizing several working trips to Cyrene Reef in the coming months and 2 lucky persons will get a chance to join these trips.
More details on the leafmonkey blog.
Read more!
Chek Jawa May Day outreach touches hearts
"To many of us who spend more than 10 hours a day in the office, this May Day 2008 outreach event is an excellent opportunity for us to reach back out to nature, to contribute our little effort to make a difference and to reflect on what other things we can do to save the environment."
Joseph Lai has shared some of the heartfelt responses of those who participated in the May Day outreach at Chek Jawa.
"Our Precious Gem: I always thought that we have to travel very far to see 'live' underwater creatures in Tioman or somewhere in Malaysia or in other further shores. I remember when we paid our first visit to Chek Jewa few years back, we were so thrilled to see that we have these little beautiful creatures moving around in Singapore shore."
"As a parent, I could not wish for a better project for my child to undertake. He learns more about environment and social responsibility, science and art, community and humanity, from people who are passionate about them."
Read all the comments on the flying fish friends blog with links to more about the event.
Read more!
Big, Beautiful and Bizarre: low tide highlights
Here's some incredible encounters during the last week of low spring tides. Among them were stunning creatures Big, Beautiful and Bizarre!
The BIG
The most stupendous encounter so far must be this gianormous stingray seen on Changi! It was very much alive! It eventually slid off into the darkness with a flap of enormous fins and a flick of its tail.
Another unusually large marine creature was this a sea star encountered at Pulau Sekudu. It was bigger than a foot (literally)!
This is Luidia maculata, an eight-armed sea star that is not commonly encountered. Those seen previously were about palm size.
On Cyrene Reef, another intriguing large sea star was encountered.
Dubbed the "Blonde Knobbly", confirmation is still pending on whether it is something other than the commonly encountered Knobbly sea star.
Cyrene Reef is also one of the few intertidal areas where Cushion stars are commonly encountered. These are sea stars that resemble pillows.
The Beautiful
This gorgeous jewelled sea anemone was discovered on Cyrene Reef!
It is seldom seen and is possibly Alicia sp. What a lovely name for a lovely creature.
Meanwhile, equally beautiful discoveries on the East Coast were seen. Colourful sea fans were very much alive there!
These are branching colonial animals, which in turn harbour tiny snails, brittlestars, hermit crabs and other marine life! It's a colourful miniature forest.
And a cute never-seen-before sea anemone at Pulau Semakau. Identification is still pending. 
The Bizarre
Some TeamSeagrass volunteers finally managed a close up look at truly cryptic sea stars at Semakau. These stars are generally well hidden under stones and in crevices.
Another odd find was this strange sea cucumber on Cyrene Reef. Identification is pending consultation with the experts.
TeamSeagrassers encountered a monitor lizard having a soak among the corals in the reefs of Pulau Semakau!
Some less happy situations
Unfortunately, not all is always well with our shores.
Volunteers visited Pulau Sekudu to check on marine debris there and found several fish traps.
All kinds of fishes and crabs are trapped. Of these, only a few are considered marketable and most are thrown away half dead or dead. These issues are discussed on Slipping Through the Net. 
The animals were released and traps removed. Fish traps and abandoned driftnets were also seen at Cyrene Reef.
Meanwhile, there was a look at Sentosa's natural shores, right next to the ongoing reclamation for the Integrated Resort.
The 'Nemo' that is usually in this large anemone wasn't to be found.
There was also coral bleaching on Sentosa's reef.
Soon, massive reclamation working on the new Pasir Panjang Container Terminal will start, right next to Labrador Nature Reserve and opposite Sentosa's nature shores on Tanjung Rimau and near Cyrene Reef.
You CAN make a difference!
Volunteers are hard at work to learn more about our shores.
TeamSeagrass held a monitoring session at Pulau Semakau despite the rain.
While volunteers helped map Cyrene Reef and started a programme to monitor the many marvellous Knobbly sea stars there.
Working on this submerged reef requires punctuality with regard to the tides. Here's a hilarious look at what can happen if they miss the tides on the way home ...
The full sequence on LOLZCyrene.
Many shores were visited in the last six days of low tide. Here's the many blog posts of the trips by destination, from the wildsingapore google reader.
Read more!
Divers take action for coral reefs
Your actions count. Sign your commitment to coral conservation.
Pledge your support for coral reef conservation by signing Project AWARE’s International Year of the Reef Pledge
- Tell at least three people how reefs enrich our lives
- Participate in at least one coral conservation activity this year
- Be an AWARE Diver
- Reduce your carbon footprint
- Refuse to purchase coral products
PADI also announces the AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Course as PADI Specialty of the Year.
To support International Year of the Reef PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) have declared the 2008 Specialty of the Year as the AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialty.
Divers and snorkelers can learn about the vital role coral reefs play within our ecosystem. Be inspired, rescue the reefs and use your diver training to address important ecological concerns. Learn more about the course.
Read more!
Cyrene Star in the news!
The sea star discovered on Cyrene Reef is in the news today!
A new star for Singapore
Discovery of large five-rayed sea star adds to marine biodiversity here
David J.W. Lane , Robin Ngiam & Ivan Tan, Straits Times 3 May 08
SINGAPORE has a new star to call its own.
This large five-rayed sea star is not new to science, but it is a new and spectacular addition to Singapore's already substantial inventory of living stars.
Lacking a common name but known in the marine science world as Pentaceraster mammillatus, it is in the same family as the more familiar cushion star and the knobbly sea star, which are still quite common on Singapore's remaining reefs.
The 'mammillatus' part of the name refers to the rows of nipple-like protuberances that cover the surface of the animal and give it a studded or armoured appearance.
The sea star was first sighted early last month on a seagrass monitoring trip at Cyrene reef, run by volunteer group TeamSeagrass and staff from the National Biodiversity Reference Centre of the National Parks Board (NParks).
Fast forward to a week ago: Armed with a permit, an enthusiastic search party made up of staff and students from the National University of Singapore's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, NParks and others - including visiting regional echinoderm specialist David Lane - set out for a dawn low-tide walk on Cyrene reef.
A rare and exciting find
THE discovery of this attractive species, one of about a dozen of its kind in the Indo-Pacific, is in some respects a remarkable surprise, given its large size and the fact that sea stars and their relatives had been intensively surveyed and studied throughout the 1990s by a team of NUS and Belgian marine scientists.
Another surprise is that this star was previously known to exist only in the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, so its presence in Singapore waters represents a considerable range increase.
Full article on the wildsingapore news blog
Learn more about Cyrene Reef!
Learn more about Singapore's sea stars
Read more!
Reefs at our schools!
The IYOR roving exhibition is roving!
Here's where they'll be at:
21 Apr-24 May: at CHIJ St Joseph Convent
23 Apr-9 May: at Keming Primary School
5 June: at Dairy at Farm Adventure Centre
More about the roving reef exhibition.
If you'd like to feature the IYOR roving exhibition at your school, community or event, do drop us an email at iyor08singapore@gmail.com
Read more!