The walk with OtterWatch really taught us a great deal about how we should co-exist with nature, particularly the smooth-coated otters found here in Singapore. The otters are highly social mammals that are spotted in the mangroves, mudflats and coastal areas, where they forage for clams, fish and other small animals.
What to do when you encounter otters? 1) DO NOT touch, chase or corner them. Observe them from a distance of at least 10 metres away. 2) DO NOT talk loudly or use flash photography. 3) DO NOT feed the otters. 4) DO NOT litter or leave sharp objects in the water. DO NOT block the exit ways of otter homes. 5) DO keep your dog on a tight leash. Your dog might chase them or frighten them.
OtterWatch also taught us how we could help the otters by diverting traffic if we see otters attempting to cross a human sidewalk. Most incidents of humans clashing with otters are always caused by accidents.
NParks has also identified some ways private property owners can keep otters out of their homes:
Diagram courtesy of NParks
The next time we see an otter, before blaming them for their tyranny, we should start establishing boundaries with each other to avoid confrontations with them.
The Kranji Mudflats is a place that was only accessible via permission from the police coast guard for research purposes. For the purpose of this trip, booties are highly recommended.
Lester from the Nature Society guided us along for the trip. The gate to the mudflats stood in front of an abandoned warehouse that was infested with mosquitoes. The mudflats are littered with marine debris, and we had to watch our step. Unfortunately, I lost all the photos for this trip, but you can view some of them from the other posts!
Picture courtsy of NParks
We learned that the Nature Society did research and data collection on invertebrates such as Horseshoe Crabs as not many others were willing to do so.
Of course, the highlight of the trip was Horseshoe Crabs! But we did see many other species of invertebrates, ranging from crabs, snails, flatworms, and more. We also learned that despite its’ namesake, the Horseshoe Crab is not even an actual crab and is more closely related to arachnids.
Horseshoe Crabs are farmed for their eggs as a delicacy in Thailand. Their blood is also used to determine the efficacy of vaccines in the past. When people were dying of injection fevers, in the 20th century, scientists had no idea what was causing all these deaths. Until the discovery of endotoxins. It so happens that the Horseshoe Crab’s blue blood can detect traces of these endotoxins, thus making vaccines safer to use.
Lester told us that over time, the number of Horseshoe Crabs has declined. It is thus important to study the Kranji Mudflats and their residents, to understand what is going on with our ecosystem.
We gathered early in the morning at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park to experience bird-watching. Personally I have never been bird-watching and it was truly an eye-opening experience going for this trip. We were first greeted by the sight of roosters. Great call to the morning! Did you know? There are roosters and there is another bird similar to the rooster, called the jungle red fowl. You can tell the difference from the colour of their legs.
At Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park, there are many different types of birds that live there. We saw birds such as the King Fisher, the purple and grey herons, as well as the sun bird. We saw birds such as parakeets but these birds are non-native, they could have been pets and were irresponsibly released. Too many birds that do not really belong in the habitat will cause some disruption so it is important to remind family and friends to consider carefully before purchasing pets.
I realised that bird watching is a lot about being observant. Through this trip, under the patient guidance of the guides, I got to hear the sounds made by the birds. It is not very loud but if you listen carefully enough, you will hear it. We also needed to keep a lookout because with many animals, they won’t just stay there for you right? So we need to pay close attention. Some useful tools to have will be a pair of binoculars and a camera.
I also got to witness the interactions between the birds. Nature is all about seeing the interactions between animals and the environment and enjoying it requires us to be patient and observant. As this is my third and last trip for this challenge, I think the trip really made me realised what it means to take time and see what is around us in nature. With that, thank you to everyone who made this trip memorable. Thanks for reading!
For my act for nature (AFN), I decided to bring my mother and my sister to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve to hopefully impart some of the knowledge i had acquired during my 3 field trips. We saw a large variety of animals and plants, even those that i did not see on previous walks. I shared the photos and videos of my 3 previous trips, and explained to them about the things that i learnt.
shiny jumping spider on a railingbutterfly with orange and black spots that look like eyes! possibly used to scare away predators?insect that looks like a grasshopper but i’m not sure (near the golf course at CCNR)stingray? in the macritchie reservoir. spotted by my mothercute baby spiders under a railing :))chicken crossing the roadmy sister found what looks like a wasp wrestling with a red dragonfly. the dragonfly escaped on its own eventually :))long tailed macaque, photo from shutterstock (a monkey tried to grab my mothers bag on the treetop walk so we had to leave before i could take photos)
After our trip, I felt that my mother and sister had grown to appreciate the greenery and animals around us better. They were both pointing out the colourful fungi growing on the fallen trees throughout the reserve, and being more observant of their surroundings. My sister was also eager to try and identify the species of insects and animals that we saw near our home.
wasp mothfan horned beetle stink bug that i found at home! preserved it in hand sanitizer (it was dead already)rare sighting of a toucan so close!green chafer beetle (came into my house to sleep)
Our guides led us to a walkway not far from the entrance, where they showed us a cockroach egg sac on a leaf. I had assumed that most of the wildlife would be found deeper inside the nature reserve, so I was a little surprised. We were also informed that though cockroaches were pests to humans, they are important to the rainforest ecosystem, where they are much cleaner than their urban dwelling counterparts. 🙂
photo taken by james, one of our guides
We also learnt that insects’ colours could come from either pigments or nanostructures which reflect light in certain wavelengths into our eyes.
photo taken by james (thank you!)
We also managed to see a treehugger dragonfly, which unlike many other dragonfly species often perches vertically on trees, hence giving the impression that they are “hugging” a tree.
We also managed to see a large termite mound which I didn’t manage to get pictures of. Termites are also seen as pests to many of us, but they are also important because of their detritivorous nature. This means that they feed on dead organic matter and help to return nutrients back to the soil by aiding in decomposition.
As the trip was ending, one of our guides spotted an assassin bug on a leaf as we were approaching the shelter. He also shared that the bugs “wear” their preys’ carcasses on their backs after feeding on them. This helps act as camouflage for their predators and also helps to blend in with their prey by disguising their smell.
This trip was a few weeks after the bioluminescent algae at Changi Beach made headlines in Singapore. Hence, this made me very excited to learn more about Singapore’s coastal biodiversity.
Here are a few animals the guides showed and explained to us:
-sand dollars can be found buried under a thin layer of sand. The living sand dollars have a coating of cilli along their circumference, whereas the dead ones do not. The guides also shared a few stories about seeing children collecting wildlife during family outings and explained to us how that might kill the animals and damage the ecosystem.
a sand dollar!
-the small balls of sand we see on the beach during low tide are caused by sand bubbler crabs. They feed by filtering detritus and plankton through their mouthparts.
-soft shell crabs are (flower?) crabs that are harvested before their exoskeletons harden after the moulting
-we also learnt how to differentiate between the female and male crabs. Female crabs have a larger and rounder abdominal flap to accommodate their eggs during breeding. Male crabs, on the other hand, have a more triangular shaped flap.
(image from researchgate.net)
Barnacles that are alive have a “door” covering the opening on its surface, which opens during high tide for feeding and closes during low tide to prevent drying out. I was surprised to learn that barnacles are animals, I had always assumed the opposite due to their stationary nature.
-moon headed sidegill slug: we were told that this was a rare sight, so i felt very lucky! Our guides sent us a video of the underside of the slug to show the flapping motion that the slug uses to move, which is different from the crawling motion that other sea slugs use.
When we arrived, we were told that the otters had just passed by and we were a little too late to see them at the meeting area. Unfazed, we still made the long walk all the way to the opposite side of the Kallang river to catch a sight of the otters. When we arrived, we saw a large family of otters feeding on the fish in a pond. I was surprised to see such a large group as I usually see only one or two otters swimming together at once.
The otters then moved to another water body in search of food. Baby otters are vulnerable without their parents, which was showed by the timidness of the otter pup that got left behind. I was relieved when its mother came running back to shepard it back to the main group. Mother otters are also very protective of their young, similar to other animals. Hence, we were advised to stay about 3-5 metres away from the animals in order not to provoke them.
baby got left behind 😦otter mama to the rescue :))
Recently, there has been public outcry about the “out of control” otter population. However, I believe that we should show understanding to animals that have had their habitats breached by human populations. We should take measures to preserve the wildlife we have instead of resorting to fast and loose methods such as culling of wildlife. I hope that in the future we will continue to maintain the rich biodiversity in Singapore!
Inspired by the Chestnut Nature Park walk and Friends of Chestnut Park, I decided to appreciate the nature parks around my neighbourhood rather than the more “famous” wildlife spots. I brought my family out as a day of bonding and also to show off all the ecological knowledge that I have picked up and hopefully also to increase their love for nature.
Arriving at the park
We saw various species of birds and it was quite fun for me to identify the different species. It was really nice for me to see my mom sharing my excitement at new bird sightings, even if she doesn’t know what kind of bird it is.
Yellow vented bulbulWhite breasted WaterhenBrown-throated SunbirdFemale Common IoraMale Common IoraBlack-naped oriole
A huge blur flew overhead and landed on a nearby tree and we were thrilled to realise it was a heron.
Selfie with the heron
I started telling my mom more about the history of Bishan AMK park, namely how it was transformed from a concrete canal to a natural waterbody with plants We were standing on the bridge overlooking the natural canal when we spotted a waterhen having a bath in the middle of the flowing waters.
The scenery is gorgeous
We also saw a flock of Red Junglefowl, though these seem to have interbred with domestic chickens as they do not have the green legs that is unique of the wild ones.
There were also a pair of Malaysian Pied fantails that were hopping around on the branches. We were especially amazed when they spread out their tail feathers. Fantail is an apt name indeed.
A curious squirrel also came over to get its picture taken.
We then headed to the Butterfly Habitat to look at all the plants they had there. Ironically we saw more damselflies at first than butterflies.
A pair of Blue-tailed damselflies and a Plain tiger butterflyOrange LeafhopperWhite Moth Plant hopper
While we were admiring the insects, we were interrupted a clucking from above us. We looked up and were surprised to see a mother hen and her chick in the tree above us.
The coolest sight of the day was probably a pair of Plain Tiger Butterflies resting on a dead leafless tree. It felt like a very poetic sight.
All in all, it was a really enjoyable trip! I really treasure the opportunity to share my love for nature with my loved ones and sort of showcase and get them to realise the beauty of the natural world around us. I’m also thankful for the bonding experience with my family and the increased familiarity I have developed with the wonders of Bishan AMK Park. I am definitely going to bring my friends and family out on more nature walks in the future.
Before the walk, our guide Wei Jian told us about Friends of Chestnut Park which was actually started to introduce residents to the nature park that was right at their back door. I thought it was really cool especially how he described it as a programme “for residents, by residents” and how it helps build community spirit along with educate people on nature spaces. I think it would be really cool if other nature parks had something like that because what better way is there to get people to appreciate the biodiversity around their neighbourhood.
We set off down the small Northern loop trail. There was an adjustable sign on the trail to indicate muddiness which Wei Jian said was for mountain bikers so that they will be more careful. It’s nice that parkgoers share information with each other like that, which kinda reminds me of ants.
Off we go!!
I was really lucky cause Wei Jian and the other BFFers in my group were really good at spotting creatures! I honestly wouldn’t have seen half as much if I had went alone. (Got to start training my spotting skills)
Little plantain squirrel having a snack, spotted by Collin
We also saw a red junglefowl and a clouded monitor lizard a few meters away from it.
No pictures of the fowl, it ran away soon after we saw it…. maybe it noticed the monitor? or heard about Singapore’s fresh chicken shortage 👀
Wei Jian asked us what kind of monitor it, how many types of monitor lizard there were in Singapore and how to distinguish between them? I was able to identify it as a clouded monitor but I had thought there were only 2 species of monitor lizards (There are 3!!!) The Malayan water monitor, the Clouded monitor lizard and the very rare Dumeril’s monitor.
We also saw a really huge tree and was asked to guess its age. (hehe I guessed 300 and was wayy off) This guy is apparently around 80-100 years old and is HUGE!!! (I swear a picture can’t capture its scale) And as a keystone species, provides an important home and source of food for many living things.
You’d need really long arms to hug This tree
We also passed a figging tree that had many birds feasting amongst its branches. There were several Asian Glossy Starlings, a Pink Necked Green Pigeon and various other birds. It was quite hard to spot them cause they were quite high up and flitting between the branches.
We also came across some Albizia trees that make me think about my previous trip where Uncle Tony shared about thee same type of trees and the Dover forest situation. Wei Jian also briefly mentioned it during his introduction.
We also saw many different invertebrates along the walk
Unknown insect on a furry Clidemia leafCommon ParasolTrapdoor spider?SnailSome kind of funky spiderMillipedeHole in trunk made by Carpenter Bee but the bee is not homeCricketGiant forest ant
We also went down the extra side path where we encountered a Colugo on one of trees. The little guy was actually really low (I swear if we stretched we could probably touch it) Lucky for us! We were able to get pretty good pictures. Wei Jian said that it could be sleeping as Colugos do not have eyelids, hence sleep with their eyes open like fish! After taking pictures for quite a while, the Colugo stirred and started to move up the tree. Maybe it was always awake and got bored of the stardom or maybe we accidentally woke it up. Either way, we decided to head off and let it do its thing in peace.
We saw another figging tree and this one had a troop of long tailed macaques enjoying the spoils. Another sharp-eyed member also noticed a drongo (without its rackets) hanging out near the monkey troop. Our guide explained how the drongo was actually being really smart and taking advantage of the insects that get spoked by the rustling caused by the macaque troop’s movements. Good meal for both parties!
More monitor lizards.
monitor sunbathingmonitor on the move
There were also very interesting plants like Leea Rubra and Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum) and even bamboo.
Singapore Rhododendron with a visiting stingless beeMaking ketupat out of the leaves
We also went to check out one of the planting sites where saplings are being planted. Apparently the plastic collars around the tree is mainly to protect the saplings from having deer rub their antlers against their still-developing trunk and damaging it. Who knew?
It’s pretty nice to see people helping the forest to grow back
This was a great trip and felt like a perfect way to end off my BFF experience this year. I learnt so much about all the various creatures we encountered. Much thanks to our helpful and knowledgable guide Wei Jian and the other friendly BFF participants. I’ll definitely come back here again to attempt the rest of the trail.
For the acts of nature section, I invited my friend to take a walk in Labrador Nature Reserve since he had not been there before. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture together of us in the park.
We started walking along the Berlayer creek boardwalk which is just next to Labrador MRT station. Immediately, we could hear the sounds of the crickets and birds chirping.
Walking through the boardwalk adjacent to the mangrove habitat, we managed to spot some interesting birds there including the Malaysian Pied Fantail and Oriental Pied Hornbill.
After walking through Berlayer creek, we headed toward the jetty to enjoy the sea breeze and hope to be able to see some fishes in the sea. However, the tide was high and the water was murky that day, so we didn’t manage to see any fishes.
On the other hand, we managed to see some Brahimy Kites and White-bellied sea eagles flying around the area. One of them even swooped down to catch a fish.
White-bellied sea eagle
Since we went in the evening, we managed to catch the sunset, which beautifully wraps up our trip to Labrador nature reserve.
BFF Biodiversity Challenge 2022 