A visit to the brave Chek Jawa

I visited Chek Jawa a decade ago for the first time, after signing up for a guided walk by NEA. While memories of that trip have since been archived, I still vividly recall images of troops of male Fiddler Crabs waving their enlarged pincer at each other/ me, as if saying hi and waving goodbye. I also remember being amazed by my first encounter with the rich biodiversity that I never knew existed in Singapore.

A decade later, I return to this wetland treasure on 19 Dec, feeling a little foreign. The area seems more barren, just... not as lively as before.

Apparently, persistent drastic rainfall over a few weeks in 2007 brought flood waters into the Johor Straits, resulting in Chek Jawa being flooded with lots of freshwater. The marine animals didnt survive the ordeal then. However, it is hearty to hear that the Chek Jawa I saw on 19 Dec was one who is trying its might to nurse back its health.


My first Sea-Star of the day was the Sand-sifting Sea Star (Archaster typicus) aka the Common Sea Star. This Sea Star for its name from its action of burrowing into the sand to feed on organic detritus or escape from its predators. It uses its tube feet found on its underside to move around, and to bring food to its mouth, 2-in-1 use, how very efficient!

A tiny pink 'dot' stood out amongst the sea of brown and green (seagrass and algae), literally 万绿从中一点红. This Pink Thorny Sea Cucumber (Colochirus quadrangularis) is no longer than my index finger. In water, one can often see tts feeding tentacles at one of its end lashing around in water to collect very tiny particles in the water for food.

Its always a 50-50 guess when I come across any shells on the shore. As I quietly wish to myself for a Noble Volute, I turn this shell around and saw its occupant, the Orange Striped Hermit Crab (Clibanarius infraspinatus) instead. Unlike true crabs, Hermit Crabs have a soft abdomen, and occupy shells for protection. Therefore it is important that we do not bring shells, even broken ones, home because it can be a potential shelter for the Hermit Crab!  It uses its last pair of legs to 'carry' the shell, and I often wonder whether if it feels tired carrying its house around - guess they can always stop to take a rest.

Another animal that burrows into the sand is the Sandfish Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scabra). If you find this animal very 眼熟 (familiar), you probably have seen this at your dining table (although it typically doesnt look this way after being cooked). This is the species of Sea Cucumber that some Chinese deemed as a delicacy. Do note that it requires some processing before it is edible as it is mildly poisonous.

Another regular item one can see at the barbeque stall at food centres - the Gong Gong (Strombus turturella). The small brown feature that is sticking out as seen in the middle of the picture is its operculum, which acts as a trap door. It is also used by the Gong Gong to push itself against the substrate to leap away. The Gong Gong is fairly abundant on our shores, but I cant quite imagine how one will bear to eat it after seeing its 2 very cute eyes.

I was initially excited to see a Tube Anemone (Order Ceriantharia) thinking that they are hard to come by since many anemones died during the flash flood. This excitement soon wean off because I realised there are quite many of them! I'm not complaining because this is a good sign of recovery! The Tube Anemone got its name because of its home - a tube made up of mucus and sand! How very green of them to recycle existing materials.. =)

I was hoping to find a Key-Hole Sand Dollar which is uncommon and is on our Red Data Book, but instead, saw several of the Arachnoides placenta (also Sand Dollar, but difference species). Resembling a dollar coin, this is a flat cousin of the Sea Star which has very short and tiny spines that help it 'walk'.

The second Sea Star of the day was the Sand Star (Astropecten sp.), a predator that eats small clams and snails. These 2 that I saw were moving towards each other from opposite directions, once they meet, they stopped for a brief moment and the left one started to follow the other around for a while before spliting up again eventually. I imagine them to be old friends bumping into each other after a long while and stopped to catch up before parting ways - although this wouldnt be possible because they do not have a brain!

This time round, its the real incumbent - the Noble Volute (Cymbiola nobilis) that I saw. This was the largest that I've ever seen, maybe 20 cm in length, and its laying eggs! Another good sign of a recovering Chek Jawa since the environment proves to be conducive and suitable for reproduction. Naturally, its pretty shell resulted in an over-collection of its shells by human beings and in some areas, it is also collected for food! =(

I peered into a small crevice by one of the pillars and was lucky enough to see a Wandering Cowrie (Cypraea errones). Shells of this snail were said to be used as currencies long long ago, thankfully this is not the case now else they would have been extinct ! Not well portrayed in this photo, the Cowrie actually uses its mantle to cover its shell. This helps to keep the surface scratch-free and pretty, just like the effect of our face masks!

Someone found this Mantis Shrimp and managed to hold it in a container for us to take a closer look (it was of coures released after a while). A predator , the Mantis Shrimp uses its claws (with sharp spines) to catch other animals such as small fishes for food. It got its common name probably due to its resemblance of both a praying mantis (the 2 claws) and a shrimp (body).

As usual, I was happy to see another Sea Star! This one is a Biscuit Sea Star (Goniodiscaster scaber), unfortunately I only managed a blurred photo (as you can tell from now that my photography skills clearly needs some brushing up). Some say this Sea Star got its name because of its resembance to a biscuit, but I take more to the reason that its sides are smooth and shape regular, as if everyone of them is cut out from a biscuit cutter.

This Sea Star is also a Sand Star that I saw earlier, but instead of 5 arms, it has 6! Sea Stars are often depicted as having 5 arms, little do most people realised that they can have 4 arms or 6 arms or more!

My last discovery of the day before we head back to the visitor centre was this Moon Snail. Looks like a Tiger Moon Snail (Natica tigrina) to me. Didnt get a clearer view of the shell as I didnt want to disturb it since it looked like it was hunting for food. Moon Snails are more active at night and are fierce predators that feeds on other snails and bivalves and suffocates its prey with its huge body. If this fails, it secretes an acid to soften the prey's shell patiently, before creating a hole and inserting its radula (tongue-like feature) to feed!

Although affected by the flash flood, Chek Jawa still has quite a fair bit of marine life to offer. Hopefully she will return to her glory days in no time!

Coastal Cleanup @ Pulau Ubin

It was International Coastal Cleanup week, and on 19 Sep, I was at Pulau Ubin with PFS, this time round not as guide nor participant, but as a photographer. =)

We started the day with a guided tour by our GVs at the Sensory trail. At the start of the trail, we were treated with the fragrance of Pandan (Pandanus amatyllifolius) in the Pandan Valley! This is a familiar fragrance to many, as it is commonly used to add flavour and colour to many of our dishes. My mum grows a few pots of it at home, which she adds into her yummy green bean soup and chicken rice. While I appreciate the Pandan's use in food, I love it more for its supposed ability to keep Xiao Qiangs (cockroaches.. YIKES) away.

Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) is a valuable plant with its seeds pounded into powder and made into edible cereal or nutritious drink. Famous for its use as beads (since 2000BC!), the seeds are tinted and sold as rosaries.

Another plant that I'm really familiar with, because its usually my drink during lunch - Aloe Vera (with lemon and honey!). The Aloe Vera gel is also my saviour whenever I get sunburnt as it has a cooling effect and aids in healing. Although most ladies love it more for its use in cosmetics. Years back when my dad had high blood pressure, we have so many pots of this plant as my mum learnt that Aloe Vera Juice (with the skin!) is good for the condition, and dad had to drink it everyday!

True to the name of Sensory trail - participants can use their 5 senses to understand the plants more! Heres participants touching and smelling curry leaves!

There used to be a coffee plantation on the west side of Ubin and was called Kopi Sua i.e. Coffee Mountain. While coffee is no longer planted there, this plant was brought in for visitors like us know about this plantation. The coffee is a really popular drink in office, as it perks us up in the morning due to its caffeine content.

Many other interesting plants can be found at the sensory trail, although I only took photos of a few as my main task was to take photos of the participants. The trail is open to public, so head there anytime!

As we walked towards the mangrove area, a snake was spotted in the trees. Initially it was too far away for phototaking. Refusing to give up, I stood there for a long time (and lost everyone else!) and managed a shot. Looks like the Paradise Tree Snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) to me... but am not absolutely sure though.

After a short break and briefing by NEA, we embarked on the purpose of our visit - Coastal cleanup!

Gosh, it was a sea of litter!

Fret not, all of us were 全服武装, all prepared and equipped to battle the rubbish. After setting out in teams, we split up the roles and responsbilities - some held the garbage bag, some used gloves to pick the bigger items while others pick up the smaller ones with tongs. We also have someone to record all the types of rubbish collected on the data sheet.

I have the luxury to move about to capture the moments of hardwork, and couldnt help take pictures of False Limpit (Siphonaria sp.). Limpit is a mollusc that attach themselves to the substrate using is very mascular foot and has a flattened, cone shaped shell. They clamp down their shells really tightly against the substrate to resist the strong waves and also to prevent being being eaten by predators.

There were countless of Onch Slug (Onchidium sp) foraging on 1 particular algae-encrusted rock. They camouflaged so well into the rock that I almost stepped onto one, had it not moved. These animals have no shell and have simple lungs (instead of gills) to helps it breathe. Their thick and water proof skins help protects them from excessive loss of water.

I was so excited seeing the Oriental Pied Hornhill (Anthracoceros albirostris) at close distance! These hornbills are truly wild and were feeding on fruits as I was watching them. This pair below were inseparable though, one follows the other from branch to branch! These pretty birds are no meek, quiet fellas - their harsh and penetrating loud cackling can get a little too much when they yak continuously.

Ok, better get back to fulfil my role. After an hour+ of coastal cleanup, it was time to weigh our loot. In total we collected 43 bags, weighing 413.5 kg in total - just in 1 hour! Amongst the items were 1191 plastic bags, 241 glass bottles, 40 plastic bottles, 716 sterofoam pieces and 231 food containers/ wrappers!

My most bizzare find of the day (I didnt skive and merely took photos!) was a video tape....

and a denture!!! YIKES.

Reminiscence: Pulau Ubin excursion - 29 Aug 09

While I've never really lived in a Kampung (at least, not that I can remember. In fact, my most vivid recollection stops at the plucking of rambutans when I was probably 4/5 years old), I grew up listening to stories of how life was like for my parents and brother - the feeding of pigs, the catching of long kang fishes...... And, Pulau Ubin is probably, amidst the country's rapid development, the only surviving testament of life in the '70s.

The ground was littered with rambutans!

Its been almost a year since I last stepped onto the island, and it sure feels good to be back! My family used to frequent Ubin when my cousin had a prawn farm there. This time round, it was a leisure walk, instead of the usual cycling. While its more time consuming, its a effective way to force myself to slow down my pace, and simply... ... enjoy nature.

It was also refreshing to learn about new plants, insects and birds, outside the Semakau classroom.

No prizes on how The Elephant Ear Fig (Ficus auriculata) tree got its name. With the largest leaves, figs from this tree is actually edible. The actual flowers of the fig are unseen unless the fig is cut open, and the fig tree has a unique pollination system with the help of tiny wasps, known as fig wasps. These wasps enters the fig to both pollinate the flowers and lay their own eggs. The flowers are in turn, nourishment and home for the next generation of wasps (so watch out for extra ingredients if you ever eat one =P).

These 2 really adorable kittens were mewing away, hiding amongst the tall grasses. They couldnt decide whether we were friends or foes, and were prancing back and forth in their hiding place. As I was taking this photo, someone behind me said... "snake food".... so sad!!!!

The Akar Mempelas (Tetracera indica) is a climber with rough leaves and stem. Also called the sandy leaf/ sandpaper vine, it's leaves which have a rough surface are used by villagers as a substitute for sandpaper. Another good use is its pounded leaves and roots which supposedly is effective in relieving skin itches.

At some random spot, it seems like a durian tree has decided to take roots there. We were joking (actually I think LK sounded quite serious about it) that we should start planting fruit trees, so that theres continuity for the next generation to enjoy the tropical fruits - 前人种树, 后人乘凉! In addition, this can also be our retirement plan, to take care of a durian plantation in Ubin when we are old! Although, I would pretty much prefer relaxing under the sun,with the company of the sand and sea, vis-a-vis harvesting and/or selling durians!

Babies coming your way, and worried about the escalating costs of living (in particular the costs of diapers) amidst the recession? Fret no more! Nappy tree comes to the rescue! The leave of this tree is so soft that people used it as nappies for babies in the past. For all we know, it might be even more comfy than Pampers!

It was also my pleasure to be introduced to the elegant White Lady (Thunbergia fragrans). While these lovely, fragrant blooms may look angelic, its fruits certainly look the opposite. Bearing resemblance to a bullet, its really painful when a certain someone pokes you with the fruit (no joke!). With its sharp tip, I'm sure it can be used (perhaps, was used) as a deadly weapon, of course only if displaced at a high speed!

The praying mantis was motionless for a period of time, long enough for us to take turns to capture its portrait. 

Thanks to my skeptism, I refused to touch this bug despite strong recommendation from a fellow GV (yah, some good friends of mine?!?). Otherwise, I'm sure I'll end up being an outcast throughout the walk because the Stink Bug (family Pentatomoidea) is known to emit a foul odour (called stink bug for a reason!), which most people find repulsive (although I think it can be washed away with soap and water). In any case, if you happen to see a bug with a triangular shaped plate on their back, leave it alone and don't take any chances! Actually, we should'nt be disturbing them even if they do not have i triangular shape plate on their back.

 

This Mata Ayam (Ardisia elliptica) tree was a pretty sight with the display of colours of its fruits. The tree is named after its fruits because they look like and are about the size of the chicken's eyeball (mata = eyes in malay, ayam = chicken in malay).

 

The cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao - literally translates as "drink of the gods") is a plant that brings back fond memories for my brother. I was told that because of the family financials (or rather, the lack of), chocolate was a luxury when my brother was young. To satisfy the crave, my brother used to "steal" the cocoa fruit from our neighbour's garden. Once, he was seen plucking the fruit and in his panic (naturally, he tried to scoot off), he fell into a hole laid with burning charcoal! Although that must have been really painful, I can imagine it to be such a hilarious sight!

The trip was also a good recap of my mangrove knowledge (which was limited, to begin with..*sheepish*..). Managed to identify the Api-api bulu (Avicennia rumphiana) which has furry leaves that looks like soup spoons. Many of these tress were fruiting!  

Thankfully, I also remembered the Bruguiera Cynlindrica (although strangely, I couldnt remembered its common name, Bakau Putih), and spared myself from being knocked on the head. One of this species' distinctive feature is its light green sepals that sticks out at right angles to the fruit.

Fancy a symphony in the mangroves? Be sure to recruit the Mangrove Trumpet (Dolichandrone spathacea) tree as part of your orchestra (although I won't trust it to make any sound..hee..). Found in the back mangroves, this tree is probably named after its white flowers thats trumpet-shaped (actually, I think a cluster of its pods looks like a trumpet too!). I read that the wood is light and thus was used in floats for fishing nets and wooden shoes, and even for making traditional 'wayang kulit'.

We spent a really long period of time observing the Spider Wasp (Family Pompilidae). This brightly coloured wasp seemed to have caught a spider and was darting around (it was so tough to get a good photo..). We were told that the wasp will typically dig a hole to keep its prize, together with its eggs - which it will lay on the spider soon enough. We were lucky enough to catch this wasp in action (I even caught a video of it burrowing, with splendid commentary to boot!) 

It would be almost impossible not to spot spiders on such walks - some cute, and some not so. Heres a pretty one, though not sure of its species.

I got a rude shock, when a pair of itchy inquisitive hands very lightly touched some folded leaves. Out jumped this big furry spider, which I thought was quite menacing looking. Hmm.. I don't really fancy big spiders, especially furry ones! It quickly hid behind the leaves, out of our sight. Guess it must be more fearful of us, than we are of it.

Lots of cute little spiderlings came scurrying after their mother!

While waiting for our transport, we saw (and even had more than enough time to observe) the Changeable Hawk Eagle and 2 hornbills. Unfortunately, my point-and-shoot was not capable of capturing any sharp shots.

Its amazing how much more I can appreciate this island, now that I have a little bit more knowledge of its fauna and flora. Can't wait to be back on 19th!