This time this is a sighting of an ugly side of human nature instead
of nature--poachers. I hope everyone can play a part in protecting
what precious little we have....
Kevin
Colugo attacked by poachers!
Photos and details on Aaron's post on the Nature Photographic Society forum
http://www.naturephotosociety.org.sg/dcforum/DCForumID2/574.html#1
Poachers shot down a mother colugo (flying lemur) and her
baby on Sunday. A group of civic-minded people alerted NParks who took charge of
the situation.
More about colugos...
Norman Lim who studied them
http://www.wildsingapore.com/riablog/people/norman.htm
Fact sheet and photos of colugos on Kwok Wai's WildLife Singapore
website http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm
"Flying Lemur thriving in Singapore's Nature Reserves"
http://www.molluscan.com/forum/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=printer_format&om=153&forum=DCForumID14
The nature reserve is supporting a 3,000-strong colony of flying
lemurs, which were previously thought to be near extinction in
Singapore.
Associate Professor Peter Ng, director of the Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity Research: 'This animal is secretive and rarely seen. A
study like this shows that an endangered animal like the flying
lemur is doing better than we thought.'
However, other less-adaptable species could be in trouble.
Earlier this year, a landmark study by the National University of
Singapore and Australia's Northern Territory University found that
Singapore has lost about half its animal species in the last 200
years.
Based on detailed documentation of the state of mammals, birds, fish
and butterflies on the island, it found that at least 881 of 3,196
recorded species, or 28 per cent - had vanished forever.
Taking into account the probable number of animals here before
detailed records were made in the late 1800s, it predicted this
figure was actually higher - about half Singapore's animals.
And more than half of those remaining live in the nature reserves.
Considering how many species have gone extinct, Prof Ng said it was
a very pleasant surprise to find the flying lemurs thriving.
'It shows that even though we have small forests, they do contain
some jewels.'
You CAN make a difference!
--------------------------
Be alert to people who are out to hurt our native wildlife.
If you come across suspicious people in the forest, please call
NParks at 64685736.
