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

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

Is Singapore A boring place?

(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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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?

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

View Fireworks and enjoy the atmosphere at Countdown 08/09.

Merry X'mas and Happy New Year!

Donations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"

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.'

Nice Pictures

Visit them at the Singapore Zoo.

Post-mortem on Singapore Zoo staff mauled to death by white Tigers

This is captured from Sammyboy forum, Possible reason why My favourite White Tiger mauled Zoo staff to death, A ONE off incident?

Sg Zoo Not Proactive But Retroactive

Dear ALL,

With the grisly death of the employee of the Singapore Zoo still very much the talk of the town, I like to state that the management of the Singapore Zoo has failed in its responsibility in looking after the welfare of their employees or those who work in their premises.

If Nordin Montong was indeed "mentally disturbed" then there would have been signs of this many days if not weeks prior to this fatal incident.

Had his supervisors, managers or immediate superiors noticed or bothered to notice then they should have ordered him to seek medical help and perhaps this incident could have been averted. Or at least he wouldn't have died being mauled by tigers.

Reacting to his actions after the fact only compounds the mal-management of human assets in the Singapore Zoo. All reports talk of how he is merely a contract worker and what sort of behaviour he exhibited, all done as if the distance themselves and avoid responsibility.

The point is that many people in organisations as large as the Singapore Zoo depend on contract workers, this is the reality of business today, but at what cost? There is distinct lack of responsibility and accountability towards the very people that work to bring prestige, fame and keep the place running for the organisation itself.

A life was needlessly lost and despite exhibiting all the telltale signs of mental problems, as SPH's ST so boldly states, but the question that goes abegging is why was he ignored?

Wasn't there anyone who could have intervened? Don't huge organisations like the Sg Zoo have meetings with its staff and don't supervisors and managers look out for potential problems among their staff?

Poor all round management and poor humanistics stands out, IMHO.

Personally, when I was a teenager, I used to volunteer at the zoo during school holidays. Bernard Harrison had been there for the longest time and he would talk to all employees at least once a week and he would sometimes call out people for 1 on 1 talks in his office if he sensed something amiss.

Especially when one of the primate keepers was all depressed when Pinky the orang utan died some weeks earlier.

Of course this was way back then when employees were all zoo staff and contract workers were unheard of.

No matter how one feels about Nordin Montong's nationality and the FT issue, one must have some sympathy. The basis of Singapore society has become such that "you die your business" has taken its toll once again. This time it's an FT next time another Sgean.

How many suicides are the result of this attitude? How many lives have been lost because the business model of Singapore leaves no room for personal intervention and interests before organisational. The simple simple answer is, because it makes no economic sense to do so.

There is something seriously wrong with regards to employer to employee relationships in Sg, and this I bet my very last inflation ravaged dollar that this is merely the tip of a collossal iceberg.

Cheers,

MentisMortis