Visit Singapore Zoo

For a better future. Please stop those Finger pointings!

2009-12-16T22:48:00.000-08:00

Politicians are gathered to talk about our future, climate cahnge and environmental issues.

Environment ministers are holding talks at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen amid threats of large-scale protests by environmental groups.

Activists, angered by logistical issues and a lack of progress on a deal, have vowed to disrupt proceedings.

The White House said President Barack Obama, who will join world leaders in Copenhagen later in the week, is confident of reaching a deal.

Talks are deadlocked over emission cuts and financial aid for poorer countries.

For the last two mornings, thousands of campaigners have queued for hours to gain access to the conference venue - many unsuccessfully.

Now, with ministers and their aides joining the conference, the organisers have slashed the number of other delegates allowed in.

A spokeswoman from the Climate Justice Action group says demonstrations amounting to "mass civil disobedience" are planned for Wednesday.

The groups says some 15,000 delegates have been effectively "locked out" of the summit by being refused accreditation or experiencing long delays in their applications.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is already in Copenhagen, told reporters on Tuesday that it was a critical moment.

"This is a very important moment for the world," Mr Brown said.

"It is possible that we will not get an agreement and it is also true that there are many issues to be sorted out. But I am determined... to do everything I can to bring the world together."

Stumbling blocks

The high-level phase of the talks began on Tuesday, with environment ministers and negotiators from 193 countries struggling to make progress on core issues.

"There is no understatement that with your signatures you will write our future," Britain's Prince Charles told the gathering.

More than 120 leaders will formally join the talks on Thursday, aiming to seal an accord by Friday.

Just days before a climate deal is due to be completed, there is clearly still an immense amount of negotiating left to do, says the BBC's environment correspondent Richard Black from Copenhagen.

Unresolved issues include:

the size of emissions cuts by developed nations
how finance should be raised and disbursed, and
most fundamentally, whether a deal here should aim to keep the global temperature rise to 2C or just 1.5C
However, the White House said President Obama, who is due to join the summit on Friday, is confident of securing a deal.

"The president believes that we can get... an operational agreement that makes sense in Copenhagen, over the next few days," spokesman Robert Gibbs told a briefing.

However the American negotiator at the conference said he did not expect to offer any further cuts in US carbon emissions.

Developing countries have accused industrialised nations of going back on their commitment to fight climate change.

Extinction of the Human race!

Time to Start fucking U Animals!

2009-12-15T23:18:00.000-08:00

Australian and Chinese officials urged two bamboo-munching giant pandas on Sunday to consider reproducing during their 10-year residency Down Under. Wang Wang and Funi, on loan from China, arrived at the Adelaide Zoo in Australia two weeks ago but were officially welcomed Sunday by leaders at the opening ceremony of their 8 million Australian dollar ($7.25 million) enclosure. Their exhibit opened to the public on Monday. "Look after yourselves, keep healthy and active, eat your greens and maybe, when the time is right, think about starting a family," Governor General Quentin Bryce said in a speech directed at Funi and Wang Wang, who were sprawled against nearby boulders, chewing bamboo shoots. "There are not enough of you in this world." Chinese Ambassador Zhang Junsai said he was already thinking of Australian names for a possible panda cub. "Wang Wang and Funi carry the friendship and greetings from the Chinese people," he told the gathering, explaining that Funi means "Lucky Girl" and Wang Wang means "Net Net." "Who can rule out the possibility that the lucky girl will fall into the net of love and later have a lovely baby?" Zhang said. "This would be a great achievement of the joint Australia-China conservation program." The pandas, 3 and 4 years old, are the only giant pandas in the southern hemisphere. Chinese President Hu Jintao offered the pandas as a goodwill gesture during a 2007 visit to Australia.

I will be Back!

2009-12-14T21:54:00.000-08:00

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to carry California's climate change story to a conference in Copenhagen this week, a move that will burnish his international image as a leader in the war on global warming.

He'll also take an entourage of 20 administration officials to Denmark. Three nonprofit organizations are picking up the tab.

Administration officials say the trip and a speech Schwarzenegger will deliver on Tuesday at the United Nations conference will underscore how he has fought a political guerrilla war to cut greenhouse gas emissions – often against naysayers in his own Republican Party – as a state executive acting on what is usually considered a national or international issue.

Zoo Deaths

2009-12-13T23:49:00.000-08:00

The Calgary Zoo has announced it will commission what it is calling an "independent review" of all of its animal care practices and policies.

The statement comes just days after CTV News broke the story of the death of an animal at the zoo.

That animal, a South American capybara, died December 5th in what is described as an unfortunate incident involving human error.

After an investigation, an employee of the zoo was reassigned and suspended for two days.

The death is the latest in a number of animal deaths at the zoo over the past few years, including dozens of stingrays and a baby elephant.

Critics have demanded a review.

On Saturday afternoon, the zoo's president, Dr. Clement Lanthier, issued the following statement:

"Good afternoon, thank you for joining us today. While we always love to see people at the Zoo on a weekend, we normally would have waited for a weekday to invite you here. But what I have to tell you today is, I believe, a matter of urgency and importance to both the Calgary Zoo and the citizens of our community.

For the past two years, the Zoo has been the target of a great deal of criticism, some of it deserved but much of it not, for the quality of our operation. As President and CEO, I have always subscribed to the notion that even a world-class organization can become better if it is prepared to accept and act upon constructive criticism. We are no exception to that rule. Sadly, however, much of what I have seen and heard over the past two years has been far from constructive.

As gratifying as it is to know that we enjoy tremendous support from our community, I worry that some of our critics do not want to see this Zoo improved--they want to see it closed. That is not what Calgary wants, nor, of course, what our 200 employees, 600 volunteers, 80,000 members and 1.2 million visitors every year want. No matter how unsubstantiated or unfair, criticism can raise doubt in people's minds, particularly if there is no objective, independent way to verify the accuracy of that criticism.

It is for this reason that I am announcing today my immediate intention to commission a comprehensive, independent review of all of our animal care practices and policies. On Monday morning I will be contacting the Presidents of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in Washington, D.C., and of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums in Ottawa. For those of you who are not familiar with these organizations, they are the accrediting bodies that set the standards of care for zoos and aquariums in Canada, the United States and other Western Hemisphere countries. The AZA also provides leadership, guidance and training to professionals in more than 200 institutions that include the largest and most highly regarded facilities on this continent, such as the San Diego Zoo, Bronx Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

I will be asking the two organizations to appoint a joint panel of highly qualified individuals--completely independent of the Calgary Zoo--to conduct a thorough review of all aspects of animal care at our institution, including staff experience, training, veterinary care, policy and procedure and any other facet of our animal care operation they believe to be relevant to their enquiry.

My objectives in this process are threefold:

To commission an expert assessment of the quality of our animal care that will provide an authoritative, unbiased and knowledgeable perspective on the standards we have in place and whether any improvements can be made.
To maintain the strong support we have enjoyed from our community and to reassure Calgarians that they can continue to have confidence in the institution they hold dear.
To recognize the incredible work done by so many of our staff and volunteers which has been the target of much unfair criticism.

When this review is complete, a summary of its findings and all of the recommendations arising from it will be made available to Calgarians. We have never taken the support of our community for granted and do not intend to now. The animal deaths we have witnessed over the past couple of years--most recently the unfortunate incident involving one of our capybara--have been cited by our critics as examples of something being "wrong" at the Zoo. To continue their support for this institution, our community needs answers--not more accusations, allegations and irresponsible criticism, but documented facts that will give them good reason to maintain their confidence in us. The review I am announcing today will provide those facts.

Let me conclude by saying that as President and CEO, I am not prepared to stand by and watch self-proclaimed experts undermine the treasured relationship we have with the literally millions of people who have visited, contributed to, volunteered for, worked on behalf of and developed a strong and enduring affection for a Zoo that is one of this community's most valuable assets. By linking together a series of unrelated incidents in an effort to establish some kind of pattern, many of these critics have attempted to further their own agenda of manipulating public opinion and diverting attention away from the vitally important work that zoos, including the Calgary Zoo, do to protect animals and their habitats-- something for which these critics can claim absolutely no credit.

This institution has stood as a point of pride in our city and our country, gaining national and international stature for its work in conservation, research and education. As its President and CEO, I have a duty to uphold its values, implement change where change is warranted and, above all, ensure that it continues to play an important part in the lives of people who truly love, enjoy and respect life on earth."

Its all about sperm and egg

2009-12-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Beloved National Zoo panda going to China
Under agreement, cubs born at the zoo must be sent to China for breeding

A young giant panda who became a major draw after his birth at Washington's National Zoo will leave for China early next year for breeding.

Zoo officials announced Friday that Tai Shan (pronounced "ty shawn") will be leaving the Smithsonian Institution park as soon as January or February.

Panda mother Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and father Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) are on a 10-year, $10 million loan to the zoo until December 2010.

Stop prostituting US!

Singapore Zoo breeds rare Komodo dragon

2009-12-07T22:04:00.000-08:00

Singapore Zoo has successfully bred the highly-endangered Komodo dragon, officials said Monday, reporting that the rare baby reptile was in good health.

Singapore Zoo has successfully bred the highly-endangered Komodo dragon, officials said Monday, reporting that the rare baby reptile was in good health.

The 40-centimetre (16-inch) hatchling is the first Komodo dragon born in an Asian zoo outside Indonesia, the native home of the world's largest lizard species, a spokeswoman told AFP.

In a press statement, assistant director of zoology Biswajit Guha said the hatching of the Komodo dragon, whose gender has not been confirmed, "is one of the most significant moments" for the zoo, one of Singapore's top attractions.

The breeding of Komodo dragons in captivity "is fraught with difficulties due to incompatible pairings, dearth of experience in egg incubation and over-representation of males in zoos," he said.

The reptiles are considered one of Indonesia's national treasures. Komodos can grow up to three metres (10 feet) in length and weigh up to 140 kilograms (310 pounds).

They are listed as "vulnerable" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.

Only 3,000 of the poisonous lizards, native to Komodo and a few other islands in eastern Indonesia, remain in the wild, according to another campaign group, The Nature Conservancy, which does field work in the area.

The reptiles live on a diet of large mammals, reptiles and birds, but have been known to attack humans.

An Indonesian fisherman was mauled to death by a Komodo dragon in March after he ventured into a remote island sanctuary.

They Pledged to cut our Carburns

2009-12-02T22:57:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE'S leaders have thrown their political weight behind the upcoming climate change negotiations in Copenhagen by pledging to cut the city-state's carbon emissions growth by 16 per cent below 'business as usual' levels by 2020.

Announcing this on Wednesday, Senior Minister S Jayakumar said that this was on condition of a global deal on climate change being reached at the Copenhagen talks, which begin on Monday.

As a low-lying island, Singapore is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and a rise in sea-level can have serious consequences for us, said Mr Jayakumar. 'So despite the fact that Singapore contributes to only 0.2 per cent of global carbon emissions, it will play its part,' he said.

The voluntary actions to acheive this target will be through a combination of regulatory and fiscal measures, he said. Details will be announced at a later date.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who was also at the briefing, said the 16 per cent figure was a 'stretched target' derived from some of the targets in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint launched in April. The blueprint was a national plan on how Singapore could further reduce its carbon emissions.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim added that even though Singapore is in a disadvantaged position, with little alternative forms of energy available, it wanted to show leadership by committing to this target, to help reach a global deal by the end of the Copenhagen negotiations.

PM Lee doing His bit to stop World's climate change

2009-11-29T22:51:00.000-08:00

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday urged members to actively engage in the issue of climate change at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Commonwealth gathering is the last international meeting before the Copenhagen summit next month.

Reflecting the urgency in talks, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen have all made their way to Trinidad.

The Commonwealth Summit is on the back of a post-crisis landscape and at a time when world leaders are struggling to reach a global consensus on climate change.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II opened the meeting, and said the Commonwealth has an opportunity to shape world response to the challenge.

"The Commonwealth has an opportunity to lead once more. The threat to our environment is not a new concern, but it is now a global challenge which will continue to affect the security and stability of millions for years to come," said the Queen, who is also Commonwealth Head.

"Many of those affected are among the most vulnerable, and many of the people least well able to withstand the adverse effects of Climate Change live in the Commonwealth."

Speaking at the leaders' retreat, PM Lee said countries should do what is practical and sensible, keeping in mind the costs, trade-offs and political realities.

He added Singapore will do its part but developed countries will have to take the lead because they are major emitters of carbon.

Island states, he noted, are particularly worried about rising sea levels.

Mr Lee said developing nations must too share in this effort as their populations are equally, if not more vulnerable.

The Commonwealth includes countries such as Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and Britain - important members of the Group of 20 (G20).

Analysts will look to statements from the Commonwealth as an indicator of what the more influential G20 may reach on climate change.

The 53-member Commonwealth is a diverse group, and includes some of the world's richest and poorest countries, accounting for one-third of the world's population and one-fifth of global trade.

PM Lee is set to attend next month's UN meeting on climate change in Copenhagen.

Leaders will try to agree on a pact to reduce carbon emissions during the Copenhagen meet.

Whether that will take the form of a legal treaty or a mere political declaration remains to be seen, but what leaders want is a significant agreement to reduce the ill effects of climate change.

Australia's Panda

2009-11-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Plans for River Safari - started in Feb 2009

2009-11-22T22:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.wrs.com.sg/images/NR-River-Safari-11-Feb-09.pdf

NEWS RELEASE WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE BUILDS RIVER SAFARI, ASIA’S FIRST RIVER-THEMED ANIMAL ATTRACTION - S$140 million project scheduled for completion in 2011 Singapore, February 11, 2009, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) plans to build a river-themed animal attraction that will contribute to Singapore?s tourism landscape and enhance the range of excellent nature-themed attractions in Singapore. Located within the 89-hectare compound of the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari premises, this attraction will be Asia?s first river-themed park. Comprising boat rides, displays of freshwater habitats and other highlights, it will offer a close-up multi-sensory experience for the young and old. The project is expected to inject S$140 million into Singapore?s economy. Construction will begin in 2009, and the park is targeted for completion in 2011. The new park is estimated to attract at least 750,000 visitors annually.

Strong message of conservation Says Ms Fanny Lai, Group CEO, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, “The aim of River Safari is to create a greater awareness of freshwater habitat conservation. Freshwater habitats are ecosystems that depend on water flow for their environmental health, and can include caves, swamps, floodplains, rivers and lakes. The term „wetlands' is often used to describe these rich habitats, which carry the most species per unit. However, their biodiversity is disappearing at a faster rate than the forest and marine biomes, with a reported 50% decline in the freshwater species population index in 30 years since 1970. The River Safari attraction will educate visitors on the conservation of fresh water habitats, and also introduce them to the ecosystem?s interesting water wildlife. It will also complement our current collection at our other three parks. “We started working on this idea about two years ago and we believe this is an opportune time to embark on this project.” Built with Environmental Sensitivity As the attraction is located within its current 89 hectare compound, the new development will have minimal impact on the Mandai Nature Reserve area. WRS team had earlier consulted the various government bodies such as NParks and PUB on the environmental viability of the project. For example, it carried out a survey to identify the trees that will be affected by the development. Instead of felling the trees, it is carefully preparing the process of relocating them. In addition to this, WRS plans to plant more than 30,000 new trees in this attraction. Some of the current animal exhibits will be relocated to make way for this attraction. WRS will also acquire new species of animals to reside in the various habitats through animal exchange programmes with other zoological institutions.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) is the parent company of the award-winning attractions – Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. WRS strives to be a world-class leisure attraction, providing excellent exhibits of animals (and birds) presented in their natural environment for the purpose of conservation, education and recreation. Last year (2008), Jurong BirdPark served 900,000 visitors, the Night Safari, more than 1.1 million visitors and Singapore Zoo welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors. WRS parks have been conferred the Best Leisure Attraction Experience Award at the Singapore Tourism Awards 18 times. The record achievement affirms WRS parks? status as Singapore?s premier leisure venues. In the areas of conservation and research, WRS parks have undertaken multiple projects through collaborations with various organisations and institution on pangolins, frogs, and proboscis monkeys. In 2008, conservation efforts undertaken include animal exchange of endangered species with zoos overseas. All WRS parks are designated wildlife rescue centres by the governing authority.

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF: Wildlife Reserves Singapore BY: Citigate Dewe Rogerson, i.MAGE Pte Ltd 1 Raffles Place #26-02 OUB Centre SINGAPORE 048616 CONTACT: Ms Yu Poh Leng / Ms Eileen Bakri at telephone DURING OFFICE HOURS: 6534-5122 (Office) AFTER OFFICE HOURS: 9667-5837 / 9781-0737 (Mobile)
EMAIL: pohleng.yu@citigatedrimage.com /
eileen.bakri@citigatedrimage.com February 11, 2009

So they already knew the Pandas are coming!

Nature - We Must!

2009-11-21T22:34:00.000-08:00

I came across this blog, asking us whether preserving our nature is necessary...

http://blog.simplyjean.com/2007/11/21/is-nature-important-in-singapore/

Is nature important in Singapore?
Singapore November 21st, 2007
I came across this article in the Prime News section and it mentioned about worries of development work in Mandai affecting the nature reserve and it set me thinking – how important are forests to Singapore? Does Singapore bother about whether we lose our nature?

No doubt Singapore is boasted as a Green City, with trees and shrubs to help provide a nice environment and to turn the overwhelming concrete jungles of Shenton Way into a seemingly nicer place to live in, but when it comes to preserving nature, how well does the government/statutory boards consider it?

I was following the concerns that the Nature Society had put forth to the Minister of State for Trade and Industry and his reply hinted of higher costs, which he probably felt could be circumvented by asking the developer to be sensitive to the environment.

I wonder what constitutes that “sensitivity to the environment”, or does it matter at all?

China: What is two Panda when we have so many?

2009-11-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

Wildlife Reserves Singapore

2009-11-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) is the parent company of award-winning attractions Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. WRS parks strive to be world-class leisure attractions, providing excellent exhibits of animals and birds presented in their natural environment for the purpose of conservation, education and recreation. In 2008, Jurong Bird Park served 900,000 visitors, the Night Safari, more than 1.1 million visitors and Singapore Zoo welcomed more than 1.6 million visitors.

WRS parks have been conferred the Best Leisure Attraction Experience Award at the Singapore Tourism Awards 18 times. The record achievement affirms WRS parks’ status as Singapore’s premier leisure venues.

In the areas of conservation and research, WRS parks have undertaken multiple projects, which focus on species such as the oriental pied hornbill, pangolin and orang utan, through collaborations with various organisations and institutions. Recent conservation efforts include hosting a regional Asian pangolin conservation workshop. All WRS parks are designated wildlife rescue centres by the governing authority.

Panda mania hits Singapore

2009-11-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

Climb the Great Wall, wander the grounds of the Forbidden City, partake in Peking duck and watch the marching guards in Tian'anmen Square these are some of the things I have done in Beijing that allow me to tell others I have seen it all after more than two years in the capital.

Well, except maybe for the giant pandas at the Beijing Zoo.

My fellow Singaporean colleague tells me the bears are the best attraction there, a view that is endorsed by the visitors from home and abroad that I hear swarm the site on any holiday.

It is hard not to like the pandas here in China. They are one of the country's most successful envoys and never fail to capture the hearts of young and old - from being stuffed toys in souvenir shops along hutong alleyways or as the mascot for the World Wildlife Fund.

So it is only understandable that the press here have gone gaga over the news that China is sending two giant pandas to the city-state.

President Hu Jintao, who is on a state visit to Singapore before attending key events of the APEC forum there this week, announced that the two animals will arrive in their host country in 2011.

The pandas, a 1-year-old female and 2-year-old male, come from the Wolong nature reserve in Sichuan province and are expected to be in Singapore for a decade.

The announcement of their stay could not have come at a better time.

President Hu said "China and Singapore enjoy geographical proximity, friendly sentiments and a shared language" and that Sino-Singapore relations will reach "a new high", while Singapore's President SR Nathan said the two countries are at "the cusp of a new chapter" as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

Singapore is a key partner of China, with bilateral trade reaching $52.4 billion last year, up more than 10 percent from the previous year.

So it is fitting that the island republic now joins a handful of other countries to receive the bears through the latest instance of "panda diplomacy", in which the pandas have proven to be crowd-pullers wherever they go.

Once the animals are in Singapore, authorities said they will also be part of research on breeding as well as a conservation program to raise awareness of endangered species. Less than 2,000 pandas are said to be left in the world, with less than 300 of these in captivity in Wolong and abroad.

Experts from China are also expected to help trainers in Singapore handle the furry visitors, while select bamboo - the staple diet of pandas - will be planted and a special enclosure set up to house the bears.

All these preparations are in line with the high expectations of many Singaporeans who have embraced panda mania.

Singapore student Jean Lim said she is very excited about the pandas' arrival, even though that is still more than a year away.

"It'll be great to have pandas here I won't have to rush to places like Beijing or Sichuan to see them," said Lim, 20. "The wait will be worthwhile."

Pandas for Singapore

2009-11-12T23:54:00.000-08:00

HERE is the first glimpse of the pair of fuzzy darlings that are headed our way in the second half of 2011.

The two-year-old male and one-year-old female giant pandas are currently in China's panda reserve in Wolong in Sichuan province. They each have a twin sibling, which Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) hopes will enhance their chance of reproducing when they get here.

The pandas will make their public debut in 2012 when WRS' new $140 million river themed animal attraction, the River Safari, opens. WRS is building a special enclosure for them, which will be full climate controlled with air-conditioning set at 18 to 22 deg C and humidity level set at 50 to 60 per cent all year round.

The cute envoys for Singapore were announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao at an Istana state banquet on Wednesday night to mark 20 years of China-Singapore relations. They will be here as part of a 10-year reseach and conservation collaboration between WRS and China Wildlife Conservation Association.

WRS will also start a breeding programme of the endangered species. There are some 1,600 pandas left in the wild and another 200 up in captivity left in the world.

Singapore will be the seventh country to receive a pair of pandas from China, after Austria, Australia, Japan, Spain, Thailand and the United States. Taiwan also received a pair last year as a sign of warming relations between the two straits.

The bears will be named when they arrive in Singapore.

APEC 2009

2009-11-12T21:39:00.000-08:00

S'pore rolling out red carpet for very special guests

IF YOU are impressed with preparations for visiting dignitaries this week, then you will be floored by the red carpet being rolled out for two very special VIPs - Very Important Pandas.

The pandas do not hit town until late 2011. But much work has to be done ahead of their arrival in Singapore, as part of a 10-year collaboration with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

Their staple diet - bamboo - has to be planted, the posh climate-controlled enclosure built and the keepers trained. A team of experts from China will come over to provide guidance.

The aim is help conserve the endangered species, raise awareness, and to start a breeding and research programme.

A key step will be taken today when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Chinese President Hu Jintao witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the project.

Ms Fanny Lai, chief executive of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said the pandas will be the star attractions in the new US$140 million (S$194 million) River Safari facility that will open in 2012. 'We are very excited about this,' she said. 'It is the dream of every zoo in the world to be able to work with the giant pandas.'

The one-year-old female and two-year-old male have been bred in captivity at the Wolong panda reserve in China's Sichuan province. They will undergo one month of quarantine in Singapore and will need another five months to acclimatise to their new surroundings before they make their public debut in 2012.

Home will be a spacious 1,600 sq m enclosure. It will simulate the four seasons the pandas are used to, with air-conditioning set at between 18 deg C and 22 deg C and humidity at 50 per cent to 60 per cent. The park is also planting different species of bamboo to meet their dietary requirement of about 20kg of the grass a day.

The pandas will be named after they arrive, but Ms Lai said they have yet to work out how it will be done. She added that while the programme was for 10 years, it could be extended. She declined to say how much it will cost to maintain the pandas, but it takes about $1 million a year to upkeep an animal exhibit zone in the Singapore Zoo. CapitaLand has signed on as a corporate sponsor for an undisclosed sum.

Cuddly pandas are a huge draw for any zoo, but their presence in Singapore has a serious side for Ms Lai - initiating a successful breeding programme.

There are about 1,800 pandas in the world, including 268 in captivity. The 30 that are in zoos outside China have produced 12 babies, and Ms Lai hopes Singapore can add to the number. The bears coming here have twin siblings, which will increase their chances of reproduction.

Giant pandas, which are found only in China, are threatened by loss of habitat, poaching and a low birth rate. Females in the wild normally have a cub once every two to three years. Any offspring will be returned to China, which considers pandas a national treasure.

It is not the first time that Singapore has hosted pandas. In 1990, a pair, An-An and Xin-Xing, were here for 100 days. In 1988, Jiao Jiao the performing panda visited with the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.

Singapore Zoo - Panda deal

2009-11-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
11 NOVEMBER 2009

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) Press Release
Singapore, November 11, 2009 - Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), parent company of Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo will receive a pair of male and female Giant Pandas from China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) as part of a joint collaboration to promote giant panda conservation, raise public awareness of conservation and implement a giant panda breeding research programme. The pandas are symbolic of the close relationship between Singapore and China as the Republic celebrates the 20th Anniversary of friendly Sino-Singapore relations. This was announced by President Hu Jintao following a meeting with President S R Nathan earlier this evening.

The two pandas, which are scheduled to arrive in Singapore in the second half of 2011, will have a new home at the River Safari, the fourth and latest nature park by WRS. Preliminary work for River Safari has begun and construction is due to be completed by mid-2011. Visitors will be able to see the pandas when River Safari opens its doors in early 2012.
Both WRS and CWCA will ink their commitment to the conservation collaboration through an Agreement with the objective of knowledge exchange on reproductive science and education on wildlife in China.
The partnership will be sealed at a signing ceremony on November 12 in the presence of President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, signaling high-level support from both governments.
"We are pleased that the pandas mark the strong and continuing friendship between the two countries. The strong support from both our governments will give us great impetus to work with our Chinese counterpart in global nature and wildlife conservation, and to learn, adopt and implement best practices. This collaboration will also boost greater interest in the areas of conservation, especially for the giant pandas," said Ms Claire Chiang, WRS' Chairman.
To support this conservation effort, CapitaLand Limited, one of Asia's largest real estate companies with a strong presence in China for 15 years, has pledged a conservation donation to support the 10-year collaborative programme.

Mr Liew Mun Leong, President and CEO of CapitaLand Group, said: "Over the last 15 years, CapitaLand has actively participated in China's urbanisation. Today, we have an extensive presence with a portfolio worth over S$20 billion (on a when-completed basis) comprising about 100 projects spanning 40 cities across China. This conservation donation is yet another testament of CapitaLand's long-term commitment to China. This collaborative effort will raise cultural exchange and understanding between the two countries and further strengthen the strong relationship between Singapore and China."

Husbandry and Veterinary Care
"With WRS' Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre established since 2006, we have the necessary infrastructure in place - latest technology in veterinary equipment and animal management team with extensive field experience - to care for the giant pandas. Through close collaboration with the CWCA, we will be even better positioned to achieve our objectives of promoting giant panda conservation and raise public awareness of conservation. Along with all Singaporeans, we eagerly await the arrival of the pandas," said Ms Fanny Lai, WRS' Group CEO.

WRS has identified a team of zookeepers and veterinarians to look after the husbandry needs and veterinary care of the pandas. During the next two years, zookeepers will receive training on the husbandry, nutrition and housing of pandas. A researcher on the team will monitor as well as study the husbandry, nutrition, behaviour and reproduction of the pandas.
In addition, a team of panda experts from China will come to Singapore to provide training as well as expert guidance on creating the ideal environment for the pandas.
Caring for pandas is not new to WRS. In 1990 one of WRS' parks, Singapore Zoo, welcomed and cared for two giant pandas "An-An" and "Xin-Xing" for 100 days.

Exhibit, Housing and Conservation Education
In line with the needs of the pandas, their new home at the River Safari will be designed and constructed to meet the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) standards.
As a strong proponent of conservation education, WRS will be looking at enriching visitors' experience with panda conservation interpretives, educational programmes and behind-the-scenes experience on panda care.

River Safari
River Safari will be located along Mandai Lake Road, adjacent to Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. The new attraction will be Asia's first river-themed animal park comprising of boat rides, display of freshwater habitats and other highlights offering close-up multi-sensory experience for the young and old, with the aim to create greater awareness of freshwater habitat conservation. The development will be built with environmental sensitivity and minimal impact on the Mandai Nature Reserve area.

CONTACT: Ms Eileen Bakri / Mrs Elaine Lim
DURING OFFICE HOURS: 6534-5122 (Office)
AFTER OFFICE HOURS: 9781-0737 / 9751-2122 (Mobile)
EMAIL: eileen.bakri@citigatedrimage.com /
elaine.lim@citigatedrimage.com
November 11, 2009

WRS FACTSHEET - GIANT PANDAS
Introduction
Wildlife Reserves Singapore will be the custodian of a pair of Giant Pandas from China. Scheduled to arrive in Singapore in second half of 2011 the pair of male and female pandas, currently two years old and one year old respectively, mark two decades of friendly relations between Singapore and China and their collaboration to promote giant panda conservation through a joint collaborative research programme.

Habitat/ Exhibit
The two giant pandas will be housed at Wildlife Reserves Singapore's River Safari. The exhibit will be constructed according to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards. It will be fully air-conditioned and the humidity level kept low. The giant pandas will be housed in a 1600 m2 climate-controlled enclosure, off-exhibit holding area, exercise yard and cubbing den. The entire habitat will be air-conditioned with temperature set between 18 to 220C and humidity controlled at 50 to 60% all year round. The ambient conditions will be adjusted to simulate the four seasons similar to their natural habitat

Diet
The Giant Panda's diet consists mainly of bamboo, vegetables and special foliovore biscuits. It is estimated that a panda's daily intake is about 20kg of bamboo browse per day. In preparation of the pandas' arrival, Wildlife Reserves Singapore plans to cultivate six different bamboo species in its parks.

Conservation
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Giant Panda is endangered. The contraction of panda population is the result of logging and trees being removed to make way for farming. Conservation efforts include restoring panda habitats such as creating forest reserves and captive breeding programmes.

Husbandry
A team of four dedicated and experienced staff have been identified to care for the pandas. In addition, four staff from China's panda team will be in Singapore - two staff at a time for six months over the one year duration for the training and to see to the establishment of the ideal habitat for the pandas in their new home in Singapore. The pandas will be well cared for by an excellent team of veterinarians, zookeepers, and researchers in line with World Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards and recommendations.

APEC guest to visit Singapore Zoo

2009-11-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

Singapore has been ready for the APEC Leaders' Week meetings, which are to be kicked off Sunday with the opening of the Concluding Senior Officials' Meeting.

Around 10,000 delegates, media persons and visitors, including 21 leaders and 63 ministers from the 21 APEC member economies, are arriving in the country. The city's hotels are hustling and bustling for welcoming guests from around the Asia-Pacific regions, with some providing a welcome drink -- a specially concocted APEC cocktail -- to new arrivals.

Those staying at The Fairmont Singapore and Swissotel The Stamford, two designated hotels by the APEC organizing committee, were expected to receive special welcome amenities like APEC souvenirs and a range of gifts and services.

Trainings in service and languages for employees were also provided by hotels to cater to the needs of visitors from around the world.

Local restaurants, already renowned for its fusion meals, came in with new ideas. An APEC-themed menu at O'Leary's, which is a restaurant at the city's iconic attraction Singapore Flyer, included an "Obama burger" in recognition of the U.S. President Barack Obama who will be in town for the Summit.

APEC delegates could also have the chance to taste the country's signature cocktail -- the Singapore Sling, all in celebration of the grouping's 20th anniversary.

The streets of Orchard Road, the main shopping area, and the Marina Bay area, where main tourist attractions were located, lit up for eight weeks as of Saturday, in time for visiting APEC delegates.

Singapore's PM Lee Hsien Loong called on the Singaporeans to become hospitable hosts for the event.

"Whether you are a taxi driver, whether you a staff in a hotel, whether you are asked for directions in the street, or whether you are just going about your business and inconvenienced because the APEC convoy has zoomed by and (caused) a traffic jam, please do your part and show them what Singapore can do," he said at an earlier press conference.

About 1,700 volunteers were chosen out of some 3,000 applicants and would be assigned to cover a wide range of duties, including receiving delegates at the airport and tending to the information booths located at various hotels.

I am a Loud person?

2009-11-01T22:10:00.000-08:00

Ms Fanny Lai
Wildlife Reserves Singapore

Ms Fanny Lai is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) which comprises Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. Passionate about wildlife conservation, she volunteered as a docent at Singapore Zoo, prior to joining Singapore Zoological Gardens in 2004. A strong advocate that more people can be inspired to take individual responsibility in wildlife conservation, she has spearheaded a strategic plan for the parks to play a greater role in public education, conservation and research.

Fanny is a member of World Zoo and Aquarium Association (WAZA) and South East Asia Zoo Associations (SEAZA) as well as Council member of Attractions of Singapore Association (ASA). In 2008, she is the first recipient to be awarded Marketing Institute's “Marketer of the Year” Award for her marketing execution that has brought many winnings and successes for Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

She holds an Executive MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Duck Tours

2009-10-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

It's a bus! It's a boat! It's the Original Splashing DUCK! DUCKtours uniquely combines the city and harbour tour on an authentic Vietnam warcraft, offering you 60 minutes of amphibious touring adventure on both land and sea. Come and be entertained by our DUCKtainers. Hold on to your seat as it waddles away and be prepared for a splashing good time! Ask for the Original Award Winning DUCK@Suntec today!Boarding location @ Suntec City (Galleria)

Operating Hours : 10am - 6pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Frequency: Hourly departures
DUCK Capacity: 31 DUCKies
Admission: S$33/Adult
S$17/Child (3-12 years)
S$2/Toddler (Below 3 yrs)
Nearest MRT : City Hall Station

Phone reservation are highly recommended.
Call us @ 6-33-868-77 (TOURS).

"Unique Land & Sea Amphibious
Adventure on a Vietnam War Craft"

http://www.ducktours.com.sg/ducktours.html

Endangered bongo antelope dies at Zoo Atlanta

2009-10-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

The oldest known eastern bongo antelope living in captivity has died at Zoo Atlanta.

Zoo President and CEO Dennis Kelly said Tuesday that the 19-year-old animal named Mzima was euthanized after her health declined because of age. The bongo came to the zoo in 2004 from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas.

She was born at the Texas zoo in 1989.

Mzima was the oldest bongo living in an accredited U.S. zoo, and the second-oldest eastern bongo in captivity worldwide. Bongos are among the most endangered animals at the zoo, with just 500 believed to remain in the wild.

The animals are striped with long horns and are native to Africa. The zoo's Web site says the entire wild eastern bongo population now lives in two parks in Kenya.

Zoo Hippo

2009-10-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

Birthday Specials at Singapore Zoo

2009-10-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Transform a special day into a wildly extraordinary one when you next visit Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari or Singapore Zoo on your birthday.

From October 1, guests who visit any of the three parks on their birthdays will receive complimentary admission. So if your birthday falls on October 1, do not be bashful to be the first few to enjoy this privilege.

To gain complimentary admission to any of the three parks on their birthdays, visitors only need to present an identification document in exchange for a free birthday badge. And, if you wear the badge throughout the visit, you’ll be pleasantly bombarded with birthday wishes from staff you’ll encounter during the day, a free scoop of ice-cream and a 10% discount at participating retail and F&B outlets*

In conjunction with the Birthday Badge program, Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park also introduced birthday party packages for children below the age of 12. Magical mirthful merriment also awaits those who decide to celebrate at Singapore Zoo’s Rainforest Kidzworld.

Even better, whisk yourselves into an amazing African adventure at Jurong Bird Park’s Bongo Burgers Restaurant. This October, plan an out-of-this-world Halloween-themed birthday bash at either of the parks. Adults, don’t feel left out as customised birthday parties can also be arranged!

The Return of Halloween Horrors at Night Safari

2009-09-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Halloween in Singapore Zoo, October's every Fridays and Saturdays.

http://www.halloweenhorrors.com.sg

At Singapore flyer too.

Surfing Internet at Singapore Zoo

2009-09-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

A mosque, the zoo and the nature reserve of Sungei Buloh have something in common - access to Wireless@SG coverage.

Local wireless providers have, since the rollout of the free wireless broadband network in 2006, been expanding the reach of the network to include even unlikely locations such as places of worship and nature reserves.

Three years ago, 600 places were covered. Today, the number is 7,500 and counting.

The three providers SingTel, iCell and Qala name fast food restaurants, shopping malls and libraries as the most popular spots where people log on to the Internet.

iCell's top 10 list of popular hotspots include Little India (fifth), shopping mall IMM (ninth) and the City Plaza mall in Paya Lebar (10th).

KK Women's & Children's Hospital and Singapore General Hospital took second and third spots on iCell's list after the National Library.

It says the demand for connectivity at hospitals arises out of the long waiting times there. Indeed, people who log on while at KKH and SGH spend 19,751 hours and 25,540 hours respectively online every month.

SingTel also covers quirky places such as the MacRitchie Reservoir, the zoo and Jurong Bird Park, with the latter two locations becoming more popular.

Zoo's Baby Boom

2009-09-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

A spectacled owl mother and baby...

One of the three new baby Bush Dogs born recently at Chester Zoo

A lion tailed macaque mom and child snuggle up

Bella, Chester Zoo's latest giraffe arrival, is seen here just yesterday with a doting Mom...

Singapore Zoo Shooting for ClubSNAP

2009-09-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Any one keen to join me at Singapore Zoo coming sunday? 13 Sept 8.30am - 10.00am

SK LEE

Rojak Anyone?

2009-08-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

The National Environment Agency has given itself a pat on the shoulder for raising the hygiene standards of Singapore’s food stalls.

More than 90 per cent of Singapore’s food stalls have achieved either an A or B grading for hygiene standards, and there was no stall with D grading, it said.

NEA officers have been actively visiting stalls and distributing educational pamphlets on hygiene to the stall holders in the aftermath of Singapore’s worst mass food poisoning outbreak in April this year.

Three Singaporeans died from eating contaminated food from an Indian Rojak stall which was graded a “B” by NEA. There was one miscarriage and over 100 casualties.

It turned out that it was in fact graded a “C” but somehow the stall holder did not receive the new label. The lapse in surveillance had dealt a blow to NEA’s reputation.

The temporary market committee which was supposed to oversee the cleanliness of the site was not taken to task.

Neither did NEA’s CEO Andrew Tan or the Minister of Environment Yaacob Ibrahim offer Singaporeans any apology. Instead, Singaporeans were blamed for their poor hygiene standards.

The Indian rojak man was subsequently charged in court. There were no updates about his case so far.

Following public furore over the standard of public hygiene at hawker centers and markets, the NEA introduced a series of stringent measures to raise the hygiene level.

Singapore is famous for her cleanliness and efficiency.

Feeling Poorer during Singapore trip

2009-08-20T23:14:00.000-07:00

People feels that Singapore is getting too expensive. Do you think so?

After our 30 days in Indonesia, our next stop was Singapore.

What a difference a day makes!
After the bedlam, chaos and frenetic activity of Medan we arrived in Singapore – it was like stepping on to a different planet – clean, organised, manicured and ordered.

We had 2 reasons to visit Singapore, one to see the sites and the other to meet some of Paul’s old workmates from the Philippines’ who have now moved to Singapore. We were met at the airport by our guide for our visit - Paul’s old team mate Pretty Pink Mitz (PPM)! Unfortunately PPM is not known for her sense of direction and before we even left the airport, she managed to get us lost trying to find our way to the train to the city!

For the first day and a half I partook in some retail therapy. Singapore has an incredible number of shops – where as London has Oxford Street, Singapore has Orchard Road. The difference is Oxford Street is a road of shops, Orchard Road is a street of malls, they go on and on and on – clothes, electronics, gadgets, tailors and boutiques, Singapore has them all from top end brands to bargain basement. After all that shopping we headed to the Long Room in Raffles to relax and have a famous Singapore Sling – we closed our eyes to the fact that each drink was the same as one day’s budget on Lake Maninjau but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

The weekend arrived and PPM became our full time tour guide taking us to Sentosa Island and Singapore Zoo and wildlife parks. Sentosa Island is a mini-theme park and the highlight was a water fountain, light, laser and firework show over the bay. Difficult to explain but a must see on any visit to Singapore. The zoo was also great fun and the highlight was seeing the Polar Bears and feedings some of the giraffes (I’m not sure that PPM was quite as sure about the Giraffes as Paul was though!). On Saturday evening we met up with loads of Paul’s old work colleagues, many who he had not seen since his first visit too Manila in 2003. They very kindly introduced us to some Singapore delicacies and some drinks in the evening. Thanks for the great night - PPM, Dennis, Roly, Rach, Andrew, Mark, Jaz, Nilo, Mel, Louise, and Charot.

We found we didn’t have enough time in Singapore so extended our trip for one more day but still didn’t manage to see everything.

Singapore is a great city – another one we would consider living in. If you can cope with the retail overload there is so much to see and do a very, very nice city! But Expensive.

Singapore Zoo

2009-08-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

If you have written all Zoos off as sad, inhumane places then maybe consider having your mind changed by Singapore Zoo, which was endorsed by the late Steve Irwin and is used by Animal Planet for some of its documentaries. The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats. Most, except the poor old panting polar bear confined to his air-con den by the blazing heat outside, seem happy with their lot and no more psychologically damaged than some of the creatures on the other sides of the moats. For a cooler experience, board the little train that trundles through the park. Kids will love the Jungle Breakfast, where visitors are joined at a 9am buffet by a host of exotic animals such as orangutans, otters and elephants.

Visit the Singapore Zoo. Happy National Day Singapore.

'National Zoo's mortality rate among the lowest'

2009-08-06T23:28:00.000-07:00

MALAYSIA: The majority of deaths that occur at Zoo Negara are short-living birds and rodents as well as sick and injured animals received from the public.

Malaysian Zoological Society (MZS), which manages the zoo, said despite this, the zoo's animal mortality rate at four per cent is among the lowest compared to other zoos in the country.

MZS president Datuk Ismail Hutson said large animals such as elephants, tigers, giraffes, hippopotamus were outliving their counterparts in the jungles.

"In fact, the true indication of animal health is their fertility rate and we're faced with a birth boom, especially among the Nile hippopotamus.

"Our resident milky and painted storks which were once close to extinction have been successfully bred to a healthy population of about 70 and 361 respectively."

He said the milky storks with a worldwide population of 5,550 in 2002, were being distributed from breeding grounds in the zoo, to sanctuaries all over the country.

Ismail was responding to allegations by sources in the New Sunday Times that large numbers of rare animals and birds at the zoo had died due to unsuitable living conditions and failure to upgrade amenities.

"These sources who are bringing up this issue and trying to smear our good name are former council members and MZS life members.

"They should bring up whatever issues they have with us and not try to make an issue of the whole thing."

Ismail also criticised former zoo assistant director and veterinary division head Dr S. Vellayan, who was quoted saying the cause of animal deaths was due to water contamination.

"We should note that during Dr Vellayan's time, the animal mortality rate was 9.5 per cent and after he left the figure has dropped to about four per cent over the last three years."

Ismail said one of the zoo's founding members, Mohd Khan Momin Khan, who suggested the authorities regularly check on the welfare of animals there, had received 17 Sambar deer from the zoo for his farm in 2001.

"If he felt Zoo Negara was not taking good care of its animals why was he interested in getting animals from us?" he asked.

Ismail confirmed the Malaysian Anti Corruption Council was investigating allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds at the zoo involving a RM8.1 million (S$3.3 million) government allocation under the Eighth Malaysia Plan.

"We'll wait for the MACC to complete its investigations."

Ismail said at present, the zoo's gate collection, sponsorship and other income were sufficient to cover the RM9 million (S$3.7 million) cost in maintaining its 5,437 animal exhibits.

He said it was hoping to get government allocation of about RM2 million (S$820, 000) a year for development works.

Buy one get one free Vouchers

2009-08-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

Singapore Zoo Tree Walk

2009-07-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

Singapore Zoo is a world class zoo situated in the north of Singapore. This tree walk is fairly close to the entrance to the zoo and allows you to walk among the tops of the trees and look down at some of the alligators in the water below.
The Singapore Zoo is well known not only for the fantastic collection of animals in the Zoo, but also for the Singapore Night Safari, which allows visitors to watch nocturnal behaviour of some of the animals.

Personally, I enjoyed the walk a lot, where you can not only watch the many different birds and monkeys jumping from tree to tree, but also the Alligators right below your feet swimming through the shallow water.

Have fun!

Amazing Pictures of animals in Singapore Zoo

2009-07-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

By Marc Wilde... Thanks.

Zoo has a white baby rhino

2009-07-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

IT'S a girl!

A white rhino baby is a new addition recently to the Singapore Zoo.

The sixth calf was born to mum Shova on July 2 weighing about 60 kg.

The gestation period of a white rhino is 16 months. Shova has now given birth to four males and two females.

Four of these calves have been exported to Zoos and Safari Parks in Australia, Indonesia and Thailand but this latest female will remain at the zoo.

She will go on show in a few weeks time.

The white rhino is the largest of the species. It can weigh up to 3,600 kg and reach a height of 1.85m.

It can be found in Africa but is threatened by poachers after its horns.

Tiger prawns set for Europe, US

2009-06-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

A company in Malaysia hopes to export millions of ringgit worth of tiger prawns to Europe and Japan from October when its hatchery and processing plant is operational in Kerpan.

Blue Archipelago Bhd chief executive officer Dr Shahridan Faiez Mohideen Abdul Kader said the Kerpan monodons and white prawns, which would also be exported to the United States, had recently received the seal of acceptance from European nations in the form of a registration number from the European Union.

The company operates a prawn farm which produces about 2,000 tonnes of white prawns and up to 6,000 tonnes of tiger prawns.

"We have some of the finest prawns in the world and we are confident our home-reared crustaceans will place Malaysia on the global map as a major producer of tiger and white prawns," he said after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the operator of the prawn farm and Universiti Putera Malaysia here on Sunday.

Witnessing the event were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

Under the agreement, about 200 employees of Blue Archipelago will undergo diploma-level training at the university to improve their knowledge and skills in prawn breeding technology.

"Once our hatchery and processing plant are ready, we can further boost our production. This will also be good for the nation's foreign exchange."

He said the construction of the plant was part of Blue Archipelago's efforts to boost the yield of the prawn farm, set up 15 years ago.

"We have the capacity and know-how and we aim to exploit all opportunities to tap our potential."

10kg python takes bite out of its catcher

2009-06-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

A staff member of the Civil Defence Department (JPA3) was rushed to Seberang Jaya Hospital yesterday after he was bitten by a python while he and three other colleagues tried to catch the reptile in Prai, early yesterday.

Although the bite was not poisonous, the JPA3 members rushed Mazlan Abdullah, who is in his 20s, to the hospital for outpatient treatment.

The 4.20am drama unfolded when Mazlan and his colleagues received a call that the three-metre long python, weighing 10kg was spotted in a factory at the Prai industrial area.

JPA3 officer Jimmy Alberto said they subsequently managed to subdue the snake before sending Mazlan to the hospital.

Jimmy said prior to that, the team had caught another python in Titi Mukim, Teluk Air Tawar on Saturday.

He said the four-metre reptile was nabbed in a chicken coop.

He added that this month alone, seven pythons and four king cobras had been caught.

Fish can learn despite small brains

2009-06-16T22:30:00.000-07:00

A small fish found in streams across Europe has a human-like ability to learn, British scientists reported on Wednesday.

The nine-spined stickleback could be the first animal to exhibit a key human social learning strategy that allows it to compare the behaviour of others to its own experience and make choices that lead it to better food supplies.

"Small fish may have small brains but they still have some surprising cognitive abilities," said Jeremy Kendal of Durham University.

Kendal and colleagues from St. Andrews University found in tests that 75 percent of sticklebacks were clever enough to know from watching others that a feeder in a tank was rich in food, even though they had previously got little from it themselves.

This ability represents an unusually sophisticated social learning skill not yet found in other animals, they reported in the journal Behavioral Ecology.

New Born Baby Pygmy Hippo

2009-06-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

Born on 4th June 2009, this calf is the latest addition to the Singapore Zoo! Weighing 6.2 kg at birth, Divo is the eighth successful birth for proud parents Mina and Babu.Found most in West Africa, with slightly over 3,000 left, pygmy hippos have dwindled in numbers due to deforestation and poaching.

INFLUENZA A (H1N1) MEASURES IN Singapore Zoo

2009-06-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

What is influenza A (H1N1) flu?

The new strain of influenza A (H1N1) involved in the current flu outbreak in humans is a reassortment of several strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that are, separately, endemic in humans, endemic in birds and endemic in swine.
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reports that it has not been isolated in swine. It passes with apparent ease from human to human, an ability attributed to an as-yet unidentified mutation. Influenza A (H1N1) is not found in any swine or human in Singapore so far. To prevent the outbreak of pandemic, the focus is in prevention of spread from human to human, and human to our animals.

Are there any live pigs in WRS parks?

Yes, we have live pigs in both Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.

How many pigs are there in WRS parks?

We have a total of 55 pigs at the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. These include babirusa, warthogs, red river hogs and Malayan bearded pigs.

Is it safe to come into contact with live pigs at WRS parks?

So far, there are no known cases of influenza A (H1N1) in Singapore. However, proper hygiene practices, such as washing of hands after contact with animals including pigs, should be maintained. No visitors are allowed to come into contact with pigs in WRS parks, as the exhibits are fronted by water or dry moats.

Will WRS be closing the exhibits for these animals, especially with the recent case of human to pig transmission in Alberta, Canada?

To date, there are no known cases of influenza A (H1N1) in Singapore. Thus there are no plans to close our exhibits as yet.

The pig population in WRS parks is confined within the parks. Our specimens do not have any contact with other pigs. However, to safeguard out endangered species, WRS parks will confine our babirusa, warthogs and bearded pigs behind the scenes if there is a confirmed outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) in Singapore.

In the event of an outbreak in Singapore, will WRS be putting down the pigs?

We would like to assure the public that WRS parks practise strict biosecurity surveillance in consultation with AVA. Our pigs are confined within the parks and our collection; and they do not have any contact with other pigs. The current influenza A (H1N1) infection is spread from human to human, and we will be ensuring that our pigs are properly protected from such transmissions by maintaining our continuous vigilance and sound biosecurity practices.

What measures are being taken to ensure the safety of visitors?

Wildlife Reserves Singapore parks are in the process of putting up signages to reinforce the need for visitors to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after using the toilets and if they have come into contact with any animal. We are working with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to monitor the influenza A (H1N1) situation closely. Hygiene, and the safety of our animals, visitors and staff are of utmost importance to us.

Keepers are also reminding guests to wash their hands after all animal token feeding sessions.

The parks have also increased the frequency of their cleaning schedules for various facilities. This includes wiping down of all rental equipment such as wagons and strollers with a sanitizer every time they are used, instead of just once daily.

In addition, we are also monitoring the condition of our visitors and keepers, and those who show symptoms of coughing, sneezing and other flu-like symptoms will be asked to consult with a doctor immediately.

Are WRS parks taking the temperatures of their guests?

As there are no known cases of influenza A (H1N1) in Singapore to date, we do not want to alarm our visitors by adopting such measures at this time. Furthermore, our parks are in open areas so visitors are not restricted to confined spaces.

Will the water play area at Rainforest Kidzworld be closed?

There are no plans to close the attraction as yet as there are no known cases of influenza A (H1N1) in Singapore.

Will the animal petting section at Rainforest Kidzworld be closed?

So far, there are no known cases of influenza A (H1N1) flu in Singapore. We encourage our visitors to practise proper hygiene practices, such as washing of hands after contact with animals.

Anteaters caught (human) H1N1 flu in zoo outbreak

2009-06-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Humans, horses, dogs, whales, seals, birds, cats, ferrets and even raccoons are known to be susceptible to the tiny eight-gene viruses. Researchers in Tennessee have now added giant anteaters to that list.

"Who would have thunk it?" senior author Dr. Melissa Kennedy says with a laugh. "We were pretty amazed."

The February 2007 outbreak, involving 11 adult giant anteaters at Tennessee's Nashville zoo, is reported in an article that will be published in the July issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. All the anteaters survived the illness.

Branswell's story makes it clear that the anteaters caught the "old" human form of H1N1, not the current strain.

Don't stay at home during the June holidays

2009-06-01T23:47:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again; the time where the weather becomes unbareably hot, the kids are set loose and suddenly, malls are over-run with screaming children.

Though traveling will most probably be out of the question this year, fret not! Singapore is filled with a barrage of exciting promotions for you and your child, this June, you'll never be bored.

National Museum

1) Get Real, Kids: Let there be Clothes! (In collaboration with Project Omelette)
Specially developed for active young learners, these half-day workshops incorporate all the necessary ingredients to ignite the passion of discovery, fuel the process of learning, while inculcating thoughtful values and life skills in children.

Let the hidden designer in your child bloom as they are introduced to the history of world fashion and discover the identity of clothes through play, while exploring the National Museum of Singapore’s Fashion Gallery.

They can also, design their own t-shirts from skills and knowledge acquired at the workshop.

Where: National Museum Canning Visitor Services Counter (Level 2)

When: 5-6 Jun 2009 Fri & Sat

Timing: 09:00AM & 02:00PM

Ticket pricing: Standard - S$70

Book your tickets at sistic.

2) Cook up your Singapore Flavour
What was a street hawker’s life like in the 1950s and what hawker foods were popular then? Introduce your child to a slice of history through this workshop that includes a tour of the Food Gallery and hands-on craftwork with clay. Let your child experience the bustling street life through the sounds and smells in the gallery, then re-create a local food with play clay and lots of inspiration gathered from the tour!

Where: Stamford Visitor Services Counter, Level 1

When: Wed 3 Jun – Sun 7 Jun, Wed 10 Jun – Sun 14 Jun, Wed 17 Jun – Sun 21 Jun 09

Timing: 11am – 12.15pm

Prices: S$25 per child

For more information check out sistic.

3) Design Future Fashions From Past Styles
What did your grandmother wear when she was a young lady? How is that different from what we wear today?

Your child will be introduced to fashion trends and traditional costumes worn by women in Singapore from the 1950s to 1970s in the National Museum of Singapore’s Fashion Gallery.

Where: National Museum Stamford Visitor Services Counter (Level 1)

When: 3-21 Jun 2009

Timing: 1:30PM

Prices: S$25

For more information check out sistic.

4) Get Real, Kids: Sensing Food
Sensing Food educates children on the global issue of starvation around the world and how they can play a part to help the less fortunate.

Here, they will find out where their favourite burger originates from, discern what constitutes a healthy meal, and express their creativity by designing a healthy burger complete with a presentation kit to promote their product!

Where: National Museum Canning Visitor Services Counter (Level 2)

When: 19-20 Jun 2009 Fri & Sat

Timing: 09:00AM & 02:00PM

Prices: S$70

For more information check out sistic.

5) Children Season returns to the National Museum of Singapore
The National Museum of Singapore is bringing in a performance entitled Dinosaurs in the Garden by Erth Visual & Physical (Australia) . Interect with a herd of "dinosaurs" at the National Museum this holiday.

Where: National Museum Gallery Theatre

When: 4-7 June 2009

Timing: 11am, 2pm and 5pm

Prices: $20 with additional $1 booking fee.

Call Sistic at 6384-5555 for tickets

Park Hopper: Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park and Singapore Zoo

Explore all three of Singapore's most famous parks at a special price of one ticket at $40 (adult) and $20 (child).

Join all three parks on a prehistoric adventure through Jurong Bird Park's new exhibition 'Dinosaur Descendants'. You can also take part in the Dino Trail contest, which will run across the three parks and involve participants answering questions relating to exhibits.

Spend your morning and afternoon at the Zoo and at the bird park and end of the day with a tram ride through Night Safari.

Check out the websites for more information on other events:

Night Safari Singapore Zoo
Jurong Bird Park

"Sleep with the Penguins" Family Camp

Join the bird park in celebrating one of the world's most beloved birds, the penguins.

In this 2 days 1 night camp, it's fun for the whole family as you gather your sleeping bags around the camp fire to have a thrilling encounter with the penguins.

Perfect for toddlers to grandparents, you'll have a fun-packed camp with the bird park.

Where: Jurong Bird Park

When: 13-14 June

Prices: $110 per adult (13 & Above)
$90 per child (3 - 12 years)

*As only tents will be provided, you are encouraged to bring your own sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, picnic mats, mini portable fan, toiletries, insect repellent and additional torchlight.

Check out the camp's itinerary for registration.

Australian Festival 2009 @ Singapore Zoo: May 30-June 28

2009-05-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

Starting every Saturday & Sunday from 30 May - 28 June, hop into the Australian Festival at the Singapore Zoo this June Holidays to experience the beauty and culture of the vast semi-arid land of the Australian Outback!

Meet the Wild Aussies - a star-studded crew of a wallaby and her friends - a cockatoo and a frilled neck lizard as they sing and dance their way around Australia to help you learn more about their endangered animals.

Witness how the Outback is buzzing with well-adapted wildlife such as kangaroos, wallabies, reptiles, emu, brolga, breaded dragon, frilled-neck lizard and more. Get up close and personal with the kangaroos and wallabies in the Great Outback drawing competition and join in a token feeding session right after.

And don’t miss our exciting Australian bazaar every weekend! With exciting stalls featuring Australian performances, art and crafts and face-painting, families and kids can celebrate all things Australian and enjoy a wide spectrum of family entertainment.

Ticketing of Australian Festival 2009
Adult : $18, Child $9

Dragons attack Indonesians

2009-05-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

Komodo dragons have shark-like teeth and poisonous venom that can kill a person within hours of a bite. Yet villagers who have lived for generations alongside the world's largest lizard were not afraid _ until the dragons started to attack.

The stories spread quickly across this smattering of tropical islands in southeastern Indonesia, the only place the endangered reptiles can still be found in the wild: Two people were killed since 2007 _ a young boy and a fisherman _ and others were badly wounded after being charged unprovoked.

Komodo dragon attacks are still rare, experts note. But fear is swirling through the fishing villages, along with questions on how best to live with the dragons in the future.

Main, a 46-year-old park ranger, who like many Indonesians goes by a single name, was doing paperwork when a dragon slithered up the stairs of his wooden hut in Komodo National Park and went for his ankles dangling beneath the desk. When the ranger tried to pry open the beast's powerful jaws, it locked its teeth into his hand.

"I thought I wouldn't survive... I've spent half my life working with Komodos and have never seen anything like it," said Main, pointing to his jagged gashes, sewn up with 55 stitches and still swollen three months later. "Luckily, my friends heard my screams and got me to hospital in time."

Komodos, which are popular at zoos in the United States to Europe, grow to be 10 feet (3 meters) long and 150 pounds (70 kilograms). All of the estimated 2,500 left in the wild can be found within the 700-square-mile (1,810-square-kilometer) Komodo National Park, mostly on its two largest islands, Komodo and Rinca. The lizards on neighboring Padar were wiped out in the 1980s when hunters killed their main prey, deer.

Though poaching is illegal, the sheer size of the park _ and a shortage of rangers _ makes it almost impossible to patrol, said Heru Rudiharto, a biologist and reptile expert. Villagers say the dragons are hungry and more aggressive toward humans because their food is being poached, though park officials are quick to disagree.

The giant lizards have always been dangerous, said Rudiharto. However tame they may appear, lounging beneath trees and gazing at the sea from white-sand beaches, they are fast, strong and deadly.

The animals are believed to have descended from a larger lizard on Indonesia's main island Java or Australia around 30,000 years ago. They can reach speeds of up to 18 miles (nearly 30 kilometers) per hour, their legs winding around their low, square shoulders like egg beaters.

When they catch their prey, they carry out a frenzied biting spree that releases venom, according to a new study this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The authors, who used surgically excised glands from a terminally ill dragon at the Singapore Zoo, dismissed the theory that prey die from blood poisoning caused by toxic bacteria in the lizard's mouth.

The long, jagged teeth are the lizard's primary weapons, said Bryan Fry of the University of Melbourne.

"They deliver these deep, deep wounds," he said. "But the venom keeps it bleeding and further lowers the blood pressure, thus bringing the animal closer to unconsciousness."

Four people have been killed in the last 35 years (2009, 2007, 2000 and 1974) and at least eight injured in just over a decade. But park officials say these numbers aren't overly alarming given the steady stream of tourists and the 4,000 people who live in their midst.

"Any time there's an attack, it gets a lot of attention," Rudiharto said. "But that's just because this lizard is exotic, archaic, and can't be found anywhere but here."

Still, the recent attacks couldn't have come at a worse time.

The government is campaigning hard to get the park onto a new list of the Seven Wonders of Nature _ a long shot, but an attempt to at least raise awareness. The park's rugged hills and savannahs are home to orange-footed scrub fowl, wild boar and small wild horses, and the surrounding coral reefs and bays harbor more than a dozen whale species, dolphins and sea turtles.

Claudio Ciofi, who works at the Department of Animal Biology and Genetics at the University of Florence in Italy, said if komodos are hungry, they may be attracted to villages by the smell of drying fish and cooking, and "encounters can become more frequent."

Villagers wish they knew the answer.

They say they've always lived peacefully with Komodos. A popular traditional legend tells of a man who once married a dragon "princess." Their twins, a human boy, Gerong, and a lizard girl, Orah, were separated at birth.

When Gerong grew up, the story goes, he met a fierce-looking beast in the forest. But just as he was about to spear it, his mother appeared, revealing to him that the two were brother and sister.

"How could the dragons get so aggressive?" Hajj Amin, 51, taking long slow drags off his clove cigarettes, as other village elders gathering beneath a wooden house on stilts nodded. Several dragons lingered nearby, drawn by the rancid smell of fish drying on bamboo mats beneath the blazing sun. Also strolling by were dozens of goats and chickens.

"They never used to attack us when we walked alone in the forest, or attack our children," Amin said. "We're all really worried about this."

The dragons eat 80 percent of their weight and then go without food for several weeks. Amin and others say the dragons are hungry partly because of a 1994 policy that prohibits villagers from feeding them.

"We used to give them the bones and skin of deer," said the fisherman.

Villagers recently sought permission to feed wild boar to the Komodos several times a year, but park officials say that won't happen.

"If we let people feed them, they will just get lazy and lose their ability to hunt," said Jeri Imansyah, another reptile expert. "One day, that will kill them. "

The attack that first put villagers on alert occurred two years ago, when 8-year-old Mansyur was mauled to death while defecating in the bushes behind his wooden hut.

People have since asked for a 6-foot-high (2-meter) concrete wall to be built around their villages, but that idea, too, has been rejected. The head of the park, Tamen Sitorus, said: "It's a strange request. You can't build a fence like that inside a national park!"

Residents have made a makeshift barrier out of trees and broken branches, but they complain it's too easy for the animals to break through.

"We're so afraid now," said 11-year-old Riswan, recalling how just a few weeks ago students screamed when they spotted one of the giant lizards in a dusty field behind their school. "We thought it was going to get into our classroom. Eventually we were able to chase it up a hill by throwing rocks and yelling 'Hoohh Hoohh.'"

Then, just two months ago, 31-year-old fisherman Muhamad Anwar was killed when he stepped on a lizard in the grass as he was heading to a field to pick fruit from a sugar tree.

Even park rangers are nervous.

Gone are the days of goofing around with the lizards, poking their tails, hugging their backs and running in front of them, pretending they're being chased, said Muhamad Saleh, who has worked with the animals since 1987.

"Not any more," he says, carrying a 6-foot-long (2-meter) stick wherever he goes for protection. Then, repeating a famous line by Indonesia's most renowned poet, he adds: "I want to live for another thousand of years."

Porcupine, python strut catwalk for Russian zoo

2009-05-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

Leggy models shared the catwalk with a porcupine, a python and a yak on Sunday at a fashion show to raise public awareness of animal welfare and Saint Petersburg's zoo.

About a dozen animals in all -- some on leashes, others in the models' arms -- strutted their stuff for the zoo, one of the oldest in Europe but hard-pressed for funds.

"Casting the models was not easy," Tatiana Fedorishenko, the zoo's deputy director, told AFP, referring to the human kind. "The animals in the show are tame, but the models have to be without fear, and comfortable with them."

"It was hard," confided one of the models, Natasha. "My fox was always trying to run away. I had trouble finishing my walk."

The show was the idea of fashion designers in Russia's second city, in solidarity with the 410 species and 2,000 animals at the zoo in Alexander Park that was founded in 1865.

"I'm taking part because of my compassion for animals," said designer Vladislav Aksyonov. "I am flatly opposed to the use of natural fur and I also want to help our zoo." - AFP

Bears 'celebrate' Jewish holiday

2009-05-28T21:32:00.000-07:00

Bears at an Israeli zoo are given a festive meal of cheese as part of the celebrations of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

Normally accustomed to fruit, the bears are instead enjoying blocks of
cheese.

In modern Jewish Israeli custom families gather to eat a dairy-based meal.
And the keepers at the zoo thought the bears should be able to join in with
the celebrations.

SHAI DAVID, ZOO KEEPER, SAYING:
"This is a special breakfast, specially made for Shavuot, the
Jewish holiday. It's basically made of cheese, cream cheese, and fruits as a
custom - just like we do it on this holiday."

Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah by God to the Jewish people on
Mount Sinai, seven weeks after their exodus from slavery in Egypt.

Traditionally, Jewish residents of Israel visit the Western Wall in
Jerusalem's Old City - one of Judaism's holiest sites.

And while it's unlikely the bears will be making any such pilgrimage, they
certainly got into the spirit of the holiday where the food was concerned.

New Zealand zookeeper killed by white tiger

2009-05-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

(AFP) - A zookeeper was mauled to death by a white tiger at a New Zealand wildlife park Wednesday in an attack witnessed by horrified tourists, police said.

The male wildlife keeper was attacked by the animal while cleaning an enclosure in Whangarei's Zion Wildlife Gardens in New Zealand's north.

Eight foreign tourists at the park were understood to have seen the mauling, a police spokeswoman added.

"It was very, very frightening," an Auckland man told a Fairfax reporter, without giving his name.

Two keepers had gone into an enclosure containing two white tigers, when one of the animals attacked, the police spokeswoman said.

"Despite the best efforts of the second keeper and a rapid response from other wildlife park staff, the tiger would not let the park worker go and he died at the scene," she said.

The tiger was later destroyed by staff and the wildlife park was closed.

Another employee of the park, which is home to around 40 rare lions and tigers, required surgery after he was attacked in February by a white tiger after it was startled by a pride of lions.

Zion Wildlife Gardens are well known in New Zealand as the home of the Lion Man television series, which followed the work of Craig Busch, who was dismissed from the park controlled by his mother last year.

On Tuesday, Busch claimed in a court hearing over his dismissal that animal care and safety standards had slipped at the park since the breakdown of his relationship with his mother.

"I became very concerned with animal welfare issues," he said. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry documents released to Television New Zealand last year expressed concerns over animals kept in crowded, unsanitary conditions.

Inspectors were at one stage so concerned by conditions at Zion Wildlife Gardens they considered having 40 lions and tigers put down.

I thought such things only happen in Singapore.

Iraq to cull wild boars in Baghdad Zoo to halt flu

2009-05-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

Iraq will kill three wild boars in Baghdad Zoo to ward off the new flu sweeping the globe, officials said, despite experts' advice that people are spreading the virus, not pigs.

Dr. Ihsan Jafar, who heads Iraq's committee on what the World Health Organisation calls influenza A (H1N1) but is widely known as swine flu, said on Friday that a request was sent to Baghdad municipality to cull the hogs as soon as possible.

The government of northern Iraq's largely autonomous Kurdistan region said medical teams were checking travellers at airports, especially foreigners coming from countries affected.

"It is also possible the disease could be spread by eating pork, so we banned hunting wild boars," regional health minister Abdul Rahman Osman said. Most Iraqis are Muslim and do not eat pork, but a Christian minority does.

Iraq has registered no cases of the flu, which global health experts say derives from a swine influenza but has not been found in pigs.

In an effort to halt misinformation linking the virus to pigs, the World Health Organisation (WHO) renamed it Influenza A on Thursday. It has consistently said the disease cannot be caught from eating pork if it is prepared properly.

Still, Egypt on Thursday started seizing and slaughtering herds of pigs as precaution against the flu in a campaign the United Nations called a "real mistake".

"We know this virus is spreading by human to human transmission but we can't say 'don't take these secondary measures', which any country in the world would take," Jafar said, defending the planned boar slaughter.

Egypt's culling of 300000 pig inhumane

2009-05-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

A LEADING animal rights group criticised Egypt on Monday for using 'shocking and cruel' methods to slaughter the country's pigs over swine flu fears, responding to a YouTube video that showed men skewering squealing piglets with large kitchen knives and hitting others with crowbars.

The controversy was the latest swirling around Egypt's decision to kill all the country's 300,000 pigs out of concerns they will spread swine flu. But the World Health Organisation has said it is entirely unnecessary because the illness is being spread through humans.

The government decision also brought accusations that Muslims are attacking minority Christians, who breed the animals. Most Muslims consider pigs unclean and do not eat pork.

The Egyptian government has denied the claims and subsequently expanded its rationale for the slaughter to confront a long-standing hygienic problem posed by pigs raised by garbage collectors who live amid the refuse in Cairo slums.

There were also protests within Egypt's parliament. Christian lawmaker Seyada Ilhami Gress expressed anger on Sunday over the 'government's random and inhumane way of slaughtering the pigs'.

Responding to the criticism, Parliament Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour said the killing should be done in a 'civilised and humane way because animals have rights like human beings'. But he did not specifically comment on the video.

Both Muslim and Christian lawmakers supported the government late last month when it issued its order to kill the country's pigs, even though no swine flu cases have been reported.

The Ministry of Agriculture issued instructions at the time that owners should kill their pigs by piercing their hearts with a needle and then slitting their throats before burying them in pits lined with quicklime. But the video showed that those recommendations were not being heeded.

The head of the Egyptian Society of Animal Friends, Ahmed el-Sherbini, said in a statement published Monday in Al-Dustour newspaper that some of the pigs were being buried alive. The government said it was not aware of the practice.

The World Health Organisation says the H1N1 virus that has sickened more than 8,000 people around the world and killed 76 is being spread by humans, not pigs, and pork products are safe to eat. -- AP

No more Whale Shark after strong oppositions!

2009-05-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

A Singapore casino developer said Saturday it was considering alternatives to its plan to exhibit whale sharks, the world's largest fish, which had run into strong opposition from animal welfare groups.

"We have started to explore plans for an alternative to a whale shark exhibit," Krist Boo, the spokeswoman for Resorts World at Sentosa, told AFP.

Resorts World at Sentosa, one of two casino resorts being built in Singapore, had planned to import the whale sharks for its Marine Life Park (MLP) which set to become the world's biggest oceanarium upon completion.

The park however said its move was not due to pressure by the seven animal welfare groups which have launched an online petition that has gathered more than 9,000 signatures.

"The MLP team does not take its responsibilities to both conservation and Singapore lightly and as such, we spent the past two years doing much groundwork," it said in a statement to AFP.

"We strongly believe that our action must be governed by the conservation of this species rather than what is dictated by fleeting public opinion."

Alternative options to the whale shark exhibit being considered by the MLP were shown to the various animal welfare groups last month, it said.

"This proposal is still in the process of being refined for a further round of review," the MLP said.

Any changes to the planned whale shark exhibit would have to get the final approval of the Singapore government.

Animal welfare groups welcomed the move by Resorts World at Sentosa to consider alternatives to exhibiting whale sharks, which can reach lengths of 12 metres (40 feet) or the size of a bus.

"I think it's very progressive in that they are considering other alternatives," said Louis Ng, executive director and founder of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society group.

Jaki Teo, the campaign coordinator behind the online petition (www.whalesharkpetition.com), hoped the authorities would consider the concerns raised by animal welfare groups about the whale sharks.

"A lot of the concerns are about the fact that they are not suited to be held in captivity," she said.

Resorts World at Sentosa is scheduled to open in phases starting from early 2010 and will feature the world's biggest oceanarium with 700,000 fish.

Orang Utan escape Australia Zoo

2009-05-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

An Australian zoo was evacuated Sunday when an orangutan escaped after using a branch to scale an electric fence around her enclosure, zoo officials said.

Adelaide Zoo said patrons were evacuated as a precaution when 27-year-old Karta, described as "extremely intelligent", breached the electric fence on Sunday morning.

Zoo curator Peter Whitehead said Karta got as far as a boundary fence but was still some distance from the public before seeming to realise she was in the wrong place and returning to her enclosure.

Whitehead said although the primate showed no aggression during her 30 minute escapade, she was secured inside her night den before the public were readmitted.

"She was probably secured by the time we got most of the people out of the zoo," he told Sky News.

No More fireflies in Six months?

2009-05-07T22:10:00.000-07:00

MALAYSIA: The entire firefly population in Kampung Kuantan and Kampung Bukit Belimbing in Kuala Selangor is facing wipe-out in six months.

"All the fireflies there will be gone for good by the end of this year if no measures are taken to protect them," said Selangor Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong.

The Selangor Government had issued a stop-work order for all activities in firefly sanctuaries along Sungai Selangor yesterday, she said.

She said the decline of the firefly colonies in the two popular tourist spots was at a very serious stage, with half of them already disappeared.

"We have identified seven critical areas in the two villages where the firefly colonies in four spots are already gone," she said after the weekly exco meeting here yesterday.

Last month, The Star reported that the days of firefly watching would be over because of land clearing which has damaged the habitat.

Wong said that massive cutting of trees and improper development along the river were the main reasons the fireflies were dying.

Furthermore, some areas along the river bank had been turned into oil palm plantations, she said, adding that there were also factories and restaurants operating too close to the river.

"A total of 38ha of land along the river has also been cleared," she added.

Wong said the fireflies, whose lifespan is only three months, could not survive in such an environment where there was only polluted water.

She also said that there was no river reserve along the river and part of the land had been sold to individuals.

The state government, she said, would gazette the land along the 20km river into a buffer zone.

It had also identified 52 landowners along the river and would take over the land from them as soon as possible, she said.

Wong said that the state government would also start to replant trees such as sagu, berembang, nipah and rembau immediately to rebuild the habitat of the fireflies at the critical areas.

The state government was establishing a fund to get the private and public sectors involved in preserving the firefly sanctuaries.-- The Star

If we continue to let this World bleed, at the end our children will be made to pay for it.

Poor Pigs are killed becos of Swine Flu!

2009-05-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

IRAQI authorities have killed three wild boars at Baghdad's zoo because of swine flu fears.

Dr. Sabah Jassim Mozan, head of the Agriculture Ministry's veterinary unit, says the animals were killed on Saturday as a precaution against the spread of swine flu.

But international health experts say the virus is not transmitted by pigs. Iraq has no documented cases of swine flu.

Baghdad municipal spokesman Hakim Abdul Zahra gave no details Sunday on how the boars were killed, saying only it was 'according to veterinary practices.' Iraq has virtually no pig farming because Islam prohibits consumption of pork products. But Egypt, which has a sizable Christian population, has ordered the mass slaughter of pigs. -- AP

Swine Flu outbreak

2009-05-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

The swine flu outbreak that has sparked widespread fear — so much so that Egypt has ordered the slaughter of the country's 300,000 pigs, even though no cases have been reported there — is easy to pin on the eponymous animal from which it emerged, but the fact is, the current epidemic is little more than an accident of evolution. If pigs are to blame, so too are birds and humans. (See pictures of thermal scanners hunting for swine flu.)

The problem begins with the wily nature of the influenza virus itself. It may be an uncomplicated thing, made up of nothing more than 10 proteins assembled into a genome that's simple even by microbiological standards, but that bare-bones genome is unusually flexible, with snap-in, snap-out gene segments that allow easy mutation and exchange of information with other viruses. That's the reason we need a new flu vaccine every year: by the time one flu season has ended and the next one begins, the virus has changed so much, it can simply shake off last year's shot. Compare that with, say, polio; the vaccine was perfected in 1955 and hasn't had to change much since.

What keeps the flu relatively in check is that there simply aren't that many species that are susceptible to it — with humans, pigs and certain kinds of birds leading the list. "There are surface markers on the cells of some species that bind with sites on the flu virus," says Dr. Peter Daszak, an emerging-disease ecologist and president of the Wildlife Trust. "The influenza virus evolved along with pigs, and it did the same with a few other mammals and with birds." (Read "To Travel or Not to Travel? A Swine Flu Dilemma.")

The adaptability of the virus, however, made it a certainty that a strain that evolved in one of the susceptible species would easily make whatever changes were necessary to allow it to survive in one of the few other eligible hosts. So quickly and efficiently does the virus transform itself that it may require just a single passage through a single individual to get that shape-shifting job done. "Different viruses from different sources enter a cell, and the virus that comes out the other end is an entirely different one," says Dr. Richard Webby, an infectious-disease specialist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and the director of the hospital's World Health Organization collaborating center. "The process is called reassortment."

Birds are the natural reservoirs of the common flu strains that strike in winter — and those strains reassort themselves to hit humans particularly hard. But while humans are not susceptible to every strain of avian flu, pigs definitely are. When bird flu viruses replicate in pigs, they pick up the viral machinery that gives more selective flu strains the power to spread to other mammals, like us. That's what makes pigs such potent mixing bowls for flu. The roundabout bird-pig-human route may be less common than the straight bird-human jump, but it may be more problematic. Strains of avian flu, like the much-feared H5N1, can infect individual humans, but they can't make the person-to-person leap. Avian flu that is passed through the pig's mammalian system, however, can be passed readily among humans. (Read "Why Border Controls Can't Keep Out the Flu Virus.")

All of this made the flu virus a tenacious foe from the outset, but once humans invented farming and learned to cultivate animals, we made a bad situation much worse. All at once, chickens, ducks and pigs — which never had much to do with one another — began living cheek to jowl in high numbers and often unsanitary conditions. Farm families and people working in live markets then began mingling with the critters. That's a pathogenic speed blender, and the viruses have taken full advantage of it. "It's really an ecological issue," says Daszak.

So if we can't fairly blame the pigs (indeed, the CDC has officially stopped calling the virus "swine flu," opting instead for the more hog-friendly 2009 H1N1 flu), can we blame Mexico? That charge doesn't stick either. Decades ago, numerous countries came together to develop the Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN), which allows epidemiological teams to spot new flu viruses as soon as they emerge and get vaccines ready in time. But the GISN only tracks human flu, meaning animal flu can slip by undetected. What's more, pigs that carry influenza tend not to die en masse the way flocks of birds do, eliminating the immediate tip-off that a serious pathogen is at large. None of that is Mexico's fault either. In fact, since human tourists and domesticated animals cross into Mexico all the time, there's every reason to believe that the progenitor virus behind the epidemic hitched a ride in one of them.

"I'm of the opinion that this doesn't have to be a Mexico-originated virus," says Daszak. "Somehow it got to Mexico and then mixed with humans."

If we have to pin the rap somewhere then, forget any one species or country and blame simple biology. But regardless of whence the virus came, the more salient question is, Where will it go? That's what concerns doctors as they work to stem the epidemic and make sure healthy people stay that way.

China's Pandas

2009-04-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

China has moved the last batch of pandas still living in a world-famous preserve badly damaged in last year's devastating earthquake to a nearby facility, state television reported Sunday.

CCTV said in a news broadcast the six pandas were moved on Saturday from the Wolong Panda Breeding Center, near Sichuan's capital of Chengdu, to another breeding facility in the same province.

The pandas were shown playing in a wooden house and chewing on bamboo shoots after being transported in metal cages and released into a new enclosure in the Bifengxia Giant Panda Base in the town of Ya'an.

The Wolong preserve was nearly destroyed in the May 12 earthquake, which sent boulders the size of cars crashing onto it and killed at least one panda. The quake left 90,000 people dead or missing.

Most of the 63 pandas living there have since been relocated to zoos around the country. The Wolong preserve had been the heart of China's effort to use captive breeding and artificial insemination to save giant pandas, which are revered as an unofficial national mascot.

Earlier this month, state media said China will begin building a new panda breeding center in May to replace Wolong.

Only about 1,600 pandas live in the wild, mostly in Sichuan. An additional 180 have been bred in captivity, many of them at Wolong, and scores have been loaned or given to zoos abroad, with the revenues helping fund conservation programs.

Stray dogs kill zoo animals in western Russia

2009-04-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

A pack of stray dogs has mauled a reindeer and a mountain goat to death at a zoo in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, a zoo spokeswoman said on Thursday.
"Dogs got through the zoo fence - it has several holes, made by people who wanted free entry to the zoo, so it was not an obstacle for them," she said.

The dogs also attacked and bit several other animals.

"Six deer and two Cameroonian goats are currently being treated by vets, they are in the state of stress," the source said.

Malaysia seizes smuggled cobras, tortoises

2009-04-26T23:10:00.000-07:00

Malaysian authorities seized 814 tortoises and 160 king cobras as they were being smuggled out of the country on its northern border, according to a report.

Customs officials told state news agency Bernama the wildlife was found in the back of a truck in northern Perlis state as it was clearing border formalities before entering Thailand.

State customs director Mohammad Isa Endot said the reptiles were found under 2,300 kilogrammes of garlic used to help disguise the smell of the illicit cargo.

He said the truck driver, a Thai national, was detained after failing to produce any documents for the export of the wildlife, Bernama reported.

Mohammad Isa said the tortoises and snakes had been handed over to the Wildlife and National Parks Department.

Wildlife is often smuggled out of Malaysia and into kitchens abroad.

Last month, authorities seized the butchered remains of dozens of civet cats, long-tailed monkeys and wild boar destined for sale in neighbouring countries.

Baby ring-tailed lemur at the Singapore Zoo

2009-04-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

One of the Singapore Zoo's latest residents, this ring-tailed lemur, born on April 09. It's just one of many endangered species born at the zoo as part of its wildlife conservation program.

In addition to this ring-tailed baby, the zoo recently welcomed a baby red ruffled lemur. Both species are endangered, in large part due to deforestation in their native Madagascar.

Woman survives polar bear mauling at Berlin Zoo

2009-04-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

Zoo keepers saved the life of a German woman who jumped into a polar bear enclosure at Berlin Zoo by pushing away of one of the animals when it attacked her.

The keepers' bravery was praised after they dragged the 32-year-old out of a moat for the animals. They had to shove the animal out of the way after one of four polar bears dived into the water and attacked her, inflicting serious bites to her legs and arms.

Knut, the zoo's baby bear that became an international celebrity in 2007 after it was hand-reared by a keeper, was in the enclosure at the time. Germany went polar bear crazy after the birth of the cute animal.

Police did not say why the woman jumped into the enclosure. She had to climb over a fence, a line of prickly hedges and a wall to get in.

She suffered serious injuries after being bitten on her arms and legs.

Last December a man who afterwards said he was "lonely" survived jumping into the same zoo enclosure when keepers diverted the bears with chunks of beef.

"The woman has proved herself to be careless by jumping into the enclosure," a police spokesman said afterwards. "Logic tells us that polar bears will do this type of thing in this situation."

Visit to the Singapore Zoo

2009-04-10T23:14:00.000-07:00

Right, we went to the Zoo, again! This time, as proud members of the Zoo. Just received the membership card a few days ago. The Singapore Zoo will be the place where we frequently visit for the next few months, since it's only about 10 min drive away from our house, and Hao Re loves seeing the animals!

But today was not a good day for us also. As soon as we finished our breakfast at the Ah Meng Coffee Shop in front of the zoo, it started to rain drizzle. We were not bothered by the drizzle and continued our exploration. Hao Re was sitting in his stroller with a small hood to shed off the rain. Me and hubby walked under the drizzle, kind of romantic, huh!

But to be honest, though it's only drizzling, it did spolit our mood. So didn't see much, it was feeding time for the many different types of monkey, so we just watched that. It's actually nice to see so many different types of beautiful monkeys, as for the past 2 trips, when we were trying to search for the monkeys, they were all hiding, can see none of them. Only during the feeding time, they all showed up.

After that, went to have a drink at the restaurant, then decided to head home. As soon as we were about to leave the zoo, the rain stopped. Duh! Oh well, didn't bother to turn back, we can always come the other times. So it's bye-bye to all the animals, after spent about 1 hour there.

The theme park's "cage of death" that drops tourists into a crocodile's lair

2009-04-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

Without the cage you wouldn' t stand a chance swimming with a massive saltwater crocodile.

Is Singapore A boring place?

2009-04-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

(Here is the answer from my Ang Mo Friend) I think the answer to " whether singapore is a fun or boring place " depends on individual.

If you hail from a place where it is cold all year round for example, it maybe totally different experience.

if you like shopping , there are quite a number of choices
from the big malls like takashimaya, paragon, wisma atrium and isetan (all along the Orchard road shopping belt) to small individual stores in Far east shopping center, lucky plaza. Of cos there are Bugis Village (where u get similar things that u find in Far East plaza but at a slightly lower price) Marina square and city hall and citylink underground shopping . if you are going off the normal tourist belt , u can try Queensway shopping center(the prices of the sports shoes here are usually lower.

Then after all the shopping , you can drop by the Botanical garden for a nice dinner. jus off orchard . near tanglin road. There are 2 restaurant and a food court there. I will recommend Halia (malay for ginger) restaurant which is cheaper than Au Jardin but better than the food court if you want a cosy ambience.

If you have a few more days , you can go to the Singapore Zoo/Night safari or bird of cos i don't recommend that you go to both. I personally like the night safari, Firstly because its cooler at night , you can take the train instead of walking and you can see the animals in a different setting. Of cos some people complain that they cant see the animals because its too dark. You can also have your dinner on the train in the night safari. of cos there are other cheaper alternatives in the park.

If you yearn more for the night life where the other wild things are. you can head down to clarke quay or robertson quay. Attica, zouk, longbar, one fullerton etc depending on your taste.

now , if you like to see more of the local scene, you can go to little india in serangoon, geylang (redlight district) and chinatown. Little india gets crowded during week end with all the foreign labours on their off days, you get to "excite" all your senses. Smell, sight and noise. Geylang , not the official malay village which the tourist board want you to go, but go to the red light district. Lorong 1 to maybe 16. I am not promoting prostituition here, but i guess its a eye opener for some. Its quite safe to walk around there but of cos take precaution especially if you are a lady. in case some one mistake you for being one of the workers theres. Jus look and dont disturb the ladies unless you want their minders to come after you. its also a place for food . Jus look and try

Then there is chinatown, "nothing much" here but you can go for a body masage in pearl center or people's park center. But beware of the sleazy one. there are also shop selling "Chinese" products. Yue hwa will be good for traditional items

Beach wise if you like to rollerblade , you can try east coast park, if you like beach volley ball or jus sun tanning , its better to go sentosa. YOu can hang around some of the beach bars there. Cafe del mar etc. blades and balls can be loaned from the premises there.

lastly there is one more place. bukit timah nature resrve. u can jus trek thro the hill. ( nothing too difficult ) , But i recommend those keen for a thrill ride to go there on a weekend. I know of a operator there lending out mountain bike for you to ride thro the trail. Must loan the helmet for safety. Its not a difficult trail but you will need enough skill and confidence. Try not to go on a rainy day, the trail will be wet.

thats all for the day

Endangered Lemur Babies Born at Singapore Zoo

2009-03-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Singapore Zoo saw the births of the little-known and critically endangered red ruffed lemur.

"We're ecstatic with the arrival of this red ruffed lemur as it is our first such birth at the park," said Biswajit Guha, assistant director of zoology at the zoo.

"This means that there will now be one more addition to the breeding pool of this critically endangered species."

Although it is not known how many red ruffed lemurs now exist in the wild, its numbers are declining due to deforestation, hunting and the pet trade.

Red ruffed lemurs are one of the biggest primates native to the African island of Madagascar.

They have soft red and black fur and eat a diet comprised 75 per cent of fruit.

RARE orange-haired monkey

2009-03-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

A rare orange-haired monkey has made her debut at a zoo – after being rejected by her mum.

Elka, a Francois Langur monkey, is being hand-raised by staff who showed her off at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

Elka's birth five days ago was a surprise to zoo keepers who weren't sure mum, Saigon, was even pregnant.

Staff will now look for a new temporary home for the orange-haired leaf-eating monkey because she's all alone.

Elka's parents have black fur but it is thought the infant's orange colour helps parents to spot them in the wild.

Senior primate keeper Mandy Mclellan said: "Primates are quite an intelligent group of animals, a lot of their social development depends on learning.

"Often first time mums might not have have enough exposure to other females giving birth so they haven't learned social skills and haven't learned what they need to do with these little babies."

Keepers will raise Elka, feeding her baby formula every three hours, and prepare her for eventual reintroduction to her parents.

Her species is very rare in the wild and under great pressure from loss of habitat and poachers.

It is thought there could be as few as 1,000 left in Vietnam and China.

Taronga's life sciences general manager, Cameron Kerr, said: "Taronga's keepers were prepared and are managing the difficult process of hand-raising the langur...as the species faces real risk of extinction in the wild."

2 Komodo dragons kill man in eastern Indonesia

2009-03-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

Two Komodo dragons mauled a fruit-picker to death in eastern Indonesia, police and witnesses said Tuesday, the latest in a string of attacks on humans by the world's largest lizard species.

Police Sgt. Kosmas Jalang said 31-year-old Muhamad Anwar was attacked on Komodo, one of four islands where the giant reptile is found in the wild, minutes after he fell out of a sugar-apple tree on Monday.

He was bleeding badly from bites to his hands, body, legs and neck after two lizards, waiting below, attacked him, according to a neighbor, Theresia Tawa. He died at a clinic on the neighboring island of Flores soon after.

Attacks on humans by Komodo dragons _ said to number at less than 4,000 in the wild _ are rare, but seem to have increased in recent years.

An 8-year-old boy was killed in 2007 _ the first recorded deadly attack on a human by one of the endangered lizards in three decades. A park ranger narrowly survived after one of the animals entered his hut last month and started biting his hands and legs.

There have been several other attacks in recent months, according to Metro TV.

The reptiles, which can grow up to 10 feet long (three meters) and weigh as much as 150 pounds (70 kilograms), have shark-like serrated teeth and a bite that can be deadly. Its saliva contains roughly 50 different known bacteria strains, so infection is a risk.

Komodos can be found in the wild on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinca. Tiny numbers also can be found on Flores.

Papaua New Guinea forests reveal 56 new species

2009-03-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

Scientists said Wednesday they have uncovered 56 new species in the teaming virgin tropical forests of Papua New Guinea including jumping spiders and a tiny chirping frog.

The 2008 two-month expedition by British, Canadian and PNG scientists to the Pacific islands found a wealth of treasures and documented some 600 species, said Conservation International (CI) which organized the trip.

Among them were 50 spider species, two plants, three frogs and an elegant striped gecko which are believed to completely new to science.

"The vast Kaijende Uplands and nearby valleys represent one of Papua New Guinea's largest undeveloped highlands wilderness areas, and all of it is under the tenure of local clan landowners. These forests are essential to their traditional lifestyles," said CI scientist Steve Richards, who led the expedition.

The three new frogs include a tiny brown one with a sharp chirping call, a bright green tree frog with enormous eyes and a torrent-dwelling frog that has a loud ringing call.

Much of PNG's forests remain unexplored, and have been kept in pristine condition thanks to the care of the local tribes who inhabit them.

"Their intimate knowledge of and stewardship over a large tract of this vast upland wilderness has led to conservation of their wildlife and environment," said Bruce Beehler from Conservation International.

The tribes rely on the wilderness for hunting as well as gathering forest products, and the region provides fresh drinking water to thousands of people living in the Enga Southern Highlands as well as Western and Saudaun provinces.

The group, based in Arlington, Virginia, also highlighted that the vast forested wilderness played a critical role in helping slow climate change as it sucks in large amounts of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

Since 1990, Conservation International, which is a private organization, has led more than 60 expeditions to different parts of the globe, discovering more than 700 new species.

The 'painful' guide to visiting S'pore

2009-03-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

Thinking of taking a holiday in Singapore but fear there won't be enough suffering?

Well, worry no more. (Unless, of course, you happen to enjoy worrying, in which case you can worry all you want. Whatever floats your boat. I'm not here to judge.)

We will be the first to admit that Singapore has long neglected your specific demographic. In the past, the country had very little to offer people like you who demand a certain amount of pain and suffering on their vacations.

You will be glad to know that much has changed. In recent months, numerous existing attractions have been retrofitted to cater to your specific tastes. We did a detailed study and invested some effort into this project and I am sure you will like what you see.

Where we could not have the attraction to directly inflict pain on you, we inflicted pain on the attraction so that you can be reminded of pain.

We have spared no expense for the sake of your displeasure.

While we cannot list all of the different attractions here, we've picked just a few painful highlights.

Enjoy, or rather, don't enjoy your stay!

Shopping

Do you find that your shopping experience lacks pushing, shoving and people ramming into you with trolleys loaded with television sets?

Want a shopping trip where you can get good bargains and yet at the same time be exposed to risk of death by suffocation?

Then you absolutely cannot miss one of Singapore's IT fairs.

At every fair, nearly the entire male population crams into a few convention centre floors and proceeds to buy flatscreen TVs like they (the TVs, not the men) are curry puffs.

IT vendor: Hello uncle, would you like to buy a TV? There's a promotion.

Man: Sure, I'll take five. And don't call me uncle.

If you think crowds are painful, wait till you try a crowd where every other person is pushing a trolley with a giant TV in it.

You may never want to go back to normal shopping again.

Eating

Singapore has long been known for its great dining experiences. It is known for having good food at clean hawker centres at very reasonable prices.

Understandably, you masochistic tourists stayed away.

However, thanks to the innovative efforts of one seafood stall at Newton Hawker Centre, Singapore now has a dining experience it is proud to offer to visitors like you.

You will still get a taste of Singapore food but with the added satisfaction of feeling completely ripped off at the end.

Enjoy the thrill of being presented with a gigantic bill at the end of your meal. A single tiger prawn can cost as much as $30. A meal for six will cost more than that TV set you got rammed with at the IT fair.

For a little added bonus, try querying the bill. Then just sit back and soak in some fear as some burly men appear to persuade you to pay.

When you finally cave in and pay up, make sure you don't pay with exact change, then watch helplessly as the stall owner who presented you with the large bill thinks you want to give him a tip.

It's this sort of dining experience that prompted one masochist to say: 'Die, die must try'.

Water sports

After you've done all the shopping and eating, how about some outdoor activity to burn off those calories?

For you the masochist, we offer an exciting water rescue that combines physical pain of injury with the emotional pain of feeling unappreciated.

The day starts with a stroll along the Singapore River near the Merlion. If you are lucky, someone who cannot swim will fall into the water. You then dive into the water to perform a heroic rescue.

In the process, you are likely to suffer scrapes and bruises bad enough to warrant a trip to hospital.

Sounds good so far? It gets better.

Not only are you wet and injured for doing a good thing, you will also be out of pocket to the tune of $90. Yes, as a special treat for tourists like you, you will be made to pay your hospital bill.

During the trip, be sure to have your picture taken with the Merlion statue.

It became an iconic symbol for pain after a lightning strike left a large hole in its head.

Amazing views

After all that excitement, it's time to wind down with a relaxing ride on the world's largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer. Such wheels may be commonplace these days, but none offers the kind of torture we do.

As with the water rescue, timing is crucial here. While the wheel will operate normally most times (it has to cater to normal tourists too), it will occasionally break down.

When it does, you can look forward to up to six hours stuck in a small enclosed capsule at over 100m in the air.

This is especially recommended for claustrophobic masochists who fear heights.

For the ultimate experience though, make sure to drink a lot of water just before you get on and don't take any plastic bags with you.

Somewhere around the third hour, you'll be a big hit with the rest of the passengers.

These are but a few of the many wonderful experiences just waiting to be enjoyed. And we're coming up with new ways to hurt you all the time.

So what are you waiting for? Contact your travel agent today.

jeremyau@sph.com.sg

Zoo doubles its rare reptiles

2009-03-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

A zoo in Indonesia is welcoming the arrival of 32 newborn Komodo dragons.

Agus Pangkat, of Surabaya Zoo, said the endangered lizards – thought to number less than 4,000 in the wild – hatched in the last two weeks. Fourteen eggs were still under observation.

The giant reptiles have been kept at the zoo since the early 1980s, but the new arrivals have swelled the population from 34 to 66. It has been their most successful breeding year there.

Komodo dragons can grow up to t10ft long and weigh up to 37 stones. Their bite can be deadly.

Chimp 'planned attack on zoo visitors

2009-03-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

Scientists claim to have uncovered evidence which shows how chimpanzees plan for the future.

A study published in Current Biology observed the actions of a male chimpanzee at a zoo and recorded how he collected stones and fashioned concrete discs which he would later throw at visitors.

Mathias Osvath, from Lund University, said the observations convincingly show how apes consider the future in "a very complex way".

"It implies that they have a highly developed consciousness, including life-like mental simulations of potential events," he said.

"They most probably have an 'inner world' like we have when reviewing past episodes of our lives or thinking of days to come. When wild chimps collect stones or go out to war, they probably plan this in advance. I would guess that they plan much of their everyday behaviour."

The scientists claim their study shows how chimps don't simply react to immediate circumstances with a "current drive state", highlighting how the chimp was in a calm state when collecting the stones compared to the agitated state he was in when throwing the items at visitors.

Mr Osvath also says he thinks wild chimps, in general, probably have the planning ability demonstrated by the individual in captivity.

"I think that wild chimpanzees might be even better at planning as they probably rely on it for their daily survival," he added.

"The environment in a zoo is far less complex than in a forest. Zoo chimps never have to encounter the dangers in the forest or live through periods of scarce food. Planning would prove its value in 'real life' much more than in a zoo."

Drug arrests at Singapore Zoo

2009-03-04T23:01:00.000-08:00

Serious Stuff!

THE Singapore zoo cancelled performances after police said on Wednesday they had arrested ten Malaysian workers and three Singaporeans on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking.

Three Malaysians were intercepted in their taxi at a border crossing between the two countries on Sunday carrying a variety of drugs including cannabis, ketamine and 'ice", a concentrated form of methamphetamine, officers said.

This led to the arrest of three Singaporeans at Singapore Zoo's car park and another seven Malaysians at their dormitories in the complex, a spokeswoman from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said.

One Malaysian and one Singaporean have been charged with drug importation and trafficking and face a minimum sentence of five years' jail and five strokes of the cane if convicted, she said.

Some of the suspects were part of a performance troupe that entertained visitors to the zoo's Night Safari section with mock tribal dances and fire-breathing stunts.

The show, popular among foreign tourists, has been 'suspended until further notice' as a result of the arrests, the attraction's website says.

Drug trafficking is punishable by hanging in Singapore if the amounts carried by a suspect exceed certain limits specified by law. -- AFP

Wedding at Singapore Zoo

2009-03-02T21:10:00.000-08:00

Weddings aren't everyday affairs. They come by once in a lifetime and merit the undivided attention of a national event. From the bridal bouquet to the menu, everything ought to be nothing less than perfect. And yet, when it comes to the venue, it's always the same old boring set of addresses. If your love for each other truly knows no bounds, neither should the venue for your wedding celebrations.

Address:
The Singapore Zoo
80 Mandai Lake Road,
Singapore 729826
Tel: (65) 6269 3411
www.zoo.com.sg

Tel: (65) 6360 8500/560

Spending millions to attract millions?

2009-03-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

Cable cars may replace free buses on Sentosa

ZIPPING around Sentosa Island will be made easier from 2011 with the launch of a new cable car service.

The new transport link may replace the present free intra-island bus service.

The above-ground system is part of Sentosa Leisure Group's (SLG) over $250 million plan to overhaul the transport system on the island to ensure that it can handle the crowds when Resorts World at Sentosa opens next year.

Currently, Sentosa receives up to 30,000 visitors daily during the peak season. But that number is expected to rise to over 100,000 people daily with the opening of Singapore's second integrated resort.

Mr Lee Chin Chuan, director of SLG's property business development, said the cable car system will offer a greener way of travel compared to the current diesel-powered bus fleet.

The new cableway system will be at most six to seven storeys tall, a third of the height of the current cable car system which runs from Mount Faber.

It is expected to take anything from 1,400 to 5,000 passengers per hour in one direction, moving at speeds of 4m to 6m a second. It will also offer express waiting times of 12 seconds to 15 seconds instead of two minutes to three minutes for the monorail and 10 minutes to 15 minutes for the bus.

Currently, four stations have been earmarked. Mr Lee did not discount the possibility of rolling out the system to the rest of the island or even to the mainland.

The cost of the project is not known yet. SLG has hired consultants to help determine the system's capacity and cost.

One other unknown: whether visitors will be charged for rides. SLG is still mulling over this.

The group is also exploring other possibilities like electric trams, mini railways and buggies. Plans to boost links to the island include an $80 million, 710m-long second bridge, being built by the casino-resort and expected to be ready by the third quarter of this year.

SLG has invested $25 million to build a new depot extension and to buy two cars to raise the capacity of the monorail from 3,000 to 4,000 passengers per hour.

It is also building a new boardwalk so pedestrians can walk to the resort island. Construction of the walkway is slated to begin in the second half of this year. It will have travellators like those in the airport to ease the 620m walk.

Teacher Chai Jiamin, 27, welcomed the new moves. She used to play beach volleyball at Sentosa regularly, but said that on weekends, traffic congestion can get really bad.

However, other regulars like 26-year-old Benjamin Lau, who runs his own IT business, said replacing the free buses with a paid cable car will not benefit visitors.

He said: 'I don't think it's practical to invest in a cable car system when there are already free bus and trams serving Sentosa.'

SLG's Mr Lee added that another key reason that is driving Sentosa's search for new modes of transport is to minimise the system's emissions and carbon footprint.

Welcome to Singapore.

Join NTUC - Good Deals

2009-02-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

NTUC Members' Promotion
Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo
NTUC U card promotion:-
- 30% off Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari, Singapore Zoo admission
- While stocks last
- Exclusive to NTUC members only
- Present NTUC member card upon purchase at
NTUC Customer Service Centre
- Limited to 5 admission tickets per card
- Not inclusive of tram ride
- Non exchangable for cash or other goods and services
- Only available at NTUC Customer Service Centre, One Marina Boulevard, #B1-01

Singapore Zoo – The World’s Best Rainforest Zoo
Singapore Zoo is known to have among the most beautiful settings in the world, where 2,530 animals roam freely in open, natural habitats covering 28 hectares.

The most recognised resident is the orang utan, and Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife is a unique encounter where diners experience first hand the wonder of being so close to these wonderful creatures.
Themed exhibits such as Fragile Forest, Hamadryas Baboons – the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia and Elephants of Asia, and interactive edu-taining animal presentations will enthrall all to learn about and appreciate wildlife.

What’s more, splashes of exhilarating activities await at Rainforest Kidzworld. Get set for waves of fun at the water play, zip along on a cableway or help groom our miniature horses! To end your day, take a quick cruise on our boat to enjoy a scenic view of the Upper Seletar Reservoir.

Sumatran tigers kills, whose fault is it? HUmans?

2009-02-24T22:03:00.000-08:00

A STRING of attacks by rare Sumatran tigers has left six people dead in Indonesia in less than a month, including three mauled by the critically endangered cats this weekend, conservationists said on Monday.

A father and son - illegal loggers sleeping near a pile of wood - were killed as they slept Saturday in protected forest on Sumatra island. Another man in the same area was attacked just after dusk Sunday, said Didy Wurdjanto of the state conservation agency.

The other victims were killed in late January, also in Sungai Gelam, a district 600km from the capital, Jakarta, but those tiger attacks all occurred near to villages.

The Sumatran tiger is the world's most critically endangered tiger subspecies.

Only about 250 of the cats are left in the wild, the Forestry Ministry said, compared to about 1,000 in the 1970s. The tigers' diminishing population is largely blamed on poaching and the destruction of their forest habitat for palm oil and wood pulp plantations.

In some cases the animals roam into villages or plantations in search of food, setting the stage for a conflict with humans.

Rangers and conservationists were rushing to the scene of the latest attacks to investigate.

But since the animal - or animals - had not strayed from its habitat no efforts would be made to catch and relocate the cat, said Wurdjanto.

'This time it was the loggers' fault,' he said, adding that the tigress believed responsible for last month's maulings has been captured and is being taken to a national park.

About 40 people have been killed by tigers on Sumatra between 2000-2004, according to the state conservation agency, which said the trend has continued since then. New figures will be released in April. -- AP

CopyCat Zoo Malaysia!

2009-02-20T22:10:00.000-08:00

Is selling the singapore brand 'nation brand perception' a way to go? Teaching others, sharing experiences, consultation, Providing the Singapore Solution. Knowledge sharing, but is Singapore selling himself out? In the long run what will be our uniqueness and sell point.

M'sian zoo to follow S'pore's open concept
Mon, Feb 16, 2009
The New Straits Times
By Sean Augustin and Nurul Mardiana Abdul Alim

KEMAMAN, TERENGGANU: There are great expectations of the Kemaman zoo, touted to be the largest on the east coast, which is due to open by the end of next month.

Located on a 54-ha site in Bukit Takal, bordering the popular firefly colony in Kampung Yak Yah, it will house animals of about 100 species, including bears, seladang (Malayan gaur), kijang (barking deer), wild goats, orang- utan, crocodiles and tigers.

These animals are among the 100 species to be featured at the new zoo in Bukit Takal, Kemaman, which is due to open at the end of next month. [NST pictures by Aswadi Alias]

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Terengganu Chapter Committee member and tour operator Alex Lee said the opening of the zoo would bode well for the tourism industry here.

This is because it will help shift the focus of the industry to Kemaman since most of the popular sites in the state are located up north, he added.

"I hope the zoo will also serve as a rehabilitation and conservation centre. This will attract more visitors."

Lee hoped there would be efficient management and promotion of the place. He also hoped it would have an open zoo concept like in Singapore as tourists tend to skip zoos that caged up animals.

Malaysian Nature Society Terengganu chairman Wan Adnan Ismail said he also preferred the open zoo concept.

He hoped the zoo would be popular for being a well-managed animal kingdom instead of being the biggest.

"It has to be attractive. We don't want people leaving the zoo feeling sorry for the animals."

Restaurant operator, Latifah Mohd Razi, hopes the zoo will help boost business here with the high number of tourists expected.

Nazariah Mustafa, 33, who operates a sundry shop in Jalan Saga, said: "I hope the infrastructure, especially the road, will also be upgraded."

Animals' Rights

2009-02-17T23:21:00.000-08:00

Love them!

NTU Animal Lovers’ Society is a society run by matriculated students of NTU and students of National Institute of Education who are animal lovers. It was started off by Miss Fong Kam Ling in April 2007. With the help from some other passionate animal lovers, the club is officially approved by NTU Student Affairs Office in July 2007.

The objective of the club is as following:

Providing educational resources and fun to all animal lovers and disseminating information to promote the knowledge and interest of animals.
To raise awareness of animal’s rights and protection, as well as to save and improve lives of animals.
As we believe that spreading love and care for animals should be through joint efforts with other organizations, NTU Animal Lovers’ Society also works with official institutions and other non-governmental organizations.

Some of the activities which we will be organizing include the animal adoption project, voluntary work at animal shelters, field outings and expeditions and organizing animal carnival in NTU, such as Animal Rights Awareness week.

Main Committee Members
President: Elaine Lee Xiao Yin
Email: elxyin@hotmail.com

Vice President: How Bi Ee
Email: fireworks_bi@hotmail.com

Honorary General Secretary: Terence Woon
Email: neomaverickx@hotmail.com

Honorary Treasurer: Saw Vee-Liem
Email: veefessional@hotmail.com

Animal Welfare Officer: Valerie Cheah
Email: angel_bluez16@hotmail.com

Event Managers: Yeow Wan Ching & Jamie Chia
Email: snoopyger88@hotmail.com &a1_rocks@hotmail.com

Business Manager: Lim Sitong
Email: lim.sitong@gmail.com

Logistics Officer: Low Kar Perng
Email: cutekidlowkp@hotmail.com

Publicity & Publication Officer: Nguyen Truong Tho
Email: thont@live.com

External Liaison Officer: Goh Beng Kim
Email: beng_kim86@hotmail.com

Millions of animals dead in Australia fires

2009-02-13T21:58:00.000-08:00

Kangaroo corpses lay scattered by the roadsides while wombats that survived the wildfire's onslaught emerged from their underground burrows to find blackened earth and nothing to eat.

Wildlife rescue officials on Wednesday worked frantically to help the animals that made it through Australia's worst-ever wildfires but they said millions of animals likely perished in the inferno.

Scores of kangaroos have been found around roads, where they were overwhelmed by flames and smoke while attempting to flee, said Jon Rowdon, president of the rescue group Wildlife Victoria.

Kangaroos that survived are suffering from burned feet, a result of their territorial behavior. After escaping the initial flames, the creatures — which prefer to stay in one area — likely circled back to their homes, singeing their feet on the smoldering ground.

"It's just horrific," said Neil Morgan, president of the Statewide Wildlife Rescue Emergency Service in Victoria, the state where the raging fires were still burning. "It's disaster all around for humans and animals as well."

Some wombats that hid in their burrows managed to survive the blazes, but those that are not rescued face a slow and certain death as they emerge to find their food supply gone, said Pat O'Brien, president of the Wildlife Protection Association of Australia.

The official human death toll stood at 181 from the weekend's deadly fires and authorities said it would exceed 200. While the scope of the wildlife devastation was still unclear, it was likely to be enormous, Rowdon said.

"There's no doubt across that scale of landscape and given the intensity of the fires, millions of animals would have been killed," he said.

Hundreds of burned, stressed and dehydrated animals — including kangaroos, koalas, lizards and birds — have already arrived at shelters across the scorched region. Rescuers have doled out antibiotics, pain relievers and fluids to the critters in a bid to keep them comfortable, but some of the severely injured were euthanized to spare any more suffering.

"We've got a wallaby joey at the moment that has crispy fried ears because he stuck his head out of his mum's pouch and lost all his whiskers and cooked up his nose," Rowdon said. "They're the ones your hearts really go out to."

In some of the hardest-hit areas, rescuers used vaporizing tents to help creatures whose lungs were burned by the searing heat and smoke.

One furry survivor has emerged a star: a koala, nicknamed "Sam" by her rescuers, was found moving gingerly on scorched paws by a fire patrol on Sunday. Firefighter David Tree offered the animal a bottle of water, which she eagerly accepted, holding Tree's hand as he poured water into her mouth — a moment captured in a photograph seen around the world.

"You all right, buddy?" Tree asks in a video of the encounter as he approaches the koala. Later, as Sam thirstily gulps from the bottle, he quips: "How much can a koala bear?"

Often mistakenly called koala bears because they resemble a child's teddy bear, the marsupial is actually a rather grumpy creature with a loud growl and sharp claws.

Sam is being treated at the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson, 100 miles (170 kilometers) east of Melbourne, where she has attracted the attention of a male koala, nicknamed "Bob," manager Coleen Wood said. The two have been inseparable, with Bob keeping a protective watch over his new friend, she said.

Meanwhile, workers at the shelter were scrambling to salve the wounds of possums, kangaroos, lizards — "everything and anything," Wood said.

"We had a turtle come through that was just about melted — still alive," Wood said. "The whole thing was just fused together — it was just horrendous. It just goes to show how intense (the fire) was in the area."

The animals arriving appear stressed, but generally seem to understand the veterinarians are trying to help them, Wood said. Kangaroos and koalas are widespread in Australia and are not particularly afraid of humans.

Volunteers from the animal welfare group Victorian Advocates for Animals filled 10 giant bins with 2,300 dead grey-headed flying foxes that succumbed to heat stroke Saturday, said Lawrence Pope, the group's president. Volunteers tried to save some of the bats by giving them fluids and keeping them cool, Pope said, but the creatures were simply too stressed and perished.

"It's heartbreaking," Pope said. "They're very endearing animals and to see them die right before our eyes is something that wildlife rescuers and carers just find appalling."

POOR animals!

Singapore gets NEW animal attraction

2009-02-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE will get another top-drawer tourist attraction in 2011, when a $140 million river safari theme park will be completed.
To be carved out of the same 89-hectare Mandai area which houses the Zoo and Night Safari, the park, the first of its kind in Asia, will have some new species of wildlife, boat rides and special displays of freshwater habitats.

Few other details were released yesterday - the park has not even been named yet - but it is understood that some of the 4,000 animals in the Zoo and Night Safari's collection, mostly aquatic animals like manatees and fish, will be moved there.

Successful river theme parks elsewhere, such as Florida's Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, give visitors the chance to view marine life through cruises on glass-bottomed boats, as well as animal exhibits and fun rides.

Yesterday, Ms Fanny Lai, the group chief executive officer of Wildlife Reserves, which will run the new park in addition to the Zoo and Night Safari, said the attraction will give visitors a chance to get up close and personal with the animals. This will help create a 'greater awareness of freshwater habitat conservation', she said.

She added that the company began working on the idea of a new park two years ago, and that it is now an 'opportune time' to embark on it.

Though Singapore is now grappling with a drop in tourism as economies the world over reel from the effects of a recession, observers expect things to pick up by the time the new park is ready in 2011.

The river safari will make Mandai, already a must-visit destination for tourists and Singaporeans alike, even more popular: The Zoo and Night Safari pulled in 1.6 million and 1.1 million visitors, respectively, last year.

The new park is expected to draw at least 750,000 more, said Wildlife Reserves Singapore, the operator of all three attractions.

Tourism players and Singaporeans alike were excited by the prospect of a new park.

Royal Plaza on Scotts' general manager Patrick Fiat said: 'The more, the merrier. These new attractions will allow tourists to spend more time here, or come again because they didn't manage to visit something the first time round.'

Added taxi driver Ng Seng Nguan, 52: 'It will cater to different people and give more variety, which is more interesting.'

Visit Singapore Today.

Come, come, visit Singapore, Don't shy

2009-02-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

STB gives tourism industry a $90 million BOOST

Singaporeans and visitors can look forward to better deals from the tourism industry in the year ahead, with the Singapore Tourism Board set to inject 90 million dollars into the sector.

Recognising the tough times ahead, a new initiative known as BOOST will focus on positioning Singapore as an affordable business and leisure destination.

Revealing more details at a media conference today, STB said it'd be launching a year-long marketing branding campaign called "2009 Reasons to enjoy Singapore".

Discounted airfare and packages for visitors will be available to promote Singapore as a short-haul destination.

To help companies alleviate their business costs, STB will enhance its current assistance schemes and funding support.

Tour guide and travel agent licence fees will be waived this year.

There are about 1,800 tour guides and 800 travel agents in Singapore.

And targeting the business community, conventions and exhibitions will receive additional funding support of up to 70 percent for event hosting fee.

Strengthening the capability of the sector is another key thrust of BOOST, and emphasis will be placed on helping companies upgrade their employees' skills.

Singapore residents too, stand to benefit from the BOOST programme.

As a start, free entry at selected attractions will be offered, as well as GST-free shopping at participating retail outlets.

When asked to sum up the sentiment of the tourism industry currently, STB Chief Executive Aw Kah Peng said that industry players were cautious, but optimistic.

"I mean nobody is suggesting that it is easy. So I think they are realistic. But we also sense that there is a lot of energy, as well as optimism. Because clearly, if you are talking to the people who are opening new hotels and building new ones, they're doing it for a reason, because there's going to be growth. So I must say that people understand the current situation. But that has not dampened their longer term outlook."

STB forecasts that the number of tourist arrivals in Singapore is expected to fall to between 9 million and 9.5 million this year, down from 10.1 million last year.

Total tourism receipts generated are also expected to fall to a range of 12 to 12.5 billion dollars this year a drop from the 14.8 billion dollars generated in 2008.

Boy feared snatched by crocodile

2009-02-09T23:33:00.000-08:00

SYDNEY - A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy is feared to have been snatched by a crocodile in floodwaters in northern Australia while walking with his dog on Sunday, police said.

'The boy was walking with his seven-year-old brother earlier this morning when he followed his dog into floodwaters,' police said in a statement.

'He disappeared in the water and his brother saw a large crocodile in the vicinity of his disappearance.' A large-scale search for the boy has been launched at Cape Tribulation in far north Queensland.

Police were also searching for two people missing after their car was washed away as they tried to drive through floodwaters south of Tully in Queensland.

Much of the state has been declared a disaster zone, with an area of more than a million square kilometres and 3,000 homes affected by floods due to torrential rains.

Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate and others have been stranded in their homes.

Rain continued to fall on the saturated state on Sunday, easing in the worst-hit north but threatening to flood areas that have so far escaped the monsoonal downpours.

'Tomorrow, the monsoon trough continues its movements south and the bulk of the rain will head down towards Rockhampton,' a weather bureau spokesman said.

'We can expect local flooding to occur as that rain moves south.' While the north of eastern Australia has been swamped, the south has faced scorching heat and deadly wildfires.

The death toll from bushfires raging through Victoria state soared to 35 Sunday and was set to mount in a disaster Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described as 'hell in all its fury.' Most of those killed were caught up in an inferno northwest of Melbourne, where entire townships had been razed in the firestorm, which continued to burn out of control on Sunday. -- AFP

Huge snake fossil found!

2009-02-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

Stunned scientists have found the fossilised remains of the world's greatest snake -- a record-busting serpent that was as long as a bus and snacked on crocodiles.

The boa-like behemoth ruled the tropical rainforests of what is now Colombia some 60 million years ago, at a time when the world was far hotter than now, they report in a study released on Wednesday.

The size of the snake's vertebrae suggest the beast weighed some 1.135 tonnes, in a range of 730 kilos (1,600 pounds) to 2.03 tonnes.

And it measured 13 metres (42.7 feet) from nose to tail, in a range of 10.64-15 metres (34.6-48.75 feet), they estimate.

"Truly enormous snakes really spark people's imagination, but reality has exceeded the fantasies of Hollywood," said Jonathan Block, a vertebrate palaeontologist at the University of Florida, who co-led the work.

"The snake that tried to eat Jennifer Lopez in the movie 'Anaconda' is not as big as the one we found."

"At its greatest width, the snake would have come up to about your hips," said David Polly, a geologist at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.

The investigators found the remains of the new species at an unlikely location -- at one of the world's biggest open-cast coalmines, in Cerrejon, Colombia, where giant machines had obligingly gnawed away surface layers of dirt.

Working as huge coal-laden trucks thundered by, the team sifted through the earth, laying bare the remains of supersized snakes and their likely prey -- extinct species of crocodiles and giant turtles -- and evidence that a massive rainforest once covered the ground.

"The giant Colombian snake is a truly exciting discovery. For years, herpetologists have argued about just how big snakes can get, with debatable estimates of the max somewhere less than 40 feet" (12.3 metres), said leading snake expert Harry Greene of Cornell University, New York.

Titanoboa cerrejonensis -- whose Latin name honours the coal mine -- is not only a source of jaw-dropping wonder.

It is also a useful indicator as to the world's climate after the dinosaurs were wiped out some 65 million years ago, the team say.

Unlike mammals, reptiles cannot regulate their own temperature.

As a result, they are limited in body size by the ambient temperature of where they live. For example, reptiles today are bigger in the tropics than they are in cooler latitudes.

Based on T. cerrejonensis, the scientists calculate that the mean annual temperature in equatorial South America 60 million years ago would have been 30-34 degrees Celsius, or 86-93 degrees Fahrenheit.

That makes it around 3-4 C (5.5-7.2 F) hotter than tropical rainforests today.

If so, this is a welcome piece of news about climate change.

Simulations about global warming suggest that, on present trends, the world's surface temperatures could rise by between 1.8-4.0 C (3.2-7.2 F) by 2100.

If the supersnakes are a guide, tropical rain forests could still exist at such temperatures, although a fast, massive rise in warming could well be devastating to many species.

The paper is published by the British-based weekly science journal Nature.

The world's longest snake today is the Asian reticulated python, specimens of which can grow around 10 metres (32.5 feet), and the biggest in terms of mass is the green anaconda, with some specimens weighing 227 kilos (550 pounds).

Stolen tortoise case

2009-02-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

Owner of 10 stolen exotic tortoises worth almost $75,000 have got seven of them back - but the man who returned them is now assisting the police with their investigations.

According to the owners of the Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum at the Chinese Garden in Jurong, he resembles one of the two thieves caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) making off with the reptiles.

The Indian Star Tortoises and highly endangered Radiated Tortoises were stolen on Saturday night.

Should animals be caged? Protection or Depriving freedom

2009-01-25T22:08:00.000-08:00

20 January 2009

Straits Times
Forum

Dear Sir/Madam,

Pity the dolphins caught from the wild

I REFER to the article, 'Senator cites Mexico's sad experience with dolphins' (Jan 12), which reported that Mexican senator Jorge Legorreta Ordorica had written to National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan last month to relate Mexico's experience - 12 out of 28 dolphins Mexico had imported from the Solomon Islands in 2003 had died from illnesses, ranging from a muscle disorder to pneumonia.

Mr Ordorica urged Mr Mah to consider the disturbing mortality rate of the animals when evaluating import applications for such animals.

It had been reported previously that seven bottlenose dolphins, part of a group of 18 destined for Resorts World Sentosa, were taken from the wild in the Solomon Islands.
Although Singapore reportedly thanked Mr Ordorica for his letter, and has stated that the dolphins here will require Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) import and export permits, this in no way addresses or eliminates the stress, suffering and health risks these creatures
have been subjected to and will endure in the whole process.

Marine Life Park has said its dolphin enclosure will more than meet the minimum space requirements for the dolphins, but in an era where corporate social responsibility is emphasised in relation to environmental concerns, it will not reflect well on Singapore's image and may also cause a dent in its reputation.
The act of taking these animals from the wild (endangered or not) is at odds with the letter and spirit of Singapore's Wild Animals & Birds Act, which prohibits the taking of an animal from the wild.

The list of injustices throughout the dolphins' ordeal is extensive and heart-rending to those in animal welfare:

- Removing them from their natural habitat involves loss of their freedom and natural behaviour;

- Being subjected to long holding periods before their arrival in Singapore;

- Having to endure a stressful journey involving handling and transport; and

- Forcing them to adapt to an alternative lifestyle in a man-made structure, to be tamed and trained for human benefit and enjoyment.

The SPCA wrote recently to Resorts World Sentosa to object to the import of these dolphins caught from the wild and asked for a review and reversal of its decision.

Kudos to cargo air services company UPS, which reportedly refused to ship the dolphins from the Philippines to Singapore because 'the practice violated its environmental principles'.

Yes, people must be educated to appreciate marine life, but not at the animals' expense.

Deirdre Moss (Ms)
Executive Officer
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Jobs available at Singapore Zoo

2009-01-15T22:24:00.001-08:00

Part Time Receptionist at Singapore Zoo

Responsibilities:

Operates the telephone switchboard
Handles incoming calls and attends to general telephone enquiries
Forward email enquiries/feedback to the appropriate departments
Attends to visitors
Handles all incoming and outgoing mails and couriers
Requirements:

Min GCE “A” Level
Relevant working experience will be an advantage
Good communications skill
Pleasant, cheerful with good telephone etiquette
Computer literate
Able to work on weekends and PH
If you have an affinity to work with nature or in a wildlife environment, please send in your detailed resume to:

Human Resources Department
Singapore Zoological Gardens
80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826
Email: recruit@zoo.com.sg

Visit Ah Meng Restaurant

2009-01-14T22:47:00.000-08:00

Singapore, January 13, 2009 - The Singapore Zoo wanted to remember her but a sculpture of her wasn't enough.

So it decided to open two new eateries named after its longtime resident and icon Ah Meng the orang utan who died of old age last year. Called Ah Meng Restaurant and Ah Meng Kopi, the zoo hope it will help keep the memory of is best-known resident alive.

But already, there's an Ah Meng Cafe, operating since 1994, in Orchard Plaza in Orchard Road, catering to locals and tourists.

But the good-natured owner, Michael Tan, 65, a fan of the orang utan, would not be taking action against the zoo for using Ah Meng's name.

He said: "I registered my cafe's name but the zoo has the right to use the same name. But I'm not going to sue them or insist that they change the name," he told SoShiok.com

"I named my restaurant Ah Meng Cafe as Ah Meng is a famous Singapore icon. I kept a photo of Ah Meng having breakfast with Bernard Harrison before. I felt sad when Ah Meng died last year, and I did think of giving up the business. And also partly because I'm old and my children are not interested in the business," Mr Tan added.

His mission in opening the restaurant, which has sidewalk seating, was to help rescue the old street food of Singapore from vanishing. He was in showbiz in his younger days but was influenced by the F & B trade at his performing venues.

In fact, Mr Tan, also nicknamed as "Ah Meng" by regular patrons, has also earned international fame. His cafe, which offers local dishes, seafood and BBQ dishes, is shown in a video to passengers on SIA flights arriving in Singapore.

"SIA has done a good job by introducing foreigners to our cafe," said hardworking Mr Tan whose cafe is open from 11am till as late as 3am if there are still customers at that time.

The Peranakan man declared: "Every dish is authentic. Fish head curry, chilli crab, char siew rice, laksa, hor fun, curry chicken, satay, chicken rice and nasi lemak....Our chicken rice is popular. I learnt cooking before starting this restaurant but today I don't cook as much as my assistants can do those dishes very well."

Singapore Zoo lost its famous icon Ah Meng (left) when she died last year. Zookeeper Sam (seen here with her) was heartbroken.

Ah Meng eateries at the zoo

Singapore food is also the focus of the zoo's Ah Meng Kopi while its Ah Meng Restaurant has both local and western dishes.

Ah Meng Restaurant, located inside the zoo, offers chicken rice, dim sum, otak otak, chwee kuay, vegetarian and chicken briyani (pretty good), alongside western items like spaghetti, sandwiches, salad, hotdogs, fish & chips and cheesecake.

There are also 'Ah Meng flavoured' Durian Puffs...erm...you gotta go there to try them yourself. Don't try to prise our lips, we're not revealing more. Anyway, don't we all know that Ah Meng loved durians?

Located at the zoo's entrance, Ah Meng Kopi offers 'kopitiam' favourites like tea, coffee and dishes like mee siam and mee rebus.

Naming two restaurants after Ah Meng is not inappropriate as she was the star of countless "Breakfast with Ah Meng" events with visitors from all over the world including well-known celebrities.

So check out the new Ah Meng eateries soon and don't forget to say Hello to her - Ah Meng's resting place is by the water's edge of the lake.

And if you're in Orchard Road, drop in at Ah Meng Cafe at Orchard Plaza before Michael calls it a day.

Ah Meng Restaurant
Ah Meng Kopi
Singapore Zoo
80 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore 729826

Ah Meng Cafe (not related to the zoo)
150 Orchard Road
#01-35 Orchard Plaza
Singapore 238841
Tel: 67373611/ 67343611
Email: sales@ahmengcafe.com

Poor, abused workers at Singapore Zoo

2009-01-13T23:50:00.000-08:00

Following our report on Sun City superviser's abuse of staff...

MOM, zoo act to protect workers

It Started with one brave soul and a fuzzy handphone video.

When a whistle blower contacted The New Paper last November, a week after zoo worker Nordin Montong was killed at the white tiger enclosure, a one-minute-long video was all he had.

It showed a worker from Sun City Maintenance, the same maintenance company Mr Nordin(the man who jump into white tigers' den) worked for, being verbally abused and beaten up by his supervisor in front of a crowd of onlookers.

The informant claimed that Sun City workers were also overworked and underpaid.

One month after The New Paper's report on the video, Sun City is now under investigation by the Manpower Ministry (MOM) for overworking its workers and making unauthorised salary deductions.

In the meantime, the zoo's parent company, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), has announced a slew of measures to protect Sun City workers.

Among the measures are dormitory inspections by WRS staff, making background checks on future sub-contractors and introducing compliance with employment laws as a condition in their contracts with sub-contractors.

Said Ms Fanny Lai, group chief executive officer of WRS: 'The video incident brought our awareness to a greater height... that workers, whether local or foreign, must be treated fairly. This is an issue very dear to my heart and I want to make sure that we walk the talk.'

Ms Lai was speaking to The New Paper on the sidelines of a thank-you brunch for the media, held at the Jurong Bird Park last week, where WRS also unveiled its revamped waterfall aviary.

Ms Lai said that when the allegations of worker abuse came to light, an internal investigation was immediately carried out.

WRS also brought up the issue to MOM and sought advice from the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers' Union.

'Our HR people checked the living conditions of the Sun City workers and we had a few discussions with them,' said Ms Lai.

She declined to elaborate on what was discussed at the meetings but subsequently, WRS issued a warning letter to Sun City, stating that a repeat of the incident may result in the termination of its contract.

But the question remained. Why didn't alarm bells go off earlier?

The handphone video, originally taken last August by a Sun City worker who witnessed the beating, was passed to Sun City workers and WRS employees soon after.

'The video was circulating widely. Even the upper management at WRS saw the video a few weeks after the incident but they ignored it,' claimed the whistle-blower who wanted to be known only as Lawrence.

On hindsight, could the feedback channels at WRS have been improved?

Ms Lai agreed with the need for open feedback channels but added: 'We don't want to go back and ask (our staff), did you have the video, who gave it to you, when did you receive it, and so on and so forth. I focus more on the energy to move forward and how we can prevent a repeat of this incident.'

'Isolated'

It was an 'isolated' incident, she said, and one that WRS regrets took place.

But she also emphasised: 'The incident happened outside the zoo, at the carpark which is outside the work area of the zoo, and after office hours when the workers were waiting for the company bus to take them home.

'It was really not within our purview to intervene at that point in time.'

For Lawrence, however, the incident was less an isolated incident and more a 'tipping point' of the ill-treatment Sun City workers had been enduring silently for a long time.

The question of how much WRS knew about the allegations - and whether it should have acted earlier - might rest on the identity of a mystery man involved in the incident.

Towards the end of the video, a man wearing a yellow polo shirt and carrying a walkie-talkie on his belt was seen intervening and ordering the Sun City supervisor to stop the assault. After the situation was defused, he took out his walkie-talkie and spoke into it.

Who was this man? Night safari staff wear yellow shirts as part of their uniform, but they are not the only ones with walkie-talkies: Sun City supervisors use them too.

But Lawrence insisted that he is '101 per cent certain' the man is a manager from the Night Safari's operations department. He provided us his name.

'Even my colleagues agreed that it was him when they saw the pictures in the report,' he said.

Ms Lai, however, maintained that everyone involved was from Sun City. She said that WRS staff were informed about the incident afterwards but were 'not aware of its extent'.

She also said that WRS was unaware of Sun City's tainted record.

Checks with MOM had showed that Sun City was fined last October for overworking its workers and depriving them of annual leave.

What's most important now, she said, is to find a practical way forward.

Ms Lai said: 'Instead of going into the details, what I can say is that the whole incident happened within the contractors. But when people have committed a mistake, I think we should try to let it go. The most important thing is to move on, to have a better tomorrow.'

A happy worker will help the animals to be happy to.

Please Visit Singapore - We need you, our Tourist, Friends

2009-01-11T22:50:00.000-08:00

Singapore's tourism sector fell short of its 2008 targets for visitor arrivals and revenue.

In a statement, the Singapore Tourism Board said that the industry had been hit by a dramatic slowdown in the second half of this year.

The tourism receipts grew by five percent over 2007, generating a record 14.8 billion dollars.

But this was still below the official target of 15.5 billion dollars.

Singapore also welcomed an estimated 10 million visitors in 2008, a decline of two percent against the previous year.

Visitors from Indonesia, China, Australia, India and Malaysia accounted for about half of total arrivals.

Average room rates based on data from January to November rose 23.5 percent over the same period in 2007, and total hotel room revenue climbed by about 14 percent.

But the average occupancy rate fell by almost six percent points to 82 percent.

In the statement, STB's Chief Executive, Aw Kah Peng said that Singapore's tourism turned in a credible and robust performance in 2008 despite the dramatic turn in the global economy in the second half of the year.

To help the sector through the tough times expected this year, STB is developing a global marketing campaign to drive visitorship to Singapore, emphasising on regional markets.

SINGAPORE ZOO AND NIGHT SAFARI OFFER VENUE FOR INAUGURAL SAFARI ZOO RUN ON FEB 7, 2009

2009-01-10T23:04:00.000-08:00

Singapore Zoo and Night Safari are opening its doors for runners, joggers and walkers for the first time ever on February 7, 2009 at the inaugural Safari Zoo Run. The run is organised by Pink Apple Pte Ltd and part of the proceeds will go towards the care of endangered animals at Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. The inaugural Safari Zoo Run is a non-competitive run open to members of the public. It is non-competitive so that parents, families and children can participate in this event to bond and spend time, and also to encourage a healthy lifestyle through walks, jogs or runs.

“Singapore Zoo and Night Safari are located on 68 hectares of lush greenery overlooking the Upper Seletar Reservoir, and participants will be soaking in the beauty of nature during their jogs. We are pleased to offer our venues for families and individuals to enjoy the wonders of the parks in a different way. As Ah Meng was Singapore Zoo’s icon, we are glad that the run will not only remember her but will aid in conservation causes,” said Ms Fanny Lai, Group CEO, Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

Spanning a 6.2 km route that traverse the tram route across both parks, the run will begin at the coach bay area between Night Safari and Singapore Zoo covering the 3.2 km run at Night Safari before continuing with the Singapore Zoo route. Participation is open across all ages and is not segmented into categories. With an expected turnout of approximately 6,000 participants, both parks have in place multiple first aid and water points. With the flag-off at 4 pm, runners will have the luxury to complete the run by 5 pm for Night Safari and by 6 pm for Singapore Zoo. As the Safari Zoo Run is a non-competitive run, a lucky draw will be held at the end of the run. Three participants whose numbers are called will walk away with 42-inch TV, a video camera and a home entertainment set in the order the number is called, respectively. Registration Details: Registration is now open. As health and safety is a concern, participants below 21 years old will need to obtain parental or guardian consent. The indemnity form can be downloaded from Safari Zoo Run website below. Registration fee for adult (13 years and above) is at S$38 and for child (3-12 years) is S$18. The entry pack will come with an exclusive Safari Zoo Run number tag, exclusive Singapore Zoo polo T-shirt, goody bag with sponsored items, free 3 years PAssion membership card and 50% discount on admission fee to the park on same day visit for friends and family of participants*, and many more.

For more information on rules and regulations, prospective participants can log on to http://www.safarizoorun.com.sg

140 year old lobster freed by restaurant

2009-01-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK – A 140-year-old lobster once destined for a dinner plate received the gift of life Friday from a Park Avenue seafood restaurant.

George, the 20-pound supercentenarian crustacean, was freed by City Crab and Seafood in New York City.

"We applaud the folks at City Crab and Seafood for their compassionate decision to allow this noble old-timer to live out his days in freedom and peace," said Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA spokesman Michael McGraw said the group asked City Crab to return George to the Atlantic Ocean after a diner saw him at the restaurant, where steamed Maine lobster sells for $27 per pound. George had been caught off Newfoundland, Canada and lived in the tank for about 10 days before his release.

Some scientists estimate lobsters can live to be more than 100 years old. PETA and the restaurant guessed George's age at about 140, using a rule of thumb based on the creature's weight.

He was to be released Saturday near Kennebunkport, Maine, in an area where lobster trapping is forbidden.

More Gifts from China dies in Hong Kong

2009-01-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

One of Hong Kong's famed attractions, Ocean Park, is battling a public relations nightmare. Over the weekend, it announced that a rare sturgeon from mainland China had died in its care – the third reported death in six months.

Experts said the rare fish suffered from a head injury and blood clotting.

Ocean Park has been transitioning the sturgeons from freshwater to saltwater, and initial investigations showed that it was possible the fish might not have adapted well.

Just three weeks earlier, a sturgeon had died from an infection and yet another died in June after being bitten by a barracuda.

The fish were a gift from mainland China to mark the Olympics and their deaths are seen as a diplomatic embarrassment for Hong Kong. To make matters worse, two of the remaining seven sturgeons are sick.

The sturgeons are deemed as one of China's national treasures and are often referred to as "living fossils".

The popular sturgeon aquarium in Ocean Park has been closed indefinitely. The park has also been grappling with bad press from two other animal capers in which a panda and a sea lion had attacked staff members.

A video has been posted on YouTube showing the aftermath of a panda attack on a keeper in November. The panda, whose name ironically translates to 'peace', bit his female keeper in the leg and she had to be hospitalised.

A few weeks later, a sea lion also bit a trainer in the arm during a public feeding demonstration.

This latest string of animal mishaps has been a public relations disaster for Ocean Park.

Board members have called for an investigation into whether or not there are any management or operational problems behind the incidents. - AP

Countdown at Singapore Marina Barrage

2008-12-31T00:08:00.000-08:00

View Fireworks and enjoy the atmosphere at Countdown 08/09.

Merry X'mas and Happy New Year!

Donations

2008-12-29T23:46:00.001-08:00

HELP US HELP THE ANIMALS

ACRES is a local charity and we depend heavily on public support and contributions to continue our mission of ending the exploitation of all animals.

We need funds to conduct fieldwork, publish reports and educational materials, rescue animals and campaign for a better life for all animals.

ACRES has the Institution of Public Character (IPC) status (Registration no. IPC000559). This means that donations to ACRES qualify for double tax exemption. For example, if you donate $100 to ACRES, $200 will be deducted from your taxable income.

ACRES address:
91 Jalan Lekar, Singapore 698917
Fax: + 65 6892 9721

http://www.acres.org.sg/donate.html

Taiwan & China - thru Pandas

2008-12-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

Two Chinese pandas whose combined names mean "reunion" arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday, the latest installment in a Beijing charm offensive aimed at convincing the island's people to embrace their Communist rival.

A male panda, "Tuan Tuan," and his female companion, "Yuan Yuan," set down at the Taipei airport after a three-hour flight from southwestern China, as millions of Taiwanese watched spellbound on local television. Chinese pandas are usually loaned abroad in pairs, with hopes that they will mate.

Knots of eager onlookers at the zoo waited to see the couple _ the first-ever pandas to inhabit the island _ though all they could see was the red, panda-ornamented tarpaulin covering the pandas' cages.

The giant panda is unique to China and serves as an unofficial national mascot. China regularly sends the animals abroad as a sign of warm diplomatic relations or to mark breakthroughs in ties.

Front-page photographs of the pandas in their native Sichuan province habitat were splashed across Taiwanese papers Tuesday and TV stations followed their flight to Taipei with breathless updates.

The pandas' arrival _ more than three years in the making _ comes amid rapidly improving relations between Taiwan and China, which split amid civil war in 1949.

Only a week ago they initiated daily air and direct maritime links across the 100-mile- (160-kilometer-) wide Taiwan Strait, and several days later China agreed to loan 130 billion yuan ($19 billion) to mainland-based Taiwanese companies struggling to keep afloat in the global economic slowdown.

The rapid-fire Chinese moves underscore the determination of the Beijing government to leverage Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou's readiness to turn his back on his predecessor's contentious anti-China policies _ and move closer to Beijing's ultimate goal of China-Taiwan unity.

Since his inauguration seven months ago, Ma has moved aggressively to link Taiwan closer to the mainland, opening the door to a substantially increased flow of Chinese tourists and sanctioning a more liberalized regime for bilateral investments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

His steps contrast sharply with predecessor Chen Shui-bian's efforts to emphasize Taiwan's political and cultural separateness, which enraged Beijing, and prompted it to reaffirm long-standing threats to use military force against the democratic island it claims as its own.

Tuesday's voyage for Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan began at the Chengdu airport, where the two animals were loaded on a green-liveried charter operated by Taiwan's Eva Airways.

After the three-hour flight across southern China and the Taiwan Strait, Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan were taken from Taipei airport for the short trip to the city's zoo, where they are expected to remain in quarantine for 30 days.

The pandas _ and their new, two-story zoo habitat _ will be unveiled to the public during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in late January.

China expects big benefits from its panda largesse.

For more than five decades, Beijing has used panda diplomacy to make friends and influence people in countries ranging from the United States to the former Soviet Union.

The offer to send Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan to Taiwan was first made in 2005 when the pro-independence Chen was still in charge. Citing various bureaucratic obstacles, his government rejected it, but after Ma's inauguration in May, the way was cleared to reverse that decision.

While most Taiwanese support Ma's panda stand and his overall policy of greater China engagement, they still reject unity with the mainland, seeing it as a direct threat to their hard-won democratic freedoms.

Singapore Flyer Halted

2008-12-23T22:41:00.000-08:00

The world's largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer, will be closed until investigations into Tuesday's incident are complete.

A major power disruption left 173 passengers stranded for about six hours.

Police say operations will be allowed to resume once the ride is certified safe.

All trapped passengers were able to leave their capsules after the Singapore Flyer resumed rotating at about 11:11pm (1511 GMT) on Tuesday.

Earlier, a few passengers were lowered down to safety in a sling-like device from one of the observation capsules.

A 59-year-old woman complaining of dizziness, and a boy who vomited were taken to hospital, said Lieutenant Colonel N. Subhas, of the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

A spokeswoman for the attraction said about 173 people were onboard the wheel when a short circuit in one of the drive motors occurred at around 5:00pm.

At least five passengers were lifted through the hatch on top of each capsule and winched to the ground by a private rescue firm engaged by Singapore Flyer.

The Flyer's technical team managed to isolate the problem and restored electricity, including the air-conditioning, to the capsules. The team also worked with the Singapore Civil Defence Force to resolve the problem.

Those stranded were provided with food and drink.

Mr Steven Yeo, General Manager of the Singapore Flyer, said: "At 4.50pm, we experienced an electrical problem on our drive unit number 1, north unit, which caused several of our electrical supplies to be cut. The defect has actually been isolated. We found it to be the drive unit itself. The rest of the wheel, the rest of the supply, is in full functioning order at the moment."

A passenger who was stuck in one of the capsules said there was a sudden jerk before the wheel stopped turning. An announcement a few minutes later said there was a technical error.

Madam Lim Boon Siang, a passenger stuck in one of the capsules, said: "About 4.30pm or 4.15pm, after we passed the maximum altitude, it suddenly jerked to a stop, and then for a good five to 10 minutes, we waited.

"We thought that this could be something normal. And then there was a message that came in that said that it has stopped temporary. Everybody was calm, but initially the air-con was switched off, so it was very hot due to the evening sun. They opened up the air ventilator, and the air-con is working now."

She said there were about 10 other people, including children, in her cabin.

The spokesperson said: "Their safety was never at risk while they were in the capsules. Every capsule is equipped with an intercom system which is linked to the control room - for passengers and the control room personnel to communicate.

"Our staff promptly informed passengers of the situation and reassured them that measures were being taken to fix the technical problem. There are also surveillance cameras installed in every capsule for the operations team to monitor what is going on in all capsules."

Singapore Flyer has reimbursed all affected passengers for their tickets and is making alternative transport arrangements for travellers who missed their flights to Europe and coaches to Malaysia.

A ride on the 165-metre tall wheel, about 42 storeys high, typically takes half an hour and each capsule can take up to 28 people.

Since the Flyer became operational in February this year, this is the third time it has encountered problems.

The last time a technical glitch occurred was just three weeks ago, on December 4. The wheel was stuck for nearly five hours due to extreme weather conditions and some 70 people were affected. In July, the Flyer stopped due to a minor fault in the braking system.

Unlike cramped, old-style Ferris wheel carriages that hang in the open air, the Singapore Flyer and other large observation wheels feature fixed "capsules".

The 28 sleek-looking capsules - about the size of a city bus - can hold up to 28 people, and passengers can walk around during the slowly-moving ride.

The Singapore Flyer, worth about S$240 million (US$171 million), was a private venture backed mainly by German investors and built by Mitsubishi Corp and Takenaka Corp of Japan.

Singapore-based Great Wheel Corp is also building wheels in Beijing and Berlin, which will edge out the Singapore Flyer as the world's biggest when they begin turning in about two years, the chairman of Singapore Flyer, Florian Bollen, said before the attraction opened. - AFP

Visit the Singapore Zoo then.

Christmas at Park

2008-12-21T22:54:00.000-08:00

Spend an unforgettable and enriching day with us through our half-day Bird Camps, specially designed to enhance your experience at the Park. Choose to be enthralled by the majestic Birds of Prey, delighted by the intelligent parrots or just spend a wild and special day with us!

Predator Vs Prey
Size up magnificent condors, formidable eagles and fearsome falcons as we shed 'feathers' on these majestic creatures. Also, learn about the adaptation skills of these birds in their various habitats. The camp comes with a panorail ride around the BirdPark.

Time
Activity

9.00am
Pitter Pellets Special Tour

10.00am
Birds-of-Prey Show

10.30am
Break (have your snacks and drinks or play at the Wet and Splash Playground)

11.00am
Birds-of-Prey Behind-the-Scenes

12.00pm
Free & Easy

Parrot Chitchat
Step into the noisy and vibrant world of parrots and join us in a parrot discovery tour. Uncover their habits, lifestyle and intelligence as we have an enjoyable time in the Lory Loft and watch the parrots perform in the all-time favorite - Birds n Buddies Show! Check out their eggs and how our foster parents take good care of eggs and chicks abandoned by their parents. The camp comes with a panorail ride around the BirdPark. It's going to be a chirpy chatty time!

Time
Activity

9.00am
Parrot Discovery Tour

10.00am
Eggs and Chicks Behind-the-Scenes

10.45am
Break

11.00am
Birds n Buddies Show

11.30am
Special Bird Interaction

12.00pm
Free & Easy

Into The Nursery
Where do baby birds come from? Do all baby birds look the same? Are all of them born blind and 'naked'? Get all your questions answered as we visit babies big and small, and take you behind the scenes into our nursery. Help the babies make a home by building them a nest. The camp comes with a panorail ride around the BirdPark.

Time
Activity

9.00am
Nest workshop

10.00am
Birds-of-Prey Show

10.30am
Break

11.00am
Birds n Buddies Show

11.30am
Eggs and Chicks Behind-the-Scenes

12.00pm
Free & Easy

Conservationist Explorer half-day Bird Camp
Be a conservationist for a day! Start the day learning how we help abandoned eggs and chicks in the nursey, then meet the endangered toucans from South America and learn about their interesting breeding habits and colorful beaks. The Lories from Australia needs your help in feeding them and also to spread the word to stop deforestation. Lastly, hop on the panorail and take in the sights of the whole park, but don't miss out the magnificent Birds of Prey show!

Time
Activity

9.00am
Eggs & Chicks Behind-the-Scenes

9.30am
Hornbills & Toucans Tour

10.00am
Birds-of-Prey Show

10.30am
Break

11.00am
Lory Loft Feeding

12.00pm
Free & Easy

We try our best to adhere to the itinerary, which may change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Contact Info : Jurong BirdPark
Tel: (65) 6265 0022
www.birdpark.com.sg
Date : 22 Dec 2008 9:00 am - 30 Oct 2009 12:00 pm
Venue : Jurong BirdPark
2 Jurong Hill

Berlin zoo thrilled with baby hippo

2008-12-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

It is the ultimate in swimming lessons as Paula the baby hippo struggles to keep up with her mother Kathi.

The 18-day-old calf, Paula, had its first public outing at Berlin Zoo, as it swam alongside mother Kathi.

Although only a fraction of its mother's size, currently only 40kg, the zoo's newest resident is expected to weigh up to two tons when fully grown.

Until now the calf, Kathi's second baby, had only spent time with its mother, away from the other hippos.

She is the first hippo to born in Berlin in three years.

The cute calf is not the first animal to gain worldwide attention from the German zoo, following in the footsteps of Knut the Polar Bear.

Knut was made a star in 2006 when the zoo decided to hand-raise him after his mother abandoned him and some animal rights activists said it was better to let him die.

Last week it was reported that Knut could soon be evicted by the cash-strapped zoo because of financial woes.

Neumuenster Zoo, in the country's far north, is claiming guardianship of Knut under an agreement it says was struck when it loaned Berlin Knut's father, Lars, in 1999.

Although they cannot house Knut because they already have a polar bear with whom Knut would not get along, they are demanding Berlin show them architectural plans for a new enclosure and evidence he will properly be cared for. --Reuters

In Hard Economic Times, Berlin Zoo Turns to Selling Polar Bears

2008-12-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Last year Knut the polar bear cub got a giant marzipan cake with a wooden candle for his birthday; this year he’ll get a quiche frozen in a block of ice. The global economic crisis is hitting even the celebrity polar bear sector, including Knut, whose fluffy features and adorable antics have earned the Berlin Zoo more than $7 million in endorsments. But now nearly two, Knut has lost his cuteness, and the Berlin Zoo has announced that it is ready to sell him.

“It’s time for him to go—the sooner he gets a new home the better. Anything else would be financially irresponsible,” said Heiner Kloes, the senior bear keeper. The zoo says it cannot afford to build a new compound large enough to accommodate the now-210 kilogram and 2.5-meter-tall bear. Neither can it afford to take on a mate for him. Several zoos around the world appear eager to welcome Knut, but the winning bid is likely to come from Gelsenkirchen Zoo, also in Germany, which has spacious facilities and Lara, a three-year-old female cub.

In his cuddlier days, Knut graced the cover of Vanity Fair, starred in films, inspired pop songs, and was honored on a postage stamp. (He’s even been accused of being a diva and has been called the Britney Spears of zoo animals.) But boy have times changed. Along with the stock market (and Britney), Knut’s stardom has taken a nosedive. Nowadays, he is often cranky and only rouses from his naps to eat. Knut was once an icon of the environmental movement, but some say his transfer to a new zoo may be funded by Gazprom, the Russian energy giant.

Doing the Singapore's Part in Earth Day 2009

2008-12-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

Earth Hour starts ticking
By Tania Tan

SIXTY black balloons dotted the sky over the Hort Park on Wednesday as drums sounded to launch Earth Hour 2009.

The 60 orbs represented the minutes of the hour during which people are encouraged to turn off their lights, in a symbolic gesture to support the fight against climate change.

Spearheaded by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour gained international recognition after its inaugural launch in Sydney last year), with over 74 cities pledging their involvement.

WWF Singapore wants to see some one million people taking part during Earth Hour at 8.30pm on March 28, and hopefully throughout 2009 as well.

Already, companies like Microsoft and Meritus Hotels & Resorts - parent company of Meritus Mandarin and Marina Mandarin Hotels - have pledged their participation.

'It's not just about that one hour, it's about taking action in our everyday lives,' said WWF Singapore's managing director Amy Ho.

Using a fan instead of the air-conditioning, turning off lights not in use, and recycling plastic bottles are just some of the simple changes people can make to combat climate change, she added.

For more information and to get involved visit www.earthhour.org.

Panda bites keeper

2008-12-10T02:48:00.000-08:00

A GIANT panda named Peace bit a park keeper's left leg while he was laying bamboo leaves in the animal's pen at a Hong Kong amusement park, officials said on Tuesday.

The park staffer was recovering well in hospital after the attack at Ocean Park, which has four giant pandas from China, park spokesman Christie Lau said.

Ms Lau said park officials were still investigating the Nov 30 incident involving the male panda, whose name, An An, means 'peace' in Mandarin. Ms Lau declined to provide further details.

A park visitor posted a video clip on YouTube that allegedly shows the post-attack scene, with the keeper in a green park uniform crawling out of the panda pen as the furry animal runs back into its den.

The mass-market Apple Daily newspaper quoted an unidentified park employee as saying the keeper did not follow proper protocol, which requires locking pandas in their sleeping dens before putting bamboo leaves in their habitat.

Although pandas look cute and cuddly, they are wild animals that can be violent when provoked or startled.

Last month, a panda bit a college student in the southern Chinese city of Guilin after the student went into the animal's enclosure and tried to hug it.

A gift from the mainland Chinese government, An An arrived in Hong Kong in 1999 with female consort Jia Jia from the south-western province of Sichuan. Another two giant pandas were also moved to the territory last year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this former British colony's return to Chinese rule. -- AP

Zoo staff problem a "one-off incident"

2008-12-05T22:43:00.000-08:00

IT WAS a one-off incident, says the cleaning company whose supervisor was filmed beating up a worker outside the Singapore Zoo.

And it had nothing to do with the death of its employee, Mr Nordin Montong, the Malaysian cleaner killed by white tigers at the zoo last month.

Mr Jason Law, operations director at Sun City Maintenance, said: 'The beating incident and Nordin's death are completely unrelated.'

The company came forward to 'clear the air' over the handphone video, which had been taken about six months ago.

Mr Law, 44, told The New Paper that the beating, involving a supervisor called Alan, was a 'one-off incident' after a misunderstanding between Alan and a foreign worker named Phang Siau Nian.

Sun City was not able to give us the contact details of Alan, a Singaporean in his 30s, and Mr Phang, a Malaysian in his early 20s, as they had left the company.

Started with a look

Mr Stanley Kuta Teo Ukau, 20, a Sun City cleaner who witnessed the beating, said Alan got upset because he felt Mr Phang had given him a defiant look during his briefing after work at about 6pm.

Speaking in Malay, Mr Stanley, who is from Sarawak in Malaysia, said: 'We were waiting for transport. Phang didn't say anything, but he was showing a 'black face' (looking angry). Alan took it in a bad way.

'They were already not on good terms.

'For example, we're supposed to tuck in our uniforms, but Phang refused to do so despite being told off repeatedly by Alan. Phang can also be quite hot-tempered.'

He added that an ambulance and a police patrol car showed up and Mr Phang was examined for serious injury.

Sun City's operations director, Mr Law, who has been with the company for about 10 years, said there was no visible injury on Mr Phang. He did not know who had called the police.

No official report was lodged, so the police did not investigate further.

Mr Phang worked for Sun City for about four months before he went back to Sarawak in July.

According to Mr Stanley, Mr Phang said he had matters to see to.

Alan had worked for the company for two to three years.

Mr Law said Alan had been quite 'rash and impulsive', but his actions should not be taken to represent Sun City's treatment of its workers.

He said: 'I knew about the beating and that it had been recorded on the handphone of one of the workers. I also knew it was being circulated.

'We didn't do anything to suppress the incident in any way. Why should we? The company had not done anything wrong. Fights can break out for all sorts of reasons.'

Mr Law had advised Mr Phang that it was up to him to make a police report.

'I told him that if he wanted to make a report, no one would stop him,' he said.

Privately settled

Mr Phang eventually settled the matter privately with Alan and accepted compensation from him. Mr Law did not know the amount agreed upon.

He said: 'The company issued Alan a warning letter. He acknowledged it. The incident was noted in his record.'

Mr Stanley also said he was aware of the compensation, but not the amount.

He added: 'If the matter was not properly settled, the rest of us would have been unhappy. We would not have continued working for Sun City.'

'It is not right for a supervisor to beat up a worker.'

Mr Law said that a few months after the incident, Alan was asked to resign because of attitude problems.

'He would turn up late for work or not come at all. In addition to what had happened, we felt it was unacceptable,' he said.

Mr Law also stressed that Mr Phang had not resigned because of the beating or because he was ill-treated.

He said: 'Why would we ill-treat our workers? They are our assets. We are not irresponsible employers. If we were, why would I personally accompany Nordin's body back to Sarawak?
'Everybody advised me against it, because they were worried that I would be held responsible for his death and be attacked in his village.'

He claimed that there was a tense moment after the burial, when a relative holding a parang asked him, 'Insurance, how?'

Mr Law said: 'Luckily, Nordin's brother-in-law stepped in. He told me not to go anywhere by myself as it was not safe. Later, he drove me back to my hotel.'

He added: 'I believe I have a good relationship with my workers. I go to the work sites and ask if they are happy with their work, their accommodation.

'I have workers who stay with me for a few years. In an industry with a turnover rate of a few months, this is very rare.'

Mr Stanley, who has been with Sun City for eight months, said: 'The beating incident did make us very upset, but in other matters, the company treats us okay.'