wild happenings in singapore

14 Mar (Sat): Free Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs

The Naked Hermit Crabs introduce you to Chek Jawa without getting your feet wet. Even though we are not going on to the shore, there is still much to see and enjoy. There are monitor lizards, fiddler crabs, spiders, rare plants, wild boar, mudskippers and lots of fruit trees. If we are lucky, we might even spot the Oriental Pied Hornbill, White-bellied Sea Eagle and the giant Atlas Moth.

Not more than five persons in a group, pre-register with this online form.

More details on the event and how to get to Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin on the Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs blog.

Time: 9.30am meet at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk, Pulau Ubin.
Duration: Two hours
Cost: no charge for now, but donations accepted.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

2-8 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

Wild walks

8 Mar (Sun): Nature Trail Walk with the BES Drongos

Come on an invigorating walk along the Petai Trail! Learn more about nature spaces in Singapore and the biodiversity found in our physical landscape of the secondary forest at Macritchie Reservoir Park. The walk is on gravel path and boardwalk, some elevation but no steep stairs.

The BES Drongos are a group of nature lovers from the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) programme who have come together to manage guided walks on nature trails open to everyone! We want to bring people to appreciate and understand local biodiversity and our ecological systems in Singapore through our guided walks on the Petai Trail at Macritchie Reservoir Park.

Registration required online at besdrongos.eventbrite.sg

Time: 8.45am-12noon
Meeting point: Mushroom cafe at the entrance of Macritchie Reservoir Park
Website: http://besdrongos.wordpress.com

7 Mar (Sat): Art in Nature @ Dairy Farm Nature Park

Started in June 2010 and resumed early 2013, this Nature Art workshop is for the serious artists and those with relevant art background. Get ready to busy yourself with sketchpads and paint brushes at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Volunteer leader, Jerome Pang will be sharing and guiding volunteers and participants to develop their art skills while raising awareness on conservation and native biodiversity.

Suitable for individuals age 16 and above

Register online

Time: 9am - 12noon
Venue: Dairy Farm Nature Park, Wallace Education Learning Lab (WELL)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

7 Mar (Sat): Seeker's Trail Family Games Day

Join this treasure hunt trail and fight myopia. Get a free copy of the "Seeker's Trail" booklet and follow Kyle the Kingfisher, Lynn the Leopard cat and a pack of local animals as they battle evil creatures that vow to make the whole world myopic.

Join in our live-storytelling session where characters in the books get brought to life, along with a host of educational games about myopia. Fighting myopia has never been more fun! Sign up early and grab a free goodie-bag.

For children aged 5-9, and their parents.

The event is free but pre-registration is required on www.seeksingapore.com/events

The event is organised by SEEK (Stop the Eye Epidemic in Kids) which aims to encourage parents to take their kids for more outdoor play to combat the rising rates of myopia in Singapore.

Time: 4-7pm
Venue: West Coast Park
Website: http://www.seeksingapore.com/

7 Mar (Sat): Love MacRitchie walk with the Toddycats

Join enthusiastic volunteer guides who will share with you stories about the amazing plants and animals living in our precious forest heritage at Venus Loop. This series of free guided walks for the public are conducted by The Toddycats, volunteer nature guides of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, for the Love Our MacRitchie Forest movement

More information and online registration at the Love MacRitchie Forest blog.

7 Mar (Sat): Tour of the Healing Garden, Botanic Gardens

Launched in October 2011, the Healing Garden showcases over 400 varieties of plants used medicinally. It is laid out thematically relating to component parts of the body such as head, respiratory and reproductive systems. Spread over 2.5 hectares, this garden is designed as a tranquil retreat with medical plants traditionally used in Southeast Asia as the main focus.

Registration is required 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre. Mandarin tours are only available at 10am. English tours are available for all slots. This tour repeats every First Saturday of the Month.

This free walk is conducted every first Saturday of the month.

Time: 9am and 10am, please register 15 minutes before the tour
Venue: Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: Visitor Services (6471 7361)

7 Mar (Sat): NSS Kids’ Fun with Singapore’s National Butterfly Finalists

Open to the public, registration required.

The Butterfly and Insect Group (BIG) hopes to name Singapore’s National Butterfly soon. Six pretty candidates have been shortlisted, namely the Common Birdwing, Common Rose, Painted Jezebel, Common Tiger, Common Tree Nymph and Knight. We are inviting the public (and kids) to vote the best butterfly representing the spirit of Singapore. Join BIG at the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden where we hope to spot four out of the six national butterfly finalists, as well as a medley of other painted wings.

Please register your children (4 to 12 years old) with Gloria Seow at gloria_seow@yahoo.com, stating their names and ages, if they are NSS members or not, and let us have your mobile number. Details will be emailed to those who sign up.

Time: 9.30-11.30am
Cost: A fee of $5 per child (member) or $10 per child (non-member) will be collected on the spot. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to join in at no charge.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

7 Mar (Sat): Muddy and his friends

Join Muddy and his friends for an adventure in the wetlands of Sungei Buloh. Be amazed listening to his interesting story and participate in the morning nature walk.

Suitable for children. Limited to 20 persons. Register online here.

Time: 9.30am-11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

23 Feb - 1 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead