New survey dates for sign up: Jan-Jun 2012

Join us for our mudflat surveys at Seletar, Sungei Cina, Pasir Ris and Changi Creek!

Get muddy, have fun and make a difference for our marine biodiversity! Jonathan also says that apart from these sessions, there will be more which will be announced in the following weeks. These will include surveys on offshore islands such as Pulau Semakau and St. John's Island and also indoor lab sessions where you will take a close up look at the marine animals collected.

Latest dates available for sign up:

Pulau Ubin (11 Nov 2011)

It poured cats and dogs just as our trip was about to start!

But the rain eased as we headed out for yet another trip to Pulau Ubin. What will we find today?

Pulau Semakau (10 Nov 2011)

A small team of volunteers head out to Pulau Semakau on a hazy afternoon to sample another patch of mudflats here.

The team already worked on another part of Semakau on an earlier trip. What can we find in this new location?

Pulau Semakau (9 Oct 2011)

A new 'overseas' destination for the volunteers! This time it's the mudflats of Pulau Semakau! A large group of volunteers head out to find out what's there.

Rene Ong once again shares lots of photos of the muddy happenings there!

Lab session (8 Oct 2011)

Volunteers are back in the lab, working on the marvellous marine life we discovered on our earlier mudflat surveys!

Thanks once again to Rene Ong, for sharing photos and a glimpse of what happened!

Lab Session (30 Sep 2011)

Thanks to Rene Ong, we have a glimpse of the fascinating work done at the recent laboratory session of the Survey.

Here's the volunteers all ready to do some serious lab work!

Pulau Ubin (26 Sep 11)

A large team of volunteers head out for another 'overseas trip'!

Today we are heading for a mudflat on Pulau Ubin near Chek Jawa.

Mega Marine Survey at the Biodiversity of Singapore Symposium III

Jonathan shared more about our work during the Biodiversity of Singapore Symposium III.

It was great that the more than 300 people who attended the event learnt more about Singapore's marine biodiversity and the work being done with the Survey!

Mandai mangroves (9 Sep 2011)

A large team of volunteers headed out today for another muddy Survey!

We're back in the lovely mangroves of Mandai to find out what lives in the mudflats there.

First lab session (5 Sep 2011)

A very small team arrive on St. John's Island to participate in the first laboratory session of the Survey!

We are very excited to get started!

Learn more about Singapore's biodiversity!

20 speakers, 50 posters, all major ecosystems in Singapore! Only once every four years! A great event for those who want to learn more and do more for Singapore's biodiversity from those who are working on the issues!
Registration now open!

Sign up for lab sessions at St John's Island

Your help is needed in the laboratory to sort out what we have found on our surveys! As Dr Tan Koh Siang showed during the recent Dialogue Session, we often have to take a much closer look to identify what we have found.

So far, only 10% of our finds have been sorted out! Volunteers are needed to sort out invertebrates, fishes and tiny creatures. Each lab session will last about 2-3 hours. If there is interest, volunteers can also learn to help in specimen preparation. For example, to identify worms, their tiny hairs have to be prepared. For snails, their teeth.

Here's more about the lab sessions in Jonathan's email.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (18 Aug 2011)

A very small team head out to Sungei Buloh to survey the mudflats early this bright sunny morning.

It's the same stretch of mudflats that we did on our very first Mega Marine Survey. But this time at a much lower tide.

Exciting plans for the Mega Marine Survey!

Today, we learnt more about discoveries at the Survey. And exciting new activities such as more 'exotic' locations to survey and opportunities to help in the laboratory. Volunteers will also be needed in the upcoming surveys of the seabed, reefs (SCUBA and low tide reef walks) and workshops of international experts.

Mr Wong Tuan Wah on behalf of NParks National Biodiversity Centre kicked off the Dialogue Session with volunteers of the Survey this Saturday morning.

New survey dates for sign up: Aug-Nov 2011

Join us for our mudflat surveys at Sungei Buloh, Sungei Cina, Mandai mangroves and Pulau Ubin!

Get muddy, have fun and make a difference for our marine biodiversity!

13 Aug (Sat): Mega Marine Survey Dialogue Session

Want to find out more about the Mega Marine Survey?

What are the results of our past mudflat surveys? What are the future plans for the Survey? Find out at this upcoming dialogue session! RSVP by 6 Aug.

Mega Marine Survey featured in the Good Paper

Our efforts at learning more about Singapore's amazing marine biodiversity has been featured in the Good Paper!

Jonathan's wonderful article "Singapore's marine biodiversity - you have a hand in it" shares lots of details!

17 Jul (Sun): Sharing about the Mega Marine Survey

Jonathan Ngiam today shared about the Mega Marine Survey in a talk which is part of NPark's “Forests, People, Environment” Exhibition which runs until 24 Jul at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

It was good to see a nice turnout for the talk!

Pandan mangroves (5 Jul 2011)

The team had a Super Muddy Survey at Sungei Pandan! Thanks to Rene Ong, we get a glimpse of what went on. She shared these photos and delightful captions on her Naturely Curious facebook page.

It was a "long muddy march out" through the mangroves Rene says, "many of us fell into traps of "mud holes", myself included".

9 Jul (Sat): Talk on "Taking Stock of Singapore’s Marine Biodiversity"

Linda Goh and Jonathan Ngiam will share about our Mega Marine Survey!

Come to find out more about the Survey!

21 Jun (Tue): "The Sea Anemone Lecture" by Dr Daphne Fautin

Dr Daphne Fautin, world authority on sea anemones, is here to conduct a Sea Anemone Workshop (15-21 Jun) in conjunction with the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey. She will be giving a public talk at the end of the Workshop.

Dr Daphne on a field trip at Terumbu Semakau to find anemones.

Come for her talk to find out what was discovered at the Workhop! Dr Daphne will speak on the "Hidden treasures of biodiversity: flowers of the marine world (sea anemones)".

Kranji (21 May 2011)

Volunteers are back at Kranji for another muddy survey!

Thanks to Rene Ong, we have a glimpse of what they did and found. It sure looks like they had a very fruitful trip!

Join as a day participant in the Sea Anemone Workshop (15-21 Jun)

A chance for ordinary people to learn about our fascinating sea anemones! These lovely animals are not well studied, thus we know so little about them.

One of the many beautiful but unidentified anemones on our shores.

This is about to change! In June, Dr Daphne Fautin, the world authority on sea anemones, will be in Singapore to conduct a workshop on sea anemones with the Tropical Marine Science Institute. Ordinary people who are interested can join as day participants!

Volunteers speak about the Mega Marine Survey

What do volunteers at the Mega Marine Survey have to say about their experience so far?
The Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey is featured in the latest My Green Space newsletter (Issue 9 Vol 2/2011) by NParks!

Lim Chu Kang (16 Apr 2011)

Another small team of enthusiastic volunteers gather today to find out what lives in the soft mudflats of Lim Chu Kang.

Mandai mangroves (10 Apr 2011)

Early Sunday morning, a group of enthusiastic volunteers gather to survey a sandy stream at Mandai mangroves.

It's a lovely cool morning, with lots of big mangrove trees around us, and NO soft mud! Hurray!

Pandan mangroves (30 Mar 2011)

A very small team of volunteers gathered to find out what is in the mud at the Pandan mangroves on a blue-sky weekday.

The mud is very soft here!

Pulau Ubin (12 Feb 11)

It's our first 'overseas' trip!

Admiralty Park, Sungei Cina field survey (26 Jan 11)

It's a sunny morning after a drizzly start, and another enthusiastic team have gathered for another mangrove Survey, even though it's a weekday! What awesome volunteers we have!

Dr Tan Koh Siang welcomes the team as they arrive at the site.

Today, we are having a closer look at the mangroves at Sungei Cina in Admiralty Park.

First Workshop by Visiting Scientists: Sea Anemone Workshop Singapore, 15 – 21 June, 2011

Workshops by Visiting Scientists are an integral part of the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey of Singapore.

Dr Tan Swee Hee (right) and Dr Daphne Fautin
during her last visit to Singapore in 2009.
Photo taken by James Koh and posted on the Raffles Museum News blog.

Dr Daphne Fautin will be returning to Singapore to conduct the Sea Anemone Workshop in June!

Mega Marine in the news!

Our field trip yesterday is in today's Sunday Times! In a great article by Lin Yang with photos by Alphonsus Chern.
I love this photo of Ivan Ong and the Very Long Ribbon Worm!

Kranji field survey (15 Jan 2011)

Another overwhelming turnout of intrepid volunteers for our second field survey and our first for 2011. Bravo!

All ready for muddy action!