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Habitatnews 2001-21: Friday, 28th September 2001
The Habitat Group's Nature Information List
To subscribe, email: habitatnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Current nature-related news busy Singaporeans might otherwise miss
More information and archives at: http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg
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Contents

TOMORROW: Sat 29th Sept
1. Slide show on marine life: Silent Symphony - 3.30pm
2. "Buzz on Bees" at the Singapore Science Centre - 2.00pm

3. New book: The Ecology of Trees in the Tropical Rain Forest
4. Green Map being revised for reprint: submit your updates
5. "How well can fragments of tropical forests survive": 5th Oct
6. Snakes raiding nests - a webpage and a story

7. Omni Theatre screens: "China the Panda Adventure"
8. "Overland into Pakistan and China: A Photographic Journey"

9. The Hunger Site is back
10. Sorry for delay; reason for text mode

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---> [1] Slide show on marine life: Silent Symphony, Sat 29 Sept
<http://www.silent-symphony.com/>
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Silent Symphony, a 168 page tribute to the undersea world.
by Tony Wu & William Tan

Saturday, 29 September 2001, 3:30 pm
Kinokuniya Main Store, Ngee Ann City, Singapore
'The authors will present a slide show to relate their exciting
adventures under the waves and answer questions about the unique
environments and organisms they encountered. The slide show is
open to the public and attendance is free of charge.'

Contents: 168 pages with over 185 colour photographs illustrating
the wonders of the marine world. 26 x 28 x 2cm (10.2" x 11" x 0.8").
Printed on enviromentally friendly totally chlorine-free paper, 170gsm

"I wanted to convey a mysterious mood...an animal of the night
highlighted under a spotlight, as if performing on stage. Three
years of waiting for the right circumstances, and finally I found
this little octopus, which kindly co-operated for the perfect
cover for Silent Symphony" -- Tony Wu

Source: Tony Wu and the webpage


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---> [2] "Buzz on Bees" at the Science Centre
Professor Wongsiri from the Chulalongkorn University in Thailand
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"Buzz on Bees"
Saturday, 29th September 2001: 2pm
The usual admission charges apply
Age Group: 7 years and above

"The focus is on Honey Bees in Asia and Singapore. Not only will
you learn new things, you will also get to taste more honey as well.

Get ready for a close encounter with the bees as the speaker,
Professor Wongsiri from the Chulalongkorn University in Thailand,
brings the bees into the lecture theatre. Do not miss this chance
to get acquainted with the bees from the comfort of your seat!

Please pre-register by emailing to scmember@...,
Fax at 5659533 or call Jane/Vien at 4252543."

Source: Sharlene Anthony, Singapore Science Centre


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---> [3] New book: "The Ecology of Trees in the Tropical Rain
Forest" by Ian Turner
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The Ecology of Trees in the Tropical Rain Forest by Ian Turner
Cambridge University Press, 298 pages, hard cover.
Illustrated throughout with graphs, tables and b/w photographs.
Cost: S$75.90
Available at: The Botanic Gardens Shop

The author, Dr. Ian Turner, is an Assistant Director with the
National Parks Board. 'The emphasis of the book is on comparative
ecology, it covers the growing tree, tree performance, reproductive
biology, seeds and seedlings and classification of forest trees.'

The book will be officially launched during an event 29th September 2001.

Source: Morten Strange, Nature's Niche Pte. Ltd. Tel: 65-475 2319
<http://www.naturesniche.com>


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---> [4] Green Map: updates in progress; submit yours?
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The Singapore Environment Council is reprinting the Greenmap. Do you
have any corrections or additions to suggest? If so, write to:
Uma Sachidhanandam at <umasachi@...>

If you do not have your copy of the green map, see:
<http://www.sec.org.sg/greenmap_htm/greenm_frameset.htm>


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---> [5] "How well can fragments of tropical forests survive?"
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"How well can fragments of tropical forests survive?"
Slide talk by Dr Shawn Lum, NIE/NTU
at the Gardens Briefing Room,
Singapore Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
Friday, 5th Oct 2001: 4.00 - 5.00 pm

This talk will include practical applications of forest dynamics,
such as discussion of growth requirements of forest plants
and their use in landscaping.

Source: Janice Yau, NParks


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---> [6] Snakes raiding nests - Singaporepics & comments by Orang Ular
<http://www.singaporepics.com>
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Allan Teo has been building up a good collection of photos and
quicktime movies at his webpage. On 6th August 2001, he emailed me
to say:

"Looks like it is the months of the snake.. for us.. In our
walks in the Sime forest, Venus Drive.. we have encountered
snakes on a frequent basis and also other strange creatures.."

Tony O'Demspey, our orang hutan and orang ular, wrote on 8th
September to say:
"Just looked at your web site - I am very impressed!"

He went to add this story:
"Now these Red Tail Racer shots are just superb - I wish I was with
you when you took these shots. I had a similar experience to you a
few years ago with this same species...

I was in a patch of primary forest [in Singapore] and I heard a
strange amount of bird noise - this Red Tailed Racer was climbing
straight up a dead seraya tree - bark had already gone and the snake
was working its way up by curling around every small bump on the tree.

When this snake got to the top of the tree, it raided a birds nest
at the top - either chicks or eggs, the tree was so high I couldnt tell
which.

While this was going on, the Common Mynah birds were actually dive
bombing it. We were at the bottom of the tree and we had to get out of
the way of falling bits and pieces dislodged by the snake as the birds
attacked it."


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---> [7] Omni Theatre screens: China the Panda Adventure"
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"CHINA: THE PANDA ADVENTURE" will be screened at the Omni-Theatre,
Singapore Science Centre till end December 2001. For more
information, log on to the SSC website at http://www.sci-ctr.edu.sg

Source: Veronica Heng, Singapore Science Centre


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---> [8] "Overland into Pakistan and China: A Photographic Journey"
by Mr. Kuet Ee Foo
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A photo-video presentation.

Friday, 5th October 2001: 7pm
The Asian Civilisations Museum, 39 Armenian Street.

Admission is free; all are welcome.

Kuet Ee Foo visited the lesser-known area of North Pakistan three
times, and shares views of some of Asia's most astonishing landscapes,
a kaleidoscope of cultures and a deeply hospitable people. It is also
where four great mountain ranges meets and thrust up into the heavens,
namely Hindukush, Pamir, Karakoram and Himalaya.

Thanks to the Pakistani and Chinese highway engineers, travelling
to from North Pakistan to NW China is made simple by the Karakoram
Highway which follows a branch of the ancient Silk Road. The sights,
sounds and colour of this lesser-known part of China with its colourful
minorities and even more interesting cultures is also an aspect that the
modern traveller on his guided tour rarely sees.

He has also put up a photographic exhibition as part of 'Faces of
a Changing Asia' at the ARTrium @ MITA (140 Hill Street, MITA
Building Singapore 179369). 18 - 23 October 2001, 7.30 am - 11.00pm.

About the Speaker
Mr. Kuet Ee Foo is a museum photographer who specialises in taking
photographs of contemporary and antique artworks. His works have been
featured in numerous museum publications. As an avid backpacker and
photographer, Ee Foo's other passion is to capture and immortalise on film
the exotic landscapes, colourful cultures and the charming people of
developing countries, especially in Asia.

For registration, please call Ms. Norita Senin at Tel: 332 3284; Fax: 883
0732 or email: nhb_acm@....

Source: Chiang Chiew Hui, National Heritage Board

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---> [9] The Hunger Site is back <http://www.thehungersite.com>
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In Habitatnews 2001-16 (24th August 2001), I reported that the
Hunger Site is no more. I am now happy to announce that it is
up and running.

Previously, visitors to The Hunger Site generated over 4 million
cups of staple food a month. This is an easy way to participate
in this fast, free and easy effort to combat starvation.

An estimated 800 million individuals worldwide -- children,
mothers, fathers, grandparents -- simply don't get enough to
eat. Approximately 24,000 will die today. 75% of them are
children.

What you have to do? Visit their webpage and click - once a day is
all you can do, but it makes a difference.

Source: The Hunger Site Staff


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---> [10] Sorry for the delay; Habitatnews in text mode
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I have been down with a tough virus this last week. In the process
I have missed a couple of events, including a talk on Chek Jawa.
Sorry!

Habitatnews will now be issued in black & white. This is to prevent
the appearance of the large intrusive advertisements that you have
been seeing recently. These are inserted by yahoogroups into html
messages. Reading offline has also been difficult since the adverts
will trigger a connection to gather the advertisement.

The text mode has a three line insertion only.

The little colours and boldface usually added made the newsletter
easier to read, so if yahoogroups introduces a pay to remove
advertising option, I will consider using it. It does not appear
to be available now.

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For weekly news compilations, see Ecology Asia at:
<http://www.ecologyasia.com/Top-Level/eco-news.htm>
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Donate a cup of food to a hungry mouth? Visit <www.hungersite.com>
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