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Habitatnews No. 99-01: Monday, 4th January 1999
The Habitat Group's Nature Information List
For the period: Wed 30th Dec 98- Sat 2nd Jan 98
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Current nature-related news busy Singaporeans might otherwise miss
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1. Sg Buloh NP: Purple Herons nesting and otters return again!
2. Dead birds wanted.
3. TV - Go Green TODAY
4. Report - 5,020 Dengue cases as of 12 Dec 98
5. Report - Index of 'green' news, 1998
6. Report - SEC persuades companies to go green
7. Letter - Possible cause and solution to recent floods
8. Report - Flood situation in Johor
9. Report - JC students to give talks on environment
10. Report - Petting Zoo sabotaged
11. Letter - Ecotourism can stop abuse of nature
12. Letter - Teach right values to prevent cruelty to animals
13. Report - Stolen Kek Lok Si Temple tortoises can't be sold
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-----> [1] Purple Herons and Otters in Sg Buloh Nature Park
Make your way along ROUTE 2 in Sungei Buloh Nature Park (SBNP), and you will
hear the noisy Purple Herons long before you see them. Approaching the
heronry, you will see some of these large birds swoop in holding twigs in
their beaks, for many are building nests right now. Nesting on a
mini-island across a narrow channel, you will spot a Grey Heron or two
amongst the Purple Herons. They can all be easily seen for these are the
amongst the largest birds in the park, and their nests are perched on the
tree tops. It is certainly a restful sight, so make your way there soon.

Recent reports have also pointed to the presence of a pair of otters,
probably Smooth Otters (Lutrogale perspicillata). These larger than the
Small-clawed Otter that you see in the zoo, and there have been numerous
reports since late November about their presence. If you are lucky, you
might spot the pair. Leave a note in the Visitor's Log Book if you do. They
have been observed mainly in the western part of the park, around the
freshwater ponds and the mangrove arboretum. Happy otter-ing!

It's also a good time to see the migratory waders feeding at the mudflats
and ponds. Check the newspapers for the times of high tide, when these
birds are forced to abandon the flooded mudflats and move inshore, into the
ponds at SBNP. Bring an umbrella for it is almost always drizzling.
Umbrellas and binoculars are available for rent at the park.


-----> [2] Dead birds can be used in research project
Wang Luan Keng with Sievert Rohwer (University of Washington) are conducting
research on "Phylogeography of birds in South-east Asia". Luan Keng is able
to extract samples for DNS analysis from dead birds, so if you see any dead
birds, don't let that carcass go to waste; please email
wanglk@...

-----> [3] Go Green TODAY, Monday 4th Jan 99: TCS 5: 7.30pm
1. Wildlife flourish amidst the develpoment on P. Bukom and P. Semakau
2. Featuring a machine that cleans ventilator shafts in buildings;
?probably related to the Sick Building Syndrome.
3. How living and working spaces can be made more environmentally conducive.
[submitted by Alvin Wong]

-----> [4] "How the year hit me" by JANICE TAY
The Straits Times Interactive: Wed 30th Dec 98 [report]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/3/sin/sin17_1230.html
Mother, brother and sister all hit by dengue: The Nahs are among the 5,020
cases that have been reported as of Dec 12, compared to the 4,212 cases last
year.

-----> [5] "The Green Index"
The Straits Times Interactive: Wed 30th Dec 98 [report]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/3/sin/sin18_1230.html
Summary of 'Green' headlines for 1998

-----> [6] "Best time now to persuade companies to go green"
The Straits Times Interactive: Wed 30th Dec 98 [report]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/3/sin/sin19_1230.html
The Singapore Environment Council believes that an economic crisis is the
best time to persuade companies to go green.

-----> [7] "Enforce greening to cut flooding" by WONG YEW KWAN
The Straits Times Interactive: Wed 30th Dec 98 [letter]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/3/for/for1_1230.html
'Could it be that in some heavily concreted areas, surface run-off,
resulting from heavy rainstorms, has far exceeded the discharge capacities
of our drains and canals?'

-----> [8] "Heavy rain forecast for east coast" [of Malaysia]
The Star Online: Fri 1st Jan 99 [report]
http://www.thestar.com.my/friday/01ktbanji.html

-----> [9] "Teens to take green message to primary schools"
The Straits Times Interactive: Fri 1st Jan 99 [report]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/5/sin/sin6_0101.html
Keith Tan (NYJC) and Vinothini Apok (RJC) spurred to give talks on
conservation and the environment to primary school children after attending
United Nations environment programmes.

-----> [10] "Vandals strike at petting zoo" by CHONG CHEE KIN
The Straits Times Interactive: Fri 1st Jan 99 [report]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/5/sin/sin22_0101.html

-----> [11] "Eco-tourism can stop nature abuse here" by GAN YUNG CHYAN
The Straits Times Interactive: Fri 1st Jan 99 [letter]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/5/for/for3_0101.html

-----> [12] "Teach right values to stop cruelty against animals" By TAN SAI
SIONG
The Straits Times Interactive: Sat 2nd Jan 99 [letter]
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/archive/st/6/cpe/cpe3_0102.html

-----> [13] "Little foreign interest in stolen tortoises"
The Star Online: Fri 1st Jan 99 [report]
http://www.thestar.com.my/friday/01ccwwf1.html
Restaurateurs in China and Taiwan will not buy the estimated 250 tortoises
stolen from Kek Lok Si Temple's Liberation Pond because the reptiles are of
poor quality.