Night Safari

Lesson Learnt #1: Don't bother taking pictures at Night Safari unless you've got a really pro camera that can take photos under dim lightning.

can you spot that Greater Mousedeer in the middle of the photo?

Now that was supposed to be a deer in the middle.

It took me less than 5 pathetic shots before I was convinced that my camera was just 'sucky', according to somebody. Flash photography wasn't allowed, and so there was nothing much I could do but to pack my cam away in my bag.

Nevertheless the trip was enjoyable, and most of the time I was playing this game 'Spot-the-animal-in-the-dark'. Ahaha. I didn't like how the tiger paced incessantly up and down in its exhibit though; looks like its natural instincts been suppressed.

One thing I'd like to highlight is the plight of the Malayan Pangolin (Manis Javanica) in Asia. There was this huge poster at the exhibit showing gory pictures and descriptions of how the Malayan Pangolins are poached for their meat (that includes baby pangolins) and skinned for their scales in TCM. Yikes. Untill I saw the poster, I didn't know that pangolins were facing a serious threat due to illegal poaching.

I did a little search on the Malayan Pangolin and came across this website www.savepangolins.org and here's some quick facts:

1. Pangolins are scaly ant-eaters which are present in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

2. There are four species of Asian pangolins: the Malayan or Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), the Chinese or Formosan pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), the Palawan or Phillipine pangolin (Manis culionensis).

3. All of them, except the Palawan pangolin, are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) [Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled - CITES]

4. Malayan Pangolin is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered.

5. Pangolins are difficult to maintain without expert care and rarely survive in captivity.

In Singapore, the Malayan Pangolin is found in Central Catchment Area, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Pulau Tekong, but their numbers are relatively low. Although trade in Pangolin meat is unseen in Singapore, it is prevalent in other parts of Asia, especially China. Like almost all other TCM products, it is not scientifically proven that Pangolin scales contain health benefits to us humans.

Should you consume a TCM product in the future, think twice and check if an animal has not died in vain in its making.

Chilli Plant

My Dad cultivates a Chilli Plant in the balcony.

This chilli plant, which bears what we commonly know as Chilli Padi, is also called Bird's eye Chilli (Capsicum frutescens L.) [No idea why it is named as such]. It is a shrub, a perennial plant (fruits throughout the year) with small tapering fruits which are commonly used in Asian cuisine. This plant is native to tropical America.

The newly formed flower bud and the budding chilli fruit, or berry, behind. Yeap, the fruits of the chilli plant is classified as berry in scientific terms, as the chilli fruit is produced from a single ovary.

Freshly opened flower. The purple-blue pollen sacs and the short stigma and style have yet to mature.

A mature flower, completed with pollens that are ready to disperse. I saw one or two ants making visits to the flowers on the plant the other day, crawling towards the base of the flower probably to taste the sweet nectar. I suppose ants could be one of the pollinators of this plant.

Green not-yet-matured chilli fruit and the red matured ones. As we all know, the smaller the chilli fruit is, the spicier it is. The fruits of this plant species is in fact one of the hottest 'chillis' around. The ones in above are not yet plucked, but would you like to have a go at its fiery taste? ;D

3-4-2010 Hunting Seeking at Pulau Semakau

The long awaited update of my Pulau Semakau's trip on the 3rd April. Sorry was busy with exams!

Not in any particular order...

A pair of mating Sand-shifting Sea Star (Archaster typicus); it is the season for lurrve!

Sentinel Crab (Macrophthalmus milloti). My first spotting of it!

An unidentified nudibranch that appeared to be dying... =( Note to self: Must remember to collect if I encounter it again!

Acorn Worm... well its cast. This looks to be the remains of a meal that was consumed probably hours ago, judging by it's dried-up look. Click here for more information about this strange yet interesting creatures.

Common Whelk (Nassarius livescens). This one was so hyperactive, thrashing it's muscular foot about that I had to put it down on the ID sheet! lol

Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes brevicarpalis) next to a Gigantic Anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea). The smaller, less conspicuous one is the male whereas the bigger one is the female. A pair of Anemone Shrimps are usually found in a mutualistic relationship with their adopted anemone.

A far shot of another Gigantic Anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea).

Orange Fiddler Crab (Uca vocans). They have one enlarged, rather not-so-useful claw (except for waving at you); and based on the Handicapped Principle, the larger their claw is, the more they show that they're able to survive with this large 'handicap', and thus the higher their chances of attracting a mate. It's amazing how Nature can turn the concept of Misfortune around!

This looks like an enclosed sea worm or sea anemone?

Underside of a Dog Whelk (Nassarius pullus). Dog Whelks and Common Whelks can be distinguished by their operculum; Dog Whelks have broader and flatter operculum compared to the Common Whelks.

Sandfish Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scarbra).

Peek-a-boo! Hairy Crab (Pilumnus vespertilio)

Finally, after countless times of hearing their snaps, I finally managed to take a shot of a Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus sp.)! This one was shifting through the sand/mud, totally oblivious to the attention was getting. haha!

Gigantic Anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea)

Red Swimming Crab (Thalamita spinimana), a woot! discovery near the reef edge. I wouldn't want to wrestle with the strong claws of this fierce crab! haha