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Habitatnews 2002-07: Friday, 19th April 2002
The Habitat Group's Nature Information List
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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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1. Seminar - "Abusive practises of captive primates" Friday 19th April
2. Event - Ubin Day, Saturday 20th April 2002
3. Event - Lesiure Cycling 2002, Sunday 21st April
4. TV (Ch I) - Secret Worlds 2."Secrets by the Sea", Sunday 21st April
5. Interesting webpage: Enchanted Learning
6. US Shark finning extended to Pacific Ocean
7. New order of Insect!

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---> [1] "The abusive practices of keeping primates in captivity
and entertainment in South East Asia"
<http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/seminars/bdjc/>
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by Louis Ng Kok Kwang, Friday 19th April 2002 (TODAY): 1pm - 2pm
Seminar Room 2, Department of Biological Sciences, NUS

The speaker will briefly introduce problems involved in keeping
primates in captivity; covering major issues involving the use of
primate in entertainment especially in Southeast Asia.

Read the complete announcement at the webpage
Meetings of the Biodiversity & Ecology Journal Club
Department of Biological Sciences, NUS

---> Source: Zeehan Jaafar, NUS.


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---> [2] Ubin Day this Saturday, 20th April 2002
<http://www.sec.org.sg/ubin_day/ubin_index.html>
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"A Full Day Events for Friends and Family, In appreciation of the
natural beauty and kampong way of life on Pulau Ubin"

There will be 20 booths with different themes, includes game stalls,
green group stalls and traditional craft stalls. There will be
performances by schools and other organizations, and a series of
walks, Sensory Trail Walk, Plant Walk, Butterfly Walk, Bird Walk,
as well a Mini Bus ride and a Bum Boat ride around Ubin.

See the webpage for details.


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---> [3] National Lesiure Cycling 2002 this Sunday, 21st April
<http://www.ssc.gov.sg/2002/cycling2002.shtml>
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'The Singapore Sports Council together with Singapore Amateur Cycling
Association, Singapore Environment Council and National Parks Board
will be organising the National Leisure Cycling 2002 on 21 April 2002
from 7.30 am to 11.00 am at the Marina City Park/Marina South Padang.

There are two routes, a 19km and a family 11km route. The beginning/end
point will feature stunt shows, dance performances, lucky draws and
novelty contests. Registration is free.'

More details at the webpage.


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---> [4] Secret Worlds Singapore, Episode 2: Secrets by the Sea
Sunday 21st April 2002: 9pm, Channel I
<http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/secretworlds/synopsis.html>
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"Daryl Karns is a professor representing the Field Museum of Natural History
in Chicago. And he has a passion for snakes. Wešll speak to him about the
amazing resilience and adaptability of Singaporešs water snakes, and what
their continued success says about the real state of Singaporešs mangrove
forests.

Wešll also meet the opportunistic marshland birds; all intriguing characters
in their own right, and each uniquely adapted to their various roles in the
mangrovešs natural systems.

The rich food source here also attracts a host of shorebirds, including the
Herons, of which there are a few species in Singapore. A Heron colony is a
noisy affair at the best of times, with males courting females and
aggressively defending them from rivals. Herons are also very determined
hunters, using stealth and camouflage to catch their prey.

We will take a closer look at some of Singaporešs intriguing bird species,
and a share a few moments of their life in the mangroves."

---> Source: Charith Pelpola.


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---> [5] Enchanted Learning Webpage
<http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/Home.html>
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This brightly coloured webpage is full of interesting animations,
puzzles and printouts. Since 1996, Jeananda Col writes the site and
her husband, a college professor, edits it. It has become very popular.
Struggling to keep it online with heavy traffic, she is "passing
the hat", and a standard donation is US$20. If you like it, chip in.

Their page on continental drift has a useful animation that teachers
might want to borrow for powerpoint presentations.
<http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/glossary/Pangaea.shtml>

Remember to acknowledge the source always!

---> Thanks to: Hugh Tan, NUS.


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---> [6] US Shark Finning Ban Extended to Pacific Ocean
<http://www.ens-news.com/ens/feb2002/2002l%2D02%2D12%2D093.html>
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Shark fins are in demand for shark fin soup, but the rest of the shark is
not considered as delicious. Shark fins comprise only between 1 percent and
5 percent of the weight of a shark, and finning results in a 95 to 99
percent waste (by weight).

The US federal ban on shark finning has now been extended to the Pacific
Ocean by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The new regulations,
effective March 13, 2002, implement the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of
2000. The regulations make it unlawful for any federally regulated fishing
vessel to carry or land shark fins without the entire shark carcass.

---> Sources - Lycos Environment News Service, 12th Feb 2002
& SeaWeb Ocean Update, March 2002 <http://www.seaweb.org/>,

---> Thanks to LM Chou and Sasi Nayar, NUS


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---> [7] New Order of Insects Discovered in Namibia
<http://www.ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-17-03.html>
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'A new order of insects has been identified in a discovery that
researchers say is equivalent to finding a live saber-tooth tiger.
This first discovery of a new insect order since 1915 brings the total
number of insect orders to 31. The insect, Mantophasmatodea, a predatory
animal, resembles a mix between a stick insect and a preying mantis.'

Source: ---> Sources - Lycos Environment News Service, 17th April, 2002