Armed
with bottles of mineral water and insect repellents, a group of young people (being
young at heart counts too!) embarked on a journey to learn more about the wildlife
which reside in the coastal area of Pulau Semakau, an island located at the
south of mainland Singapore, and, Singapore’s one and only Landfill. This group
consisted of participants and mentors from Youth Program, Desmond (MP for
Jurong Spring GRC) and JSYEC members.
We
took a bus to Marina South Pier, where our guides from Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity Research (RMBR) were waiting for us. We boarded the ferry at
2.30pm, and upon reaching the island, we headed to a briefing room at the Main
Building.
An introductory video about Pulau Semakau was shown; about
it being Singapore’s “incinerated-trash storage island” and how with good
environmental awareness (the 3Rs), the island can last us till 2030. Next up,
was a short trip into the barrages, where ships transferred the rubbish
(incinerated waste) from mainland Singapore to Semakau to be loaded into the
landfills.
As
the mini-buses rumbled along the barrages, the guides patiently explained the
various sections of the barrages. We were surprised to hear that the rubbish
did not smell at all (the bus uncle opened the door to prove that statement!),
as there was no organic waste present.
After
the short tour at the barrages, the buses proceeded to the southernmost tip of
the island. With the seascape as our backdrop, we took a group photo :D
Along the way, we saw cells (sections of the island)
which had been filled with rubbish as well as empty sections. On a side note,
one of the guides speculated that there may be factories or houses built on these
cells sometime in the future. If that happens, we hope that the natural
environment will be preserved!
Moving
on, at around 4pm, we alighted from the mini-buses, onto a road, seemingly to
be in-the-middle-of-nowhere. The guides briefed us on the “etiquette” to
handling wildlife as well as the importance of insect repellent, covered shoes and
sunscreen lotion(we were about to trek through a muddy, mosquito infested mangrove
forest trail for 5 minutes before reaching the coastal area). At this juncture,
the kiasee ones earnestly applied insect repellent, slapped on sunscreen
lotion, wore hats/sunglasses and what-nots to protect themselves from the
unwanted.
After making sure everyone has appropriate footwear on,
we headed into the jungle. Time was of the essence, because time and tide wait
for no man (literally). We could only view the wildlife during low tide, hence
the name “Intertidal Walk”. The trail was very muddy; our feet sank into the
soil, squelching away with even step we took. Meanwhile, a few unlucky ones
offered free “food” to friendly mosquitoes that were hanging around nearby.
After
what seemed to be eons, we reached the coastal area! Lining the coast was
mangroves, which serve to protect the island from waves and to stabilise the
soils. The mangroves are also natural habitats for many creatures. Try to spot
the crab in the second photo below!
With
the patient explanation from the RMBR guides, we examined various wildlife
creatures and learnt more about their lineages, food sources et cetera. See the
photos below for up-close “mug shots” of the wildlife!
Above: sea sail
Starfishes! The moment the guide
taught us how to spot the starfishes, everyone self-initiated a search.
Partially buried in the sand, it can be easy to miss them. We also watched a
starfish turning itself over… it was incredibly slow and fascinating. Learning
how to spot them helped the starfishes too. While they would probably remain
uninjured when we accidentally stepped on them (or, they could simply
regenerate a lost arm), the guides advised us to be cautious.
This stingray was a rather surprising
find, since we did not expect stingray to exist in shallow waters. It was real
pretty to look at, but it is not to be messed with. Its spiky tail contains
poison, and it will not hesitate to inject the tip into a perceived enemy’s
skin.
We also saw numerous corals. They
exist in a variety of colours, and are sources of food and protection/shelter
for marine creatures.
Behold……This is neither seaweed nor
black fungus! It is a flatworm, and our guides were able to pinpoint where its
head and tail were (which proved why they are guides :P).
Of course, we could not forget the
sea cucumbers (one of the few edible animals there, as one foodie noted :P This
sea cucumber shown here is fondly known to many as, the Garlic Bread). It has a
slimy texture, but it is rather hard and heavy. Within its body, the sea
cucumber stores water. If the surface it lies on is not flat e.g. a palm, it
will expel water and meld itself to the contours of the surface. Like the
starfishes, the sea cucumbers are indistinguishable from its habitat unless
one’s eyes are trained to spot them. Luckily for the cucumbers, they usually
reside in deeper water and are near corals, reducing the chance of being
stepped upon.
Lo and Behold...The Stars of RMBR’s intertidal walk (pun
intended)! These Knobbly starfishes are different from their smaller cousins
found in shallower waters, as evident in their colourings and numerous
choco-chip spikes. They are about as large as a person’s face. We could not
resist taking individual shots with the pretty starfishes~
We
did not realise how far we were from the shore till we proceeded to return
back. The tide was rising and there was an impending storm; and we had to beat
it and get back to the Main Building before it starts pouring, so, back into
the mangrove forest we went. Zoom zoom! Luckily, the sky held the rain till we
boarded the mini buses. After some washing up at the Main Building, we took the
ferry back to Singapore~
Ending off with a quote from Albert
Einstein, “Look deep into Nature, and
then you will understand everything better.”
More
information about participating clubs/committees:
1) Jurong Spring Youth Executive Committee
We are a group of enthusiastic young people, who wants to make things happen in our neighbourhood. By organising various events with different focus (e.g. community service, environment protection, etc.), we aim to make Jurong Spring a more exciting and meaningful community. Do visit our fanpage @ https://www.facebook.com/JSCCYEC
2) Jurong Spring Youth Program
Introduced in 2013, Jurong Spring Youth Programme serves as a platform for youths to learn, grow and explore through various H.E.A.R.T activities. These activities encompass different mode of involvement in the community as well as visits to places which are not easily accessible by the public. These youths are inducted into the programme via various award ceremonies in Jurong Spring Constituency. In addition, there will be youth buddies joining in so as to allow relationship-building between the youths as well as their buddies. Should you have any queries, feel free to email to jsyouthprogramme@gmail.com.
The Pulau Semakau
Intertidal Walk is a half-day programme conducted in conjunction with the
National Environment Agency (NEA). The programme will take you through the
operations of Semakau Landfill and the pristine intertidal area of the island.
Guided by RMBR Nature Guides, participants will explore the richness of the seagrass
meadows and coral reefs without having to dive in our waters.
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