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
23
June
2008
We’re not used to seeing huge heaps of trash piled up high in spanking-clean Singapore. Most of us have no idea where our garbage goes. Because we don’t actually take out the trash (if we live in apartments most of us have a private chute) and the garbage collectors come practically everyday, it’s difficult to understand the phenomenal amount of trash each of us consumes on a daily basis, and then, in a lifetime.
In Singapore we don’t have dump sites, which are highly unsightly. While there are some dump yards for specific types of waste like construction waste and waste metal, they are isolated at the very corners of our little island, hidden from the discriminate eyes of residents and tourists. It almost seems a miracle that a country so densely populated and with such little land can find a solution to its growing amounts of waste.
So where does all the trash go in land-scarce Singapore. In the sea of course. But it’s very well managed. State of the art seawalls keep the incinerated and processed trash (the garbage isn’t dumped as it is) inside the oceanic landfill. It also keeps the ocean out, which is very important.
But our resources are finite. There’s only so much ocean and land we can fill. However, our appetite for consumption is limitless. On average, products are disposed within six months of their purchase. We have to invent more, and new ingenious ways of looking after our trash. Because if you ignore your trash, it’s going to come back and haunt you.
This article, first featured in The Ecologist magazine discusses how “Old plastic rubbish doesn’t die it just gets tossed away in far-off places that we rarely get to see. Daisy Dumas assesses its impact on the world’s largest floating landfill the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.”
Posted: News
3
June
2008
27 May 2008
Scientists have discovered a vast new underwater colony labelled ‘Brittlestar City’ south of New Zealand.
Millions of starfish-like creatures have been found on a peak 90 metres below the sea surface on the subsea Macquarie Ridge stretching 1,400km south of New Zealand. Details of the major find were announced by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research at a biodiversity conference in Oslo.
They dubbed the peak, filmed with a robot submarine, Brittlestar City after the five-armed creatures related to starfish, sea cucumbers, sea lilies, and sea urchins.
Tens of millions live arm tip to arm tip in a swirling circumpolar current flowing over and around it at roughly four kilometers per hour.
It allows Brittlestar City’s life to capture passing food simply by raising their arms, and it sweeps away fish and other hovering would-be predators.
Marine mission
Discovery of this marine metropolis highlighted a month-long expedition to survey the Macquarie Ridge aboard the NIWA’s research ship Tangaroa.
Scientists photographed brown-black brittlestars numbering hundreds per square meter and estimate tens of millions of them populate the 100 square km flat top of the seamount.
“We were excited to see such a huge assemblage of brittlestars on the Macquarie Ridge seamount,” said NIWA ecologist Ashley Rowden.
“Not only is it amazing to see a vast array of one type of organism but the implications of the find for our understanding of the relative uniqueness of seamount assemblages are potentially far-reaching.”.
New and rare species
The eight biologists on board believe some species collected have never before been recorded in the region while some may be new to science.
An abundance of deepwater cardinal fishes was found sheltering below a rock ledge on the seamount. In the lee of the rock, biologists believe, the fish could both conserve energy and access food.
Cod were found in the folds of a large bubblegum coral (nearly two meters high, and likely hundreds of years old). These fish were also believed to be finding shelter from the current and perhaps benefiting in other ways from their close association with the coral.
Rowden said aggregations like this had never before been observed.
“It’s this sort of information will allow us to improve our knowledge of biodiversity in the deep sea, and how best to manage it,” said Rowden.
Posted: News
16
May
2008
Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author. Starting at age 20, he dedicated his life to sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. His practice has included starting and running ecological businesses, writing and teaching about the impact of commerce on living systems, and consulting with governments and corporations on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy.
In this speech at the Bioneers Conference, Hawken delivers an inspiring presentation about the worlds largest movement - the hundreds of thousands of grassroots organizations that address social and environmental justice. The movement that you and I are a part of.
Posted: Talks, Notices, News, Videos
21
April
2008
This year’s mass coral spawning in Singapore is estimated to fall over the next few days, from 23 - 25 April, 2008. As this period falls over Earth Day week, we’re making this dive a part of our Earth Day 2008 activities!
If you’d like to join us for this dive, you have at least be an advanced open water diver or its equivalent. You are required to have a camera and your own slate. Divers will be paired up and required to survey a designated zone around Hantu Island. Details of the spawning (should it happen! there’s no guarantee!) such as the time, depth, species, and it’s location should be recorded. This data will be collated with surveys being done in other areas of Singapore, and will help scientists in understanding the factors that influence coral reproduction in Singapore and the nearby regions.
Time: 1800 - 2200 hrs
Venue: Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal
Cost: $95.00
Registration for this dive has closed.
Posted: Notices, News, Blog Dives
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
11
April
2008
Pulau Hantu’s iconic sea critter, the Tigertail seahorse, makes its North American debut at Nature Online, the Web site of the popular American public television series Nature. The series is produced by channel Thirteen/WNET New York, the highest-rated public TV station in the US, offering a wealth of programming from the Public Broadcasting Service. The non-profit corporation also operates WLIW21, public television, presenting programming and outreach projects that educate, enlighten and entertain, as well as several digital channels, and on-demand video services. Thirteen/WNET began broadcasting in 1962.
The Tigertail seahorse is part of a Web feature for an article about interesting mating antics. Follow the above link and click “See the answers” at the bottom of the page to be taken to the page where the photo is displayed!
It’s great that The Hantu Blog, a free public education service, is able to contribute to a similar outreach vehicle half way across the planet. Because Nature Online will have an enormous reach not just to people in the US but to people all over the world, we hope our Seahorse ambassador and our Blog will garner the attention that our reefs need in order to survive the next seven generations.
Free public television has been so important in the nurturing of society’s less privileged since the 1970s. In an era where everyone watches cable television, it’s hard to imagine a world without it. But a majority of society still depends on public television to have fun, learn and be influenced. The even better news is that today, there’s more information that can be freely accessed (and delivered!) than ever before. So there’s really no excuse to be misinformed anymore.
Posted: Notices, News
3
March
2008
UNEP Fisheries Expert, Christopher Paterson, visited the Hantu Blog and sent the following email:
“I was interested to read the aricle “Only 4% of untouched ocean left” on your blog “Pulau Hantu”, particularly your comments regarding the South China Sea.
I thought you may be interested in our South China Sea Project website.
This site was recently featured on the official Google Earth blog and can also be accessed via the Google Earth Showcase.
I hope that you and perhaps your readers will find some of the content on our website useful.
Congratulations on your excellent blog. I have added it to the links section of our website.”
The website contains insightful information about communities in the region and their interaction with the oceans, and discusses strategies and methods to mitigate their impact on the oceans.
Learn about projects that are being implemented in coastal and ocean habitats throughout the region, view fascinating maps with the help of Google Earth, and even speak with an expert that’s online through their website via Skype!
If you’d like to enrich yourself further, you can check out their calendar of events for the heads up on several of their workshops and conferences being held throughout the region. You may also have your opinions heard on their forum.
This is an indispensable website for recreationists, researchers alike. There’re so many things to discover and interact with, I almost missed my dinner whilst exploring it!
Posted: Notices, News
