20,000 species of living organisms here
THERE are an estimated 20,000 species of living organisms sharing Singapore’s 640 sq km with its human inhabitants.
Yesterday, the first-ever document describing 8,384 of these species was presented to Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large, Professor Tommy Koh, by the National Council on the Environment, (NCE) which commissioned its production.
Four academics from the National University of Singapore compiled the information for the 160-page book, A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore.
Prof Koh said that as a signatory to the International Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, Singapore was committed to halting the worldwide loss of plant and animal species.
He added that the inventory was a first step to learning more about the flora and fauna here and how to conserve them.
The inventory covers 8,384 species of plant and animal life in the primary and secondary forests, and freshwater, coastal and marine habitats. Everything from algae to the endangered Malayan flying fox described.
But certain groups, particularly insects, have been under-recorded and it is estimated that a complete count of living organisms would come to about 20,000 species.
Giving an overview of Singapore’s biodiversity Dr I.M. Turner, one of the four authors who is a botanist from NUS, said: "It is clear that Singapore has suffered a major loss of biodiversity, with 26 percent of plants, 28 percent of resident birds and 44 percent of freshwater fish having vanished over the last 150 years."
He added that from an international perspective, Singapore’s biodiversity has minor importance relatively, but there are cultural and economic arguments for conservation.
He said: "The native flora and fauna of an area are one of its residents' main cues for a sense of place, a recognition of where they belong and feel at home."
Giving the economic argument, NCE chairman Robert Kwan said more than 70 per cent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from plant extracts.
Some of the recommendations made in the document are:
Replanting schemes for plants and selected re-introduction of fauna like deer or hornbills, to stop the slow death of the forests. Supplementary feeding such as in an open zoo provided by trained expects, and the installation of artificial roosting or nesting sites would be needed.
-Re-directing joggers, mountain - bikers and others to less ecologically sensitive areas of the forests.
-Developing green corridors linking forests areas that have been severed by the Bukit Timah Expressway, to allow animals to move from the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to the catchment area.
-Improving the ranger system and conducting regular patrols to discourage poaching, littering, clearing of sites for campfires and other kinds of pollution in the nature areas.
- Stricter control of military training in nature areas.
- Creating an administrative structure to protect the four coral reef sites identified for conservation and tighter enforcement of laws to monitor land reclamation works.
The NCE hopes that the publication, which will be made available to schools and other organizations, will be a useful guide for biologists, nature enthusiasts and the general public.
Source : November 8 1994
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