Monday, March 23, 2009

Some extra notes

(Related to FF)
1.How old are the lemurs, sloths and saki monkeys at Fragile Forest? - These few questions keep getting asked by visitors.

Answer:
The sakis are Fidel (adult male) 5 yrs old, Sol (female) 3.5 yrs old and Fresco 8 mths old.

The sloths are Bosque (dominant male) 13 yrs old, Jan (other male) 6 yrs old, Alba (female) yrs old and baby is almost a year old

The R/T lemurs are Pooka (adult male) 6 yrs old, Flossie (female) 8 yrs old, Andro and Ravo both are males 1.5 yrs old

B/w ruffed lemur is Boey who is 25 yrs old coming April

2. Are stingrays native to rainforests?
Answer: Yes the stingrays are found in the Amazon Brazil

3. What are some of the enrichment given to the ring-tailed and white and black ruffed lemurs at FF?

Answer: We don’t give any enrichment to the lemurs when they are in the aviary as they are well occupied while in there but enrichments are done when they are confined. Usually the enrichments done are food-based like the puzzle box.

4. How come the lemurs, being so active etc, tend to stay only around the platform area? Don't they tend to move down towards the entrance area, huge log with snail/tarantula/rhino bettle, etc (from frog exhibit)?
Answer:
The lemurs do move all over the aviary especially the R/T lemurs. They usually hang around the observation deck (OD) area to anticipate food from keepers especially during feeding time for the bats at 9.55am, 11.30am, 2pm and 4 pm.

5. Has the sloth been ill before that you will need to pry it from the tree branch or transfer to somewhere else? How do you manage to 'lure' it towards a desired spot? Based on its anatomy, is it possible for a sloth to be carried around in a pet carrier?
Answer:
We usually restraint the sloth only for physical examination by the vet or when they have injury from fighting. Sloth like other animals will learn when and where their food is served. There is no problem in putting a sloth in a pet carrier as they can still cling to the side opening of the carrier or the meshing door.

(Related to self study)
6. More about monitor lizard and iguana
Source:
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/verts/monitor_lizard.htm
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/iguana.html
Answer
Iguanas live in tropical rainforest areas, generally in lower altitudes in areas near water sources, such as rivers or streams. They spend most of their time high in the forest canopy, about 40-50 feet above the ground. The green iguana is a reptile found throughout Central and South America.

Monitor lizard is commonly sighted in Singapore. Water Monitors are rarely found far from water. Both fresh and saltwater. They are particularly common in mangroves, banks of large rivers. Also found in grasslands, forests, swamps, beaches and even cultivated land.


Lastly, a synopsis of an article to think about...
Source: Maldives leader vows to make country carbon neutral on 14th March 2009
"Climate change isn’t a vague and abstract danger but a real threat to our
survival."

Mr Nasheed noted that "making the radical shift to carbon neutrality won’t be easy. But where there is a will, there is a way". He said: "People often tell me caring for the environment is too difficult, too expensive or too much bother. I admit installing solar panels and wind turbines doesn’t come cheap.

"But when I read those science reports from Copenhagen, I know there is only one choice. Going green might cost a lot but refusing to act now will cost us the Earth.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Sungei Buloh

Source:
Ecology Asia
Wildsingapore

My first time visit to Sungei Buloh...



Sungei Buloh's vision is to see that we are all part of nature's web of life.  Very true!
Oh btw, I kept asking what is the meaning of Sungei Buloh, just found out Sungei means River, Buloh means Bamboo.  It was possible that bamboo was once found here.



So we were first greeted with the Johor view...


You can find archer fish and striped-nosed halfbeak here.  Striped-nosed halfbeak has a funny mouth - the lower jaw is much longer than the upper, it is lengthened into a long needle-like beak.



There is a little hut for you to observe migratory birds... except this is not the season (it is usually in September to March).  You can see little egrets,white-collared kingfishers and others which I forgot the name already.  Oops!



I found this fruit interesting and took a picture.  Later on, I found out it is called Akar Kul.  The whole vine is pounded and the poultice (paste) rubbed on the abdomen to relieve stomachache.




Why I am fascinated by this name Api Api Puteh is probably because of the word "Puteh".  The day before, I had been asking how does Kachang Puteh got its name haha.  I still don't know other than the fact that Puteh means White.



Lots of weaver ants' nests can be found in Sungei Buloh.  My friend joked that they have many branches haha.


Saw a jellyfish too which is a bit weird because jellyfish usually can only be found in oceans and seas.  Did this jellyfish lost its way?  Google told me that it might be an Acromitus sp.
Bell about 6-8 in diameter. Each fat sausage-like oral arm has a long 'tail'. In shallow lagoons on our Northern shores. Moves in short bobs as they energetically contract their small bells. Source: Wildsingapore

Guess it is native in Sungei Buloh then.

As there were too much mosquitoes (probably after the rain) that we decided to call it a day and went to visit the Aeroponics Farm next door. Saw the passionfruit plant...


Butterhead lettuce which is made into butterhead juice, their specialty drink.  It costs SGD1.50 here for a small bottle.



and lots of gourds.. don't ask me the names, I cannot differentiate one gourd from the other... other than the snake gourd as it look too much like the snake haha...


I saw the cotton plant too.  This reminds me of the cotton tree I always see in Pasir Ris.  I finally found out its real name is Kapok or Cotton tree.

Then is lunch time... and nap time.  Thanks for the good weather!

Sunday, March 01, 2009

SZ Tale 16

Hot and humid weather!


Haha almost thought I was in Bird Park after yesterday running up and down, seeing only birds...  A visitor did ask what birds are those but I could not reply.  Then did my morning tour in the biodome.  It was rather misty this morning and I quite like the effect it had on this mini stream.



Anyway arrived bright and early to clean up the glass panel and notice board. A fellow docent donated his butterfly poster (Painted Wings of Singapore).. YEAH!

One of the interesting encounter was by this Mexican about them tying a string to a cicada and letting it fly. Imagine kite-flying, except this is cicada-flying. Hmm…

Met an ex-colleague so did a biodome tour for him. Saw the ring-tailed lemurs kept running up and down the deck that visitors commented they don’t seem afraid of human. Some tourists even tried to strike a pose of “touching” the lemurs. RISKY! Previously there had been an incident of a lemur scratching a visitor already.. hmm..


Anyway after that did a part 2 tour in Pasir Ris Mangrove with the fellow docent haha. And I saw a malayan monitor lizard and crabs!! Something I never saw in my morning jog at all. Caught some butterflies too … Seen a different side of the mangrove.