Frogs on my mind

News flash: The live tadpoles and baby frogs sold at pet shops as fish food are of one species of frog - the American bullfrog. 

People who take these into the nature reserves should know that American bullfrogs are an invasive species. Tadpoles and froglets (young frogs) are more harmful as they disappear into the ecosystem. They will live within it eating and growing unseen by most. The local wildlife will end-up on their dining menu. Bullfrogs are indiscriminate feeders, they eat anything they can fit in their large mouths, which will put small birds, insects, fish, reptiles, frogs and mammals at risk. 
They can do the same damage as :-

• Cane toads in Australia and many other countries
• Pythons invading the Florida Everglades in North America
• Snakeheads in the North American waterways

They can wipe out native species.

Say hello to the brown anole

A morning visit to Gardens by the Bay for birds turned into a reptile photo session instead. On the bakau support poles propping the transplanted trees in by the car park were pencil long brown lizards sunning themselves.

2 1/2 weeks on ......

Kudos to NParks and their contractor at Bishan Park in finally removing all the American bullfrogs from the Lotus Garden pond. 

No bullfrogs can be seen hiding under lotus leaves nor can one hear their deep resonant bellow across the pond. 

As for the signage that lists the American bullfrog as part of the park's biodiversity/ecosystem, it will not be corrected. However, my feedback will be taken into consideration only when the signage is due for replacement. Having dealt with interpretive signage previously I know that it doesn't cost that much to replace but I respect the decision made.

In the mean time people will continue to be misinformed via the signage that is there 24x7.

1 1/2 weeks on and there still American bullfrogs in the pond

Bullfrog with a released pleco (sucker fish from S. American)

Bullfrogs are still around although their numbers are smaller. I chatted with a park regular and the man said people purposely bought frogs to restock the pond. Guess people read the signage at the Info Point area where American bullfrogs (an invasive species) are listed as wildlife that people will see in the park.

Less bullfrogs but they have started to lay eggs

There are significantly fewer bullfrogs today (1 Nov 2013) but there are still enough around to cause damage to the ecosystem. The frogs that are left are half the size of those I saw on Monday. They are less afraid and I could get real close to them to photograph them with a macro lens.

The bad news is even though there are fewer frogs, they have started to lay eggs. This is what I photographed this morning - a pair doing just that. I've sent NParks this photo and urged them to continue catching the remaining frogs.

Over 50 mature American bullfrogs released into Bishan Park

I went for my morning walk at Bishan Park yesterday and when I got to the Lotus Garden, I heard a call of an American bullfrog then another and another. It appeared that someone released bullfrogs into the pond. Upon going around the pond it became apparent how many frogs were released - over 50. There were frogs sitting on rocks, under rocks, on the grass verge, and in the water.

I walked back to my car and grabbed the camera. One of the regulars at the park had said that there were many bullfrogs over at the lotus pond at Ang Mo Kio Town West Garden but I never made it a priority to photograph the frogs till now.

Be better informed

21 Jun - View from my home

We have all experienced first hand the smog last week that at its worse hit PSI 401 on Friday, 21 Jun. Yes, most of us were in a panic, myself included as I rushed out in search of masks for the older family members.

What is bad air quality compared to the sufferings of animals?

Yes, we've all been gripped by the PSI (I call it 'pee-sai' cause that is what gets produced) readings this week and most of us have been ranting about bad air quality. 

20 Jun@10:15am

STOP!!!! There are animals out there that have it worse. It's a nightmare for them in epic proportions especially the critically endangered orang utans and other animals whose habitat is being burnt to a crisp.

Click here for full article

As consumers we should be more responsible just like what consumers did to protests sweat shops change can only take effect if profit is affected.

Spot-billed pelicans of Asia

Missed these pelicans at Laem Pak Bia in Oct 2012 and was glad to finally get to see them in Sri Lanka.  

Spot-billed pelicans or grey pelicans are found in Asia. As their common name suggests, these pelicans possess a spotted bill; the throat pouch is also spotted in appearance. 

lone individual in a lake

The wild goose chase

The main reason to Sri Lanka's famed Yala National Park was the hope of photographing the Sri Lankan leopard. The Sri Lankan leopard is native to Sri Lanka, and is one of eight sub-species of leopards.

Yala is the most visited and second larges national park in Sri Lanka, and is touted to have the highest population of leopards. However, the Sri Lankan leopard is still classified as endangered by IUCN. This is because the population is declining due to threats such as poaching to human-leopard conflict.

Yala, Block 1 entrance

Tokay! Tokay!

Photographed in Kaeng Krachan (แก่งกระจาน)

The tokay gecko is one of the largest geckos found in Asia. They range from northeast India to the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Guess what? They are found in Singapore too but you will have to be very lucky to spot one as these lizards are nocturnal.

Tattooed man, the poacher

Encountered a tattooed Malay man at the Jurong Lake District, nothing unusual but the man had a fishing rod and hung on his bicycle was a tarpaulin bag. He gets off his bicycle and starts to cast his fishing line into the lake while I was busy breaking down my camera.

Suddenly the tarpaulin bag begins to move and there was scratching sound. Left my bag and walked over to the bicycle to investigate knowing full well that there was an animal in the bag. Meanwhile, the tattooed man hauls another turtle from the lake with his fishing line. Tried to persuade him to release the turtle he caught and to release whatever was in his bag.

Poaching still going on in Singapore

There seems to be a trend going on - people bringing caged birds into our nature reserves.

Things that make you go hmmm...

Oops!!! Sorry for the radio silence again. I've been out observing our fine feathered friends raising families. On Saturday, I made a stop over at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve for a look around. As I hung around the main hide area looking for the salty as the tide ebbed, a couple strolled out towards the main bridge with a caged bird.

Things that you should not teach your children to do....

A family of ten were at the Jurong Lake area not for a picnic but to release fish into the lake. They walked up to the edge of the lake with bags of eels and fish that they released into the lake.

We went to the security guard to ask that she stop them but were told that the area outside Japanese Garden is managed by PUB. Here's the family each release their quota into the lake.

The anti-litter campaign has worked as the family gathered up all their empty plastic bags.  The no release rule is obviously one that no one seems to care for.

Monkey menace

Having lived next to the nature reserve for seven years. This is the first time that Long-tailed Macaques have become a menace in the neighborhood. 

Despite authorities imposing fines on people who feed monkeys. Many with young children in cars are still doing so along the fringes of the huge nature reserve. Someone had pointed out that may be these families feel it is okay to feed the monkeys. They pay $5 to feed the  captive animals at the zoo, on the fringe of the reserves it is FREE and they can feed the monkeys for as long as they want.
Most may not realize that feeding wild animals, disrupts their natural behavior and causes them to lose their fear of people. Do these people know what happens to the monkeys that are caught when they are deemed a nuisance? There is no such thing as re-location or rehabilitation for these monkeys. They are put down. 

In a span of three days, my home has been the site of monkey mayhem. On Saturday, a lone male with a badly healed broken leg (exiled by his troupe) wrecked havoc in my kitchen. It tore through several packets of biscuits that I had on the counter and scattered crumbs all over. It could have been worse had I not gone downstairs to investigate. He ended up sitting on my neighbor's roof eating his spoils.

You can see from this photo how crooked his leg is. I thought it had gone back into the forest but it seems that it craves human food. This monkey has has stolen bread and eggs from my neighbors during his previous raids.

On Monday, a troupe of eight were on the roof top raiding gutters and one went dumpster diving. I managed to chase them away. Before they departed they decided to show their displeasure by doing a monkey dance on the Plexiglas roof. 

These days, I more vigilant and do my part in ensuring that I do not encourage the macaques to visit. I do not leave food trash outside my kitchen. The minute I see a troupe or a lone macaque loitering on the roofs, I close all windows and doors. If there is nothing to tempt them, they will leave and head back into the forest where they belong.

Respect Earth Not For Just An Hour

Today, many around the world are observing Earth Hour and so am I. I took two walks today into the reserve near home and am reminded why I stay away during the weekends.

Morning walk, crowded with people that's fine but can people who use the reserves not leave their  trash all over the trails.

The evening walk showed the ugly side of a family and their utter disrespect they have of our nature reserve. This family of six including domestic helper were in the reserve at the small concrete bridge on Venus Link catching fish in the stream. The three boys were wading in the stream wearing booties with nets mucking up the water as they chased half beaks and tiger bards under the bridge while the domestic was on the bridge holding the pail for the fish. When told that what they are doing is poaching, the mother responded that they catch the fish but they will release them later. From what the boys were saying they've done this before. To make matters worse the youngest boy asked their mother if she brought a loaf of bread so that tthey could feed the monkeys later. Tsk! Tsk! What are these parents teaching their kids?

My recent trip to Kerala, India also opened my eyes to the problems that plastic bottles can be.

I don't buy bottled water here but seeing the discarded plastic bottles everywhere brought home the message loud and clear.I felt really bad that I contributed to the problem while I was in India as I drank bottled water to avoid getting sick. I brought home my last plastic bottle as a reminder and it was turned into a dumb bell.

In my humble opinion we should each do our part by pledging our support for the planet not just for an hour but for a lifetime.

The Cruelty of Man

I finally started to resume some of my routines and this morning managed to squeeze in a walk before work. What made me really mad was the sight of mangled Reticulated Python that was brutally beaten to death and then tossed up on some branches so that no one would see the vile deed. However, a pair of keen eyes spotted the poor dying creature and brought it down to show you what was done to this snake. As I was without my usual camera, I shot these with my iPhone and the photos can't show the damage to the snake in detail.The beating was so severe that the snake's skin was broken in several areas exposing muscle, bone, and intestine. Its backbone was also broken and spinal cord exposed.It's head was also bashed in and jaw broken.This is the usual sad result of when a snake encounters man. It just shows that many do not respect the right of god's creatures to live within the ecosystem. Don't they know that snakes like the Reticulated Python have a purpose within the environment too.

Where Are Our Butterflies?

I embarked on my digital photography adventure by shooting butterflies that were around the area I live. In the past three years, I have noticed the disappearance of many butterfly species so much so I rarely photograph them these days. It is alarming if one notices the cut back of the secondary forest. Some one likened it to slash and burn as the intensity of the clearing usually leaves the large area bare.
The lovely butterflies I have here are all bred in a butterfly park. Though they are lovely to watch, I wish they were all free and gracing their natural habitat.
These should be common butterflies here but they aren't common anymore. These Great Mormon (male and female) were among the swallowtails that are beautiful and showy butterflies full of grace as the fleet around. The Lime Butterfly another from the swallowtail family that I seldom see in my garden.The Malay Lacewing, also not seen in over a year. I went all the way to Auckland to photograph these lovely butterflies. Will butterfly parks be the only place to see butterflies in the future?

Cigarette Man, The Poacher

Spied a strange man in the playground shooing a Spotted Dove off a knurled tree root. The bird finally ended on the grass strange the bird didn't fly away.Grabbed the binoculars to have a better look as a flightless bird could only mean a decoy bird for a trap. Strange man sits on the bench and starts to smoke and then make cooing calls of the Spotted Doves. Definitely a poacher at work. Decided to grab the camera that was set-up downstairs to photograph sunbirds. Not long after cigarette man gets up and moves something into my line of sight while he chatted on his mobile. Another cage and a decoy bird.The folks in my neighborhood do not tolerate poachers and we will do what we can to protect our natural assets which include a number of prized avian singers. Called the authorities but things move so slowly. 45 mins after my call still no one came to stop the man.
Cigarette man decided he had enough as the birds just weren't responding to his calls. In total, he disarmed three traps and shoved three birds into a small bamboo cage.Walked to his van with his traps and those poor birds. No wonder they weren't cooperating with him to attract other doves.Glad that he left empty handed. The pair of courting Spotted Doves were in my backyard blissfully unaware of the drama playing out in the playground. Here's one sitting on the roof with a Glossy Starling.