I did not realize how rich the biodiversity in Pulau Semakau was! How fortunate I was to be able to embark on this intertidal walk, it was worth it to see first-hand the animals right in front of my eyes so that I can study these animals better. Not only that, I got to see... Continue Reading →
I was a bit hesitant to go on this trip initially, especially after the briefing warning about all the dangerous creatures that could poison or paralyse you if you accidentally stepped on one of them. Surely I could just look at videos of these creatures in the dry comfort of the classroom? When we arrived,... Continue Reading →
The marvellous creature you see in the picture above is not a slug. It is known as a cowrie! Cowrie snails are aquatic animals in the class Gastropoda, which also includes land snails. They are found in countries bordering the Indian ocean, including the intertidal regions of India, Africa and Southeast Asia. Cowries begin their... Continue Reading →
Embarking on this module, I would get fascinated by the diversity of concepts learnt, yet an inextinguishable question would cross my mind - how can I apply the information I learnt into my daily life? This field trip aptly answered my question, via a first-hand, sensory learning experience, allowing me to better appreciate the wildlife... Continue Reading →
This article will be on the threats and the conservation efforts of the rich biodiversity in Pulau Semakau. How magnificent the ecosystem of the reef of Pulau Semakau, a plethora of flora and fauna can be found! Devastatingly, these animals won’t be here for long. As years pass by, the condition of these animals’ home... Continue Reading →
On the mention of sea cucumbers, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind would be the slippery and gelatinous seafood, often braised in a broth of shiitake mushrooms to make a highly coveted Chinese delicacy. Given its common name, one may also be inclined to think that sea cucumbers are plants. However, did you... Continue Reading →
The intertidal zone is the area of a marine shoreline that is submerged at high tide but exposed at low tide and boasts a great biodiversity and wide range of wildlife, including: Marine plants such as seaweed and seagrass Soft and hard corals, anemones Small fishes Reef spiders Ribbon worms and flatworms Snails, clams, crabs... Continue Reading →
I'm the kind that tends to learn better by experience, so for myself, the intertidal walk was an invaluable experience, as getting to actually view all the animals in their natural habitat cemented my knowledge about them even better than in class, and also allowed me to consolidate and apply my knowledge of these creatures,... Continue Reading →
Waking up at 3 a.m. to board a bus was certainly an experience, coupled with the lack of sleep from the night before. However, seeing the animals we learnt about during our lessons with my own two eyes in the intertidal zone definitely made up for the tiredness and the seasickness from the boat ride.... Continue Reading →
On the intertidal walk, we’d gotten to see some really interesting little guys called carpet anemones, which kind of look like shaggy carpets (see above image). The anemones in the pictures above were not identified, but from pictorial comparisons are most likely a giant carpet anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea) which can be found on Pulau Semakau. (The ones... Continue Reading →
The Biodiversity Press 