SINGAPORE: The public will now have a chance to view
some of the recent plant and animal discoveries in Singapore
through an exhibition at HortPark Gallery starting
today.
The National Parks Board (NParks) and the National
University of Singapore's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
(RMBR) have put together an exhibition that features "A decade of
biodiversity conservation and discoveries in
Singapore."
About 500 species of plants and animals are said to
be new to Singapore, of which, more than 100 species are also new
to science, NParks said in a joint news release with the NUS.
Some of these discoveries will be featured in the free exhibition
which will run from April 21 to May 2 from 7am to 10pm.
"Singapore has showed that a city need not be an enemy of nature
and biodiversity. It demonstrates that achieving economic
prosperity need not be at the expense of care for the environment,"
said Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
NParks CEO, Mr Poon Hong Yuen said that through the exhibition, the
organizers hope the public will become more aware and have better
appreciation of the rich flora and fauna in Singapore.
After its run at HortPark Gallery, the exhibition will move to the
libraries, City Square Mall and Wisma Atria throughout the
year.
The exhibition is part of the activities lined up by NPArks to
commemorate the United Nations' International Year of Forests this
year.
Among these are the launch of a book featuring dragonflies
discovered in Singapore and a one-stop integrated portal on plants
and animals.
NParks said the public can access information on over 2,500 plant
and 1,000 animal species here via the portal
http://florafaunaweb.nparks.gov.sg.
Nparks said it is also organising a special contest where the
public can share their photographs and experiences of their visits
at the parks and nature reserves, or about their favourite tree,
plant or forest animal.
Five winners will be selected every month until the end of the
year.
- CNA/cc