[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – A comprehensive study of biodiversity in the southern islands has uncovered several rare and endangered species there, such as the eastern magpie-robin and the spotted forest owl.
The Southern Islands Biodiversity Survey analyzes the terrestrial and marine habitats of more than 10 islands south of mainland Singapore.
Preliminary findings show that while some of these islands are small and have a history of human activities on them, they may still host rich coastal habitats containing rare and endangered species previously unknown in the area.
These habitats range from coastal forests and mangroves to intertidal plains, subtidal reefs, and areas of shallow seabed.
The National Parks Board (NParks) and the Friends of the Marine Park community gave this update on Sunday (December 13) in the middle of the two-year study, which covers the islands that make up the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, known islands like Sentosa and Pulau Semakau, as well as smaller and lesser-known islands like Pulau Biola and Pulau Jong.
The islands of the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and the St John’s Island group, for example, range in size from about 2.7ha to 75.1ha, the equivalent of about two to 75 football fields.
Some of the islands, such as Pulau Salu and Keppel Island, have never been surveyed before.
The survey, which incorporates data from recent baseline studies conducted by NParks in recent years, began in January to facilitate better conservation efforts and safeguard ecosystems for future generations.
Some of the species found to be nationally endangered include the eastern magpie-robin, which was recently recorded from Pulau Tekukor, as well as the spotted forest owl and the great-billed heron, which were recorded from the sisters’ islands. .
The nationally vulnerable textile cone snail, which is highly poisonous to immobilize and quickly kill its prey, was recently recorded on Lazaro Island this year. Once common in Singapore, cone snails are now rarely seen.
The nationally vulnerable smooth-eyed ghost crab, which can be found on the higher shores of sandy beaches, was also recently recorded on Lazaro Island.
Previously recorded at East Coast Park and Sentosa, its distribution in Singapore is not well understood as it is rarely seen.
Several critically endangered and nationally endangered plant species were also recently recorded on several islands within the St John’s-Sisters island group.
Some coastal plants are now rare or extinct on the continent. For example, locally critically endangered shoreline nutmeg was recently recorded from the Kusu and Sisters Islands. It can also be found on the islands of San Juan and Lazaro, as well as Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong.
Dr. Karenne Tun, director of the coastal and marine division at the NParks National Biodiversity Center, said studies such as the Southern Islands Biodiversity Survey are essential to understanding the area and developing practical conservation strategies to protect it.
These efforts will also go towards ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy and appreciate Singapore’s rich biodiversity, he added.
In the future, NParks will deploy a remotely operated vehicle for seafloor surveys within areas of interest for biodiversity at depths of 20 to 50 m.
It will collect data through visual and acoustic mapping of the seafloor using multibeam and side scan sonars, along with photo and video images.
These surveys will build on existing data that was collected during the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey in 2010-2015 and will allow NParks to acquire baseline data to aid in long-term monitoring of the seafloor environment.
These data will help NParks devise strategies for their management and conservation.
In addition, Singapore has collected records of the global movements of a critically endangered species of turtle for the first time.
In a pilot earlier this year, NParks attached satellite trackers to the shells of two nesting hawksbill turtles that made landfall, allowing researchers to better understand the travel patterns of the nesting turtles.
According to signals recorded so far, the turtles swam along the eastern shores of Singapore before traveling to Riau in Indonesia, and are currently in their feeding grounds off Batam.
NParks will install more of these trackers on nesting turtles during the upcoming nesting season. The information collected from these trackers will be used for conservation management and land use planning in Singapore.
Noting that turtles visit Singapore more frequently than originally thought, Dr Tun said: “That would give us a better understanding of the turtle movement and also help us in the conservation of this particular species.”
[ad_2]
