18 Jun (Sun): FREE walk at Chek Jawa

Once a year, and only once a year, during Pesta Ubin, volunteers from several groups come together to offer a Chek Jawa Open House. Volunteers will be stationed all over the boardwalk. There will be activities for kids.

This activity is offered by the Chek Jawa community, led by the Naked Hermit Crabs with friends of Chek Jawa like NParks Chek Jawa volunteers and TeamSeaGrass. (There will be NO activities on the seashores or intertidal areas).

Date: 18 Jun 2023 (Sun)
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Venue: Chek Jawa Wetlands
No registration required, simply just turn up at Chek Jawa. This activity is free-of-charge.

More details

Talks on restoration of Singapore's shores - July-August

Singapore has amazing coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves! 

Join these talks to learn more about efforts to restore them, and how you can make a difference. Register here.

Changi - an easy intertidal adventure for the family

There are lush seagrass meadows at the southern tip of Changi near Carpark 7 and the sandy shores of Carpark 6. It's easy for families and ordinary people to visit at low spring tide.

Be astonished by the amazing marine life seen here! The seagrass meadows are very similar to those at Chek Jawa. 

Come visit them for yourself during the upcoming evening low spring tides at the end of the year!

What can you see at these Changi shores?

Shore exploration for kids with Young Nautilus (Oct-Dec 2020)

Join Young Nautilus to explore our own coastal backyard in Singapore, and take a closer look at the amazing animals! Expose your children to science and nature, see in action what they have learnt in schools about wildlife! Here's their public programmes.

Founded by educators equipped with degrees in Life Science and Marine Biology, Young Nautilus is an education enrichment partner for schools and families that provide fun and engaging science learning journeys. By fostering a deeper understanding of the world and the dynamic changes that shape it, we enrich what are taught in the MOE syllabus.

Seagrasses at Chek Jawa: storytelling with the Naked Hermit Crabs

The Naked Hermit Crabs conduct regular free walks for families at Chek Jawa and Pasir Ris. Because they really miss being with the kids on their favourite shores, the youngest volunteer of the Naked Hermit Crabs shared about seagrasses in this special video.

Here's the video ...

IYOR Intern's Take on Singapore's Marine Life - The sea anemones' venomous concoctions

We end this series of science communication with the world of venom in sea anemones. Yes, the tiny cnidae that you read earlier are venomous! No touching!

Soft-bodied and somewhat jelly-like, these sea anemones are packed with great survival skills in the ocean: from evading of predators to microscopic weapons of death. These sea anemones continue to wow as we now learn more about their venomous stinging cells.

Venomous concoctions in sea anemones

The sea ninja’s most potent weapon is its venom. The cnidae of anemones contain a venomous concoction filled with a menagerie of toxins that causes different kinds of physiological effects on their victims. Some anemone toxins viciously destroy cells, while others are responsible for paralysing victims, causing them excruciating pain.

IYOR Intern's Take on Singapore's Marine Life - The sea anemones' weapons of death

We're back with new stories about the sea anemones written by IYOR intern Shabdita. Our heartiest congratulations to her for receiving an Honorable Mention for her recent submission to the Asian Scientist Writing Prize 2019! You can read her works here.

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They can hide, but not forever! So how does the sea anemones defend itself from potential predators? Let's find out in this post!

Cnidae - The Microscopic Weapons of Death

Instead of using knives, swords or throwing stars, the sea ninja (aka the sea anemones) uses microscopic weapons known as cnidae for defending against predators and capturing prey. Cnidae are microscopic capsules, which forcefully shoot out threads when there is mechanical and/or chemical stimulations. For example, the freshwater polyp Hydra magnipapillata can discharge its cnidae due to changes in light levels. In general, there are three types of cnidae: nematocysts, ptychocysts, and spirocysts.

Cnidae of Cnidaria. They come in all shapes and sizes! Source: Snail's Odyssey.

IYOR Intern's Take on Singapore's Marine Life - How sea anemones evade predators?

Now that you got to know a bit more about the sea anemones, so how sea anemones evade predators? Let's find out in this post!

The Game of Survival 

Stealthy, quiet, and well-camouflaged, the sea anemones are likened to ninjas of the sea. Photo credits: Grae Hunter. 

A typical sea anemone (aka sea ninja) has to evade its predators, battle other anemones, and find its next meal in an ocean of scarcity and competition. Toxins are a sea anemone’s most vital weapon because they play a part in capturing prey, repelling predators, digestion, and interspecies competition.

IYOR Intern's Take on Singapore's Marine Life - Sea Anemones aka 'Sea Ninjas'

Celebrating Singapore Shores 2019 at Berlayer Creek! It couldn't have been possible without the hard work of our IYOR Interns!

Our IYOR Interns are such a talented bunch! From making videos to creating art works, they have done so much to raise awareness about Singapore's shores over the past year. In this mini series, we will be featuring one intern's passion for sea anemones as she shares about them through writing about them in a fun and creative way! She hopes that you will fall in love with the sea anemones, just like she did! 😁😁😁

The Sea Ninjas - Sea Anemones

Sea anemones are like the middle children of marine life. They don’t get as much attention as their more popular siblings i.e. your corals and jellyfish. Like corals and jellyfish, sea anemones fall in the phylum known as Cnidaria. Cnidaria is an ancient venomous phylum, which is distinguished by a unique feature known as cnidae. Cnidae play a variety of role in predation, adhesion and defence. Cnidarians are incredibly diverse in terms of diet, behaviour and habitat. 

Launch of Private Lives Exposé of Singapore's Coral Reefs!

The final book of the Private Lives Series has been launched! 

An Exposé of Singapore's Coral Reefs was first conceptualised 6 six ago, with Professor Chou Loke Ming at helm. Together with his team of young marine biologists (Dr. Huang Danwei, Dr. Zeehan Jaafar, Dr. Toh Tai Chong, Dr. Karenne Tun), and contributions from >40 other scientists, this book tells the past, present and future of coral reefs here.

Participate in "My Defining Maritime Moment" Social Media Contest (1 Mar to 31 Aug)!

Love taking photos? And a great love for our seas? Then this contest is for you!

"My Defining Maritime Moment" is organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore! Participants stand a chance to win $200!

Also, a chance to be featured at the “My Defining Maritime Moment” Exhibition held at the Singapore Maritime Gallery @ Marina South Pier.

Visit Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)’s Facebook Page for more information.

FREE guided walks on Sentosa's natural shores in May

Embark on an adventure along Sentosa's coastline with tour guides! One of Singapore’s last remaining coastal cliff and rocky shores, the Siloso Headland (also known as Tanjung Rimau) is a natural treasure trove on Sentosa. Home to corals, seagrass, and a wide variety of marine wildlife, Siloso Headland also boasts beautiful landscape with the original and aged old rock outcrop.

Embark on this intertidal adventure along Sentosa’s coastline with our guides, as they share fun facts of the marine life on our shores, and unravel the geological events that occurred since the Age of the Dinosaurs to form the Sentosa we know today.

Shore exploration for kids with Young Nautilus

Join Young Nautilus to explore our own coastal backyard in Singapore, and take a closer look at the amazing animals! Expose your children to science and nature, see in action what they have learnt in schools about wildlife! Here's their public programmes until March.

Founded by educators equipped with degrees in Life Science and Marine Biology, Young Nautilus is an education enrichment partner for schools and families that provide fun and engaging science learning journeys. By fostering a deeper understanding of the world and the dynamic changes that shape it, we enrich what are taught in the MOE syllabus.

July and Aug: FREE guided intertidal walk at Sentosa

Registration now open! Embark on an adventure along Sentosa's coastline with tour guides!

One of Singapore’s last remaining coastal cliff and rocky shores, the Siloso Headland (also known as Tanjung Rimau) is a natural treasure trove on Sentosa. Home to corals, seagrass, and a wide variety of marine wildlife, Siloso Headland also boasts beautiful landscape with the original and aged old rock outcrop.

Sign the petition for World Seagrass Day!

Support the World Seagrass Association's bid for an international World Seagrass Day.

To raise awareness on the importance of seagrass meadows, threats to them, what happens if we lose them. A day of global recognition is a crucial step towards saving seagrasses.

Sign the petition (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Sea cucumbers = healthy shores!

Sea cucumbers are animals and NOT vegetables as their common name suggests. A recent study of the Garlic bread sea cucumber found that they play a vital role in keeping shores healthy.

Like giant vaccum cleaners, these sausage-like animals convert decomposing matter into nutrients. Similar to earthworms, as they burrow, they help maintain oxygen levels in the sediments despite higher water temperatures.

Here's a glimpse at some of the sea cucumbers of Singapore's seagrass meadows.

A 'citizen journalism' video on seagrasses in Singapore

One of our very own IYOR Intern have released a short video on seagrasses with the help of Ria Tan, Dr Neo Mei Lin and Dr Siti Maryam.

We hope this video is able to shed some knowledge to the public regarding the types of seagrasses and its habitat, as well as the ongoing conservation efforts. Enjoy!

Celebrate World Oceans Day in Singapore

8 June is World Oceans Day! In 2018, the Action Focus is preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean.

Around this Day, happenings on Singapore shores include Chek Jawa Open House, screening of a film about Sungei Tampines and plastic pollution, and walks at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and  Coney Island, and a public talk by seagrass scientists. Here's more details...

YES! Singapore got dugongs!

A live dugong was spotted at Chek Jawa in 2013! Although the animal itself is rarely encountered, dugong feeding trails are commonly seen in Singapore's seagrass meadows. Even next to industrial facilities and at public beaches.

Dugong feeding trails on Cyrene Reef
next to Pasir Panjang Container Terminals, on 3 Dec 2017.

What are dugongs? And where can we get a chance to see them?

1 Jun: Registration opens for Chek Jawa intertidal walks in July 2018

1 Jun (Fri), registration opens for the NParks Chek Jawa intertidal walks in July 2018.

Join the NParks volunteers for a tour to discover and learn about Chek Jawa's six ecosystems and the diverse array of animals that inhabits these unique habitats. Journey through the Chek Jawa Visitor Centre, 1.1km long boardwalk, Jejawi viewing tower and sandbar with experienced guides.