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Raffles Museum news Research and education at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore. |
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The Biology Refugia
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05 Jul 2007 - Raffles Museum News has shifted to http://news.rafflesmuseum.net Sat 18 Nov 2006 Speaking about marine life at at the Public Service Exhibition 2006Category : talks The National Environment Agency's outreach partners for Pulau Semakau chipped in at their booth at the Public Service Exhibition 2006 with a few talks and I had volunteered for Saturday's sessions, now at 2.30pm and 4.00pm.
As I plugged in my mac and got the nod to start talking, a group eventually gathered out of the thin air. I did have to yell against a background of loud sounds from the crowd in that semi-enclosed area, and from the very loud sounds of the MC on stage highlighting various events and attractions. His sound system made it really challenging, but I soldiered on and it turned out well in the end. NEA has a model of Pulau Semakau, the world's first offshore landfill, on display, which I used for the talk. The talk was reasonably well received, kep to the timing, was relevant and the audience seemed happy enough.
Besides the exciting photos and clips of marine life in Singapore, the issue of the plastics in oceans was raised, as was littering, proper waste disposal and recycling - I used the coastal cleanup data as well. NEA's Mr Loo was drawn in since has contributed sightings of otters, dolphins and other marine creatures. He and I first met when planning the first workshop for teachers on Pulau Semakau in 2000. So I threw out my mangrove talk and decided to repeat the talk for the 4pm session. Once again we did not make an announcement from the main stage, this time because the MC could not be found. Still, there a limit to how many people would be able to hear me in the din. I did have to change my routine by using the Semakau model while my mac was restarted to reacquire the display - the projector's buttons were at just the right height for a kid's exploratory fingers and one kid did exactly that and messed up the entire setup. Interesting lesson we learnt there!
I was happy I had survived the sessions, and done our bit for NEA and Semakau. I also met a young graduate keen on joining Toddycats, and completed her recruitment interview during my break in between the two talks (downloaded the application form via free wireless nearby). She'll be joining our ranks soon. So a Saturday well spent! Just maybe the next time, I'll bring along a portable mike. Thanks to Angeline Tay and Anand Balan who packed and provided backup, drinks and lozenges; and Nanthinee J. for the photos! Sat 18 Nov 2006 Hunybunz and family collect the Pachycephalosaurus!Category : dinosaurs
Yi Hang's blog post was kindly typed in by his mummy and he wrote about his visit, "Sue was a T-Rex." Once of the objectives of bringing down Sue was to awaken that sense of awe in little kids and awaken an interest in Science. So kids like Yi Hang were our prime target and it was especially pleasant to read the thoughts of this five year old when we were judging the contest. Aren't blogs wondeful! I opened up the Public Gallery for them to take a short walk around. Although both parents are NUS alumni, it was a surprise to see this little gem tucked away in one corner of the university. Along the way, I did explain that school kids regularly visit us, that I speak in schools about marine life and other topics, that our volunteers participate in public exhibitions, and that we lead field trips to various places in Singapore. But yes, wouldn't it be wonderful if the exhibit was in a large museum in town?
As they left, they encouraged us to keep up our efforts in public education - that was helpful encouragement to tackle the public talks later at Toa Payoh! Meanwhile, when Yih Hang plays with his Pachycephalosaurus, I wonder if he'll dream of dinosaurs! Tue 14 Nov 2006 Sat 18 & Sun 19 Nov: Semakau and Marine Life at the Public Service Exhibition 2006Category : talks
Wed 19 Jul 2006 A year of intertidal walks on Pulau SemakauCategory : education 16 Jul 2005 - Raffles Museum has conducted 17 Semakau intertidal/landfill walks since the islands landfill was opened for recreational activities on 17 July 2005. The walks have proved to be very popular and slots for the rest of the year have been fully booked.
Raffles Museum staff Wang Luan Keng who coordinates this series expresses her heartfelt thanks for the great support provided for this series by National Environment Agency staff, in particular Mr Ong Chong Peng, Mr Loo Eng Por, Mr Peter Yong, Mr Yew, Mr Poi, Shawn and Patrick. These walks would not have been possible without the volunteer Semakau guides. Huge thanks are extended to Ria, Ron, Chay Hoon, Tiong Chin, Kah Chine, Alyce, Peter, Angeline, Siew Chin, Wai, Abigayle, Freddy, Howard, Jani and Danwei. Congratulations on accomplishing a year of discovery; well done everyone! Walk participants commented: The most interesting thing I learnt today is:
What I found unique about the Semakau walk compared to other nature walks:
The part of the walk I like best was:
Any other comments that will help us improve our walks:
Feedback compiled by Wang Luan Keng.
Tue 14 Mar 2006 Semakau badges and Paedocypris t-shirtCategory : education One day I walked in to the museum to find a new panerl up against the glass window at the office next to the Public Gallery office. The education officers made t-shirts and badges for sale! The Semakau badges are on sale for $1.50 each, but a set goes for $7. The t-shirts are on sale for $10.50 and come in dark blue and grey. Toddycats and Department of Biological Science staff get a 20% discount. Pity about the tagline though - its says "one of the world's smallest vertebrate" instead of "smallest vertebrate". Perhaps they were put off by challenges to the title, but Paedocypris progentica is clearly undisputed.
Tue 07 Mar 2006 First Semakau Landfill walk in 2006Category : education
This time it was 38 participants from the HSBC Green Volunteers. These guides-in-training for Chek Jawa all turned up on time at 7.30am at West Coast Pier. They were very eager to explore the shore and well prepared for the trip, armed with booties and insect repellant! Five Semakau volunteer guides (Ria, Ron, Chay Hoon, Elaine and Kah Chine) conducted the intertidal walk and gave the participants pointers on the guiding techniques. Some of the participants had a keen eye for the well hidden, inconspicuous creatures, and that was encouraging to see in budding guides. The always helpful and friendly NEA staff (Shawn, Patrick, Peter and Yew) conducted the landfill tour and slide presentation with their usual enthusiatism. At the end of the day, the participants discovered for themselves that the offshore landfill island, Pulau Semakau is not dead, smelly, dirty as they thought it would be. Instead, it is a beautiful island, with mature mangroves and a vast inter-tidal area. Here's what some participants said: "The part of the walk I like best was the close contact with nature." Mon 12 Dec 2005 Semakau public walk and recent sightings of marine mammals thereCategory : education 03 Dec 2005 - Another public walk at Semakau landfill was organised for the public. This time a group of 10 members of the public and 10 teachers from Paya Lebar Methodists Girls went on a guided walk with 8 guides and coordinators from the Raffles Museum. Mr Poi, a Senior Technical Officer from Semakau Landfill gave an informative slide presentation and tour of the operations of the landfill and entertained us with his exciting stories of wildlife. A few days prior to our visit (30 Nov 2005), he saw a grey dolphin and a pink-coloured dolphin swimming in the sea between Pulau Hantu and Semakau. Another piece of exciting news was two sightings of an otter reportedly the size of a small dog recorded by Mr Yew, another Senior Technical Officer, who drove us around the landfill. Our Semakau guides (Leong Wai, Tan Tiong Chin, Ron Yeo, Daniel Chia, Toh Chay Hoon and Peter See) received lots of praises from the visitors, for their excellent guiding and friendly attitudes. Everyone was happy and relaxed. Thanks to all the NEA staff who help facilitated our walk, Ria for coordinating and setting up the intertidal route, Priscilla for recording the walk on video and all the guides for their excellent job. By Wang Luan Keng.
Tue 22 Nov 2005 First intertidal & landfill public visit to Pulau SemakauCategory : education 19 Nov 2005 - The Raffles Museum conducted the first Semakau landfill cum intertidal walk for 20 members of the public. They arrived at the Marine Transfer Station on Semakau Landfill (SL) in the late afternoon and were treated to a slide presentation by the General Manager of SL, Mr Ong Chong Peng. Joining us on the tour is the Chairman of NEA, Prof Simon Tay and his family, and Head of Waste Management, Mr Low Fong Hon as well as reporter from Lian He Zao Bao. The group first took a bus ride through the operations of the landfill and reforested mangroves. Mr Loo Eng Por, the Operation Manager, gave a running commentary.
Experienced guides, Chua Siew Chin and Loh Tse-Lynn then led smaller groups and introduced interesting plants and animals found on the intertidal area, including a huge sea cucumber! The exploration took them through the seagrass zone extending far into the distance and the coral rubble zone. Although the tide was still low, night was slowing creeping in, and with considerable reluctance, the group turned back before it got too dark. Thanks to Ria Tan who helped to set up markers for the trail and looked for interesting animals to highlight, Alvin from Wildfilms who recorded the entire trip on video. Our two guides, Siew Chin and Tse-Lynn for doing an excellent job, OJTs Leong Wai, Annie Giri, Laura Tham and Toh Chay Hoon who assisted the guides. NEA staff for providing the landfill tour and ferrying the group to the intertidal area. Last but not least, thanks to all those who participated in the walk. By Wang Luan Keng, More photos on Flickr.
Sat 22 Oct 2005 Semakau Workshop for trainee guidesCategory : education
Fri 21 Oct 2005 NYGH Nanyang Environmental Science ConferenceCategory : talks 21 Oct 2005 - Raffles Museum's Peter Ng (Conserving Singapore: Singapore evolving) and N. Sivasothi (Conservation in Singapore - issues thoughts and action!) along with National Institute of Education's Shawn Lun (Who does nature belong to?) spoke on local and international conservation of biodiversity issues at Nanyang Girls' High School. They were speaking at one of several concurrent plenary sessions of NYGH's Nanyang Environmental Science Conference. The session ended with presentations by students from Raffles Institution and NYGH - their projects dealt with limpet distribution and youth awareness and attitudes towards sustainable development. Wang Luan Keng setup an exhibition introducing Pulau Semakau's marine life in the foyer of the school where participating institutions and companies set up exhibitions. The conference is a two day programme with a keynote, international participants and includes workshops and industrial visits.
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By the time it was over I was hoarse, dripping with perspiration but happy at the surprise and at times, disbelief the audience expressed when they saw and heard about the marine life in their backyard, and the data from the International Coastal Cleanup. 
18 Nov 2006 - 
Hunybunz and her husband are well informed about natural history and the internet, and we ended up chatting about the museum, Sue, Chek Jawa, public interest in our nature reserves and the International Coastal Cleanup! 
A total of 625 people have attended the walks and came from public signups, schools (Yishun JC, Clementi Town Sec, CHIJ Toa Payoh, RI, AJC, Hwa Chong, Maris Stella, RJC, Bendemeer Sec, Madrasah Al-Irsyad Al-Islamiah), government agencies (MND, PRIS, Kampong Ubi CC) and corporate groups (HSBC). 
04 Mar 2006 - Raffles Museum conducted the first Semakau landfill and intertidal walk for 2006 in the morning. 
The nature walk began when eight guides and trainees led the visitors through the forest to reach the intertidal area on the eastern shoreline of Semakau.
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