30
June
2008
The Hantu Blog spent the weekend at Envirofest 2008, amidst a wholesome selection of all sorts of environmental groups like the Naked Hermit Crabs, Nature Society of Singapore, and Raffles Museum Toddycats. Holding an event such as this in the heartlands of Toa Payoh was very refreshing! We met all sorts of interesting individuals along with some very promising young people who hopefully will remember the wonderful things they learnt about Singapore waters when the grow up!
Volunteers Hui Bing and Chay Hoon gave their precious time to our humble booth at Envirofest’08. It was tough competing with the throngs of people that flocked to the Toddycat booth to view and learn about about the amazing specimens on display!
Chay Hoon also gave a talk at the event on Sunday and educated some kids about the variety of creatures that can be spotted in Singapore.
Amongst the animal exhibits, the Toddycats had a host of interesting displays that where so chock full of knowledge that even I learned something new! Some of Singapore’s most experience nature people like Oi Yee were also present at the booth to literally blow people’s minds away with loads and loads of information on local fauna, flora and ecology!
And Siva played the role model by showing everyone you can help make a difference to the environment in your own little way such as riding your bike instead of relying on fuel dependent vehicles!
You can read more about event at Habitatnews . Wildfilms also blogged about the event and took heaps of pictures! We also managed to organise a dive at Hantu over the same weekend so we’ve been really busy! Stay tuned to read the trip report from our dive and view more awesome pictures!
Posted: Talks, Blogs, News
25
May
2008
Despite the days of rain and even the morning shower, we had uber fantastic weather and an appropriately comfortable day of average visibility diving. Storm clouds rolled in during the later part of the day but swept across Pulau Senang and left us rain free though it did bring the vis down deep a little lower. But of course, we still had an incredible day diving.
Though common on the reef, flabellinas continue to thrill divers with their electrifying colours. The reefs around Pulau Hantu are well known for their nudibranch diversity. Today, a new species was photographed by one of our diver guides Marcel den Herder. Once I get my fins on it, I’ll be sure to post it right here so you gawk at it. Star tuned.
Not usually easy to photograph are these tinsy tiny gobies. The sand coloured fish are extremely skittish and sometimes can be found sharing a burrow with a blind shrimp. Oddly enough, this one seemed stoned and unfazed by my presence so I had to reward it by posting it’s picture online for all to see. There are several species of gobies found in and around Hantu island. Not all have been documented. They can be found living in coral, the reef and the sand or rock crevices. Gobies are possibly the most species diverse fish in the ocean, only the diversity of wrasses comes close.
Seagrass filefish or Leatherjackets are generally calm and easy to photograph especially when they are busy feeding. They are capable of manipulating their pigment cells and can almost disappear into the water. You’d have to see it to believe it. When they are calm like this individual is, their patterns, either in the form of spots, stripes or even “hairy” appendage, can be seen. They are also known to be curious and can follow divers for several minutes!
In recent months, these tiny acoel flatworms have been seen to be encroaching upon all species of coral including the free living mushroom coral. These worms don’t parasite on the coral but can cause it damage by blocking out the sunlight the coral needs to produce foods. I’m keen to learn if anyone might know about what allows these worms to flourish and what are the effects if any of their presence on the reef. Please email me if you have any comments about this. Apart from these flatworms, over the past 2 months we’ve observed a significant increase in the presence of jellyfish. At least 3 species of jellyfish seem to be a part of this seemingly sudden population explosion. Jellyfish move with the currents and they also seem to favour warmer waters. What could be the reason for their abrupt influx? A sudden number of jellyfish has also been reported in Malaysian waters on the South China Sea.
Today was also a last dive for some of the Blog’s fave volounteers Ming Sheng and Marco. After helping Singapore raise the awareness of local marine fauna through the Blog as well as through their own efforts with various volunteer organisations such as Reef Check, Reef Friends, Reef Xplore and Blue Water Volunteers, the 2 are off to various parts of the world to continue their work in an effort to give Mother Nature a break. The Blog applauds the commitment of its volunteers and recognises their invaluable efforts in awareness building, education, leadership and citizenry. By the way, neither Ming Sheng nor Marcel are Singaporean. What gifts they are to the global volunteer network!
Posted: Blogs, Blog Dives
1
May
2008
Sorry this has taken awhile! Our server was out of sorts for a bit and we’ve had to sort it out. Nonetheless, here it is at last - evidence of a superb dive at Hantu with old friends and new! (Above: Bullocki nudibranch)
As much as Hantu’s infamous visibility can hinder a divers comfort, a day of good visibility is a cause for celebration! And we don’t mean pop the bubbly, we mean spot as many critters can you can and take all the wide angles you never thought possible! This Sunday’s clear waters has been a long time coming because experience tells us that the water tends to clear up after the monsoons. But as we’re all aware, patterns in the weather have been going out of wack lately. Apart from the water being a welcome reprieve from the annoying heat we’ve been experiencing lately, it was also a tricky place to be with one of the largest jellyfish blooms we’ve ever known in 5 years! 3 divers including myself brought home a little souvenir from a brainless friend (read: jellyfish), and we’re still carrying the marks of the heated exchange 4 days later! (Above: detail of seafan)
The saying goes “there ain’t so such thing as a free lunch” so I suppose good vis and slack waters was perhaps too good to be true? In all honesty, it’s a bit of a concern the reason behind the jellyfish bloom. An excess of freshwater or higher temperatures lead to jellyfish blooms, but were these the factors that brought about a sea littered with jellyfish this weekend? Was the effluence from surrounding industries a cause? The cooling pipes in Bukom refinery have been known to be clogged with jellyfish in the past and reversing the flow of the pump was necessary to discharge the clogged jellyfish. Did something similar happen this time? Or are we looking at something larger than the immediate environment? Is it something regional? El Nino? A friend out in the northern waters of Singapore also reported a jellyfish bloom. So what’s going on? (Above: A diver photographs a nudibranch)
Because of the current works going on in Bukom with large ferries moving people too and fro the island, diving around the Hantu’s north channel seems to be disallowed. But we didn’t fret - taking advantage of the excuse to check out new diving sites that turned out to be as promising and from a whole different perspective! That said, we love diving the north channel because there’ve been some amazing things we’ve seen there like reticulated puffers, blotched sea cucumbers, the mesmerising giant hydriods with their tiny nudibranch inhabitants. Not to mention the seahorses, seasnakes and schools of rabbitfish and barracuda that see seem to encounter there and no where else. Hopefully we’d get to dive there again soon without any hassle. Every reef surrounding Hantu is precious. (Above: Damsel in carafe)
I was reminded of ReefXplore instructor Jani when I encountered this maroon-coloured crinoid. Jani used to love photographing these guys. Especially if they were red as that was her favourite colour… Check out her fantastic albeit backdated Blog on her research in Singapore waters!
Especially because we g diving in the north channel a miss this month, it’d be really good to revisit it in May or the following months to check out how things are getting on over there. I was particularly stressed that we might not be able to spot any seahorses this weekend because we didn’t dive the usual spots and were not sure where to find them, but… find them we did!
And I suppose it was good to be pushed to check out other sites, find new stuff and identify new spots to find some of our favourite critters! Check out more pix form this weekend’s dive at our Gallery, or swing by the following blogs and weblogs to read more accounts from Sunday’s dive!
Samson’s Manta’s World of Nature’s Goodies
HB’s Memories
Chay Hoon’s Colourful Clouds
Posted: Blogs, Blog Dives
27
April
2008
I’m sure some of you who couldn’t make it for this dive have been wondering how much you’ve missed. The consolation is that you didn’t miss the coral spawning, but you still missed on some truly incredible night diving! (Above: Anemone with ascidians)
Marine biologist Jeffery Low was the unofficial scientific officer for this dive, which was also advised by Karrene Tun, another biologist who recommended the day for our dive. Karrene had been monitoring the development of egg sacs within the coral in specific sites in Singapore, and will be conducting certain experiments to better understand the reproduction of corals and the environmental factors that threaten or support them. (Above: Sleeping fish)
We set up 4 transects along the fringing reef and assigned a pair of buddies to work along each 20m transect. The point of the transect was simply to avoid double counting any corals that had spawned. So each buddy hung out and of course they didn’t just twiddle their thumbs as they indefinitely waited for the corals to spawn! With some of the most advanced spotters the Blog has ever encountered, camera flashes were ablaze across the reef as some of the most minute to some of the truly largest creatures on the reef were being photographed and observed! (Above: Octopus)
The night began with our encounter with Betsy the large hawksbill turtle as I posted yesterday. She truly is a large one and this time we weren’t just guessing! Because she was lying right next to the transect tape we were literally able to measure her up! From head to base of carapace, she measured about a meter! Her shell was covered with algae and freckled with barnacles. I’m blown away just thinking about how old she might be and the changes she must’ve witnessed and experienced as a turtle living in Singapore. Did she get a chance to mate? Did she ever return to shore to lay her eggs? I wonder, I wonder… (Above: [top row] Coral crab, shrimp, swimmer crab, eight-banded butterflyfish, flatworms [bottom row] box crab, swimmer crab, decorator crab, ‘closed’ crinoid, ‘open’ crinoid)
Some things you don’t have to wonder about though, is the myriad of macro (and mega) fauna that dotted every bit of reef, which certainly bursts into a spectacle of life at night. I’ll let the following images of shrimps, crabs, tiny fish, and some amaturish videos, do the talking. The only other largish animal I encountered on the reef was the blue spotted fan tail ray, which I was too absorbed watching that I at first forgot but later decided not to document (sorry!). To understand what it’s like, perhaps you’ll have to let yourself experience it first hand… (Above: Acopora goby)
A rare find: Divers are more used to finding this Imperial shrimp riding on the backs of the Spanish dancer nudibranch. Here is finds safety in an Acopora coral.
A young Yellow-finned angelfish tries to remain safe from predators by hiding deep within this coral, but safety doesn’t come easy on the reef. Several predators look for food by creeping within the corals as well.
Posted: Blogs, Blog Dives, Videos
27
April
2008
Wow! So much has happened this week! From the dive on Thursday in an attempt to catch this years coral spawning, to the talk on Saturday at the Botanical Gardens, now I’m getting ready for tomorrow’s dive! Phew! But one thing at a time! Here’s a taste of what our Earth Day night dive at Hantu on Thursday was like. Stay tuned for more pix and a more indepth post! Meet Betsy - the ginormous resident hawksbill turtle at Hantu. Inevitably she was disturbed in her sleep when we took this video, so please enjoy it as bast as you can! Move videos to be uploaded soon!
Posted: Blogs, Blog Dives, Videos
21
April
2008
While most people are waiting for April 22, Earth Day to do their bit for the environment, nature enthusiast, educator, poet, and naturalist in his own right, Joseph Lai, has already swung into action to help save local reefs a tangle at a time.
Whilst I was at ADEX on Saturday, Joseph was leading a group of young people concerned about the environment and eager to do their bit, into the intertidal reefs of Pulau Hantu to remove a discarded fishing net that had become tangled in the reef. More at Joseph’s Blog.
When fishing nets are discarded they are referred to as ghost nets, so called because they drift carelessly in the ocean, snaring all sorts of wildlife from corals to pelagic and reef animals. Because they are not degradable, these nets continue to harm marine and coastal life throughout their indefinite “lifetimes”.
Remember, you don’t have to wait for an event to do your bit for the environment. It’s way more effective to work little bits of positive acts for the environment into your daily life. But in order to amplify your actions, not only should you passively try to reduce your consumption and try to live sustainably, but you should actively reach out to others and encourage them to live the way you do.
George Monbiot is the author of the best selling books The Age of Consent: a manifesto for a new world order, Captive State: the corporate takeover of Britain, and Heat: How to stop the Planet Burning. In an interview with New Consumer he suggests…
“There is absolutely one cast iron rule and that is that you don’t [make a difference] by yourself. You have to work with other people and in nearly all cases there are already groups which you can join. Never try to precipitate political change by yourself, it’s just not going to work. The lone voice might sound romantic but it’s not effective. For this to work you will have to work with others.”
Before you get all depressed thinking about how many plastic bags you have refused at the supermarket and how this doesn’t make a difference on a global scale, remember, that BEFORE you get to convincing others or working with others, you have to begin by working with yourself. When you’re convinced of your actions, and it’s roll-on effect, only then can you convincingly incur that same belief in others. It really depends on how far along you are, but it’s good to keep Monbiot’s philosophy in mind. If you’re already in the habit of making a difference, why not expand on it and have others make that same difference? But if you’re still getting used to it, go easy on yourself and keep on working at getting that spark to transform into an endearing flame.
Posted: Notices, Blogs, News
20
April
2008
Thanks to Ria for posting these pictures and her comments of the local conservation outreach efforts at ADEX today (April 19)! Without her swift photo taking action I wouldn’t have the opportunity to generate this little blog!
Not only did the event allow an exchange of information between nature groups and the public, but it proved to be a great platform for networking between volunteers from various fields of environmental work.
Diversity is important in environmental protection work because it is an extremely dynamic and organic movement that truly requires the synergy of organisations and individuals in order to be effective and up to speed.
It was inspiring to be amongst other similarly passionate individuals and motivating to meet young people who felt strongly about the environmental cause! Thanks to the ADEX organisers for kindly providing an area for Eco Village and kudos to them for conceiving such a great idea!
To read more about the other groups that participated and to view all the above pictures and more, visit the Wildfilms Blog and the IYOR Singapore Blog! If you missed us today, you can still catch us tomorrow (April 20) for the final day of the expo! Hope to see you there!
Posted: Blogs, News
19
April
2008
This year’s Asia Dive Expo will be from 18-20 April at Suntec, Singapore. At the International Convention & Exhibition Center.
The Hantu Blog will be present at the inaugural ADEX Eco Village as part of the International Year of the Reef group of organisations. Join the Hantu Blog along with other local groups and NGOs in bringing the environmental message to the regions largest expo, and one of the several global industries that depend on the health of the oceans in order to profit.
Posted: Notices, Blogs, News
25
March
2008
Good things come in small packages, like allied cowries, porcelain crabs, decorator crabs, and whip gobies. We waited an entire year for this day - the one day in each year we insanely decide to spend 12 hours out at sea diving 4 dives including a thrilling night dive for the sake of showcasing Hantu’s wildlife and it’s potential for bringing diversity, pleasure, and inspiration into the lives of locals and those who visit our country.
This March we commemorate 4 years of diving and blogging. Through the years we’ve managed to miraculously organise 56 dives to Hantu (excluding your research and training dives!) and led almost 500 members of the public into Hantu waters! It really has been super, and when I first started blogging one plain day 4 years ago, I really had no idea something like this was in store - ReefXplore! and a team of volunteers! Who’d have thought? The Hantu Blog’s dive trips, and the very blog itself, would not have been sustained without the priceless commitment of our volunteers in teaching others about Hantu’s marine life! A massive thank you to all those who’ve dived wit us through the years. This Blog and our dives can’t exist without you!
If you already saw our post with the video logs, you’d know that we had an outstanding dive last weekend around Hantu. Here’s the evidence…
I saw a total of 3 seahorses at 2 sites. One of our volunteers saw another one during the night dive, making the total at least 4 seahorses across 3 sites!
There were heaps of nudibranches out today. Particularly the Gymnodoris. This one here’s laying a ribbon of pretty pink eggs.
This fella here with the big ugly mug might very well have bagged the prize for the best find this weekend. It’s not a sponge, not a cluster of ascidians… It’s in fact, a very privileged find - a frogfish! Divers were shrieking under their regulators in excitement, attempting to clap their hands and giving high fives underwater when this critter was spotted!
The coral polyps were also out in full force!
This was an interesting find: A shark’s eggs case, with a developing pup inside nonetheless!
These Blue spotted fan tailed rays are extremely shy and never fail to humour me. They kind of suffer from the ostrich syndrome, thinking what they can’t see can’t see them either. These rays are most frequently detected because they have their faces wedged into some coral crevice whilst their tails are left extended out in the open! Perhaps their tails have nothing to fear because they are so deathly barbed, but still! Anyway, they are always fantastic to photograph because their blue spots turn out brilliant in pictures.
Here’s something else we haven’t seen in awhile. The above picture taken by volunteer guide, Marcel, is of a carpet eel blenny. These animals are usually shy and dart away into sandy burrows or crevices in the reef as soon as they’re spotted. But this individual seemed to enjoy the limelight. Allowing a good number of shots to be taken as it crept along the reef.
Marcel being one of the 1st to descend for the 2nd dive managed to grab this surreal picture of a school of silver moonies. In a later photograph, the moonies are joined by a few Long finned batfish.
Another photo from Marcel, a Ceratosoma nudibranch.
This is just a tinsy sample of some of the things we saw during the Anniversary dive. If it’s not enough to make you jealous, you can visit our gallery. Prepared to be blown away!
Some other creatures we saw but didn’t manage to get photos of included Octopus, Sweetlips, Sea Bass, Groupers, Swatooth shrimp, and a Turtle!
Posted: Blogs, Blog Dives
18
March
2008
On Tuesday, the PFT crew and me went back to Hantu island to wrap up the shoot for the final episode of Once Upon a Tree II: Tides and Coastlines. The episode featuring the Hantu Blog carries the theme, “Hope”, and is intended to set the ending note for the state of our coastal and marine habitats, and the action that we have to take in order to safeguard our unique natural heritage.
The last time we took an intertidal look at Hantu’s reef, but this time, we went underwater with co-host Sye-Lynn. The water’s were more turbid than we would have preferred but we tried out best to work with the elements! The conditions surrounding Hantu island certainly don’t make it easy for us to do underwater documentation. Fingers crossed that the crew managed to get all the footage they need to give a spectacular representation of Hantu’s reef!
I managed to get some pretty exceptional shots and videos myself whilst taking it easy underwater as the camera crew fussed over their shots! It began with this awesome video of a swimming feather star!
There was also this exceptionally confident file fish which was only about the size of both my palms!
Then there was this school of tiny fish that hung in the shallow waters near the surface.
And of course, there were seahorses. Plural. There were 2.
These weren’t the only things we saw! There was also a sprinkling of other weird marine creatures and an aerial phenomenon was well - there was a MASSIVE flock of birds gathered over Hantu island. See what you missed! Swing by our gallery for a browse.
The series Once Upon a Tree will be aired on Tuesday, March 25 at 9.30pm (2130hrs). Need an email reminder?
Posted: Notices, Blogs, Videos
