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Odd & Thriving

P10
Myths
or
Life Underground Facts
P20 P24
 CONTENTS
Amazon Basin ................................................................................. P02
Amazon River Quest ....................................................................... P08
Odd & Thriving ................................................................................. P10
Chat With A Keeper.......................................................................... P18
Life Underground ............................................................................. P20
Myths or Facts ................................................................................. P24

P10

P08

P24

P20

WILDLIFE WONDERS
Wildlife Wonders aims to give you a better insight into the intriguing life forms WRITER/ EDITOR:
that share Planet Earth with us. Lok May Kuen

Through simple text, captivating images, light-hearted illustrations and fun DESIGNER:
facts, we hope that the publication will inspire and motivate you to take Chris Sam Ngan Yin
greater interest in caring for the fragile Earth and her inhabitants.

Wildlife Wonders is a quarterly publication of Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way
without prior permission from the publisher.
ELEPHANT TRUNK SNAKE
Its skin hangs loosely and seems too big
for its body. It may not look flattering but
this oversized and scaly body covering
is essential to the survival of its owner.
Find out more on page 10.

DAVID TAN
AMAZON BASIN
The Amazon forest is drained by the Amazon River and its 1,100 tributaries to form
the Amazon Basin, which is also referred to as Amazonia. It is largest freshwater
reservoir on Earth and holds 20% of the world’s freshwater. The Amazon Basin
is also the one of the most biodiverse places on Earth – 10% of all known
animal species in the world are found here.

MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA

VENEZUELA AMAZON BASIN

COLOMBIA

ECUADOR

PERU

BRAZIL

BOLIVIA

PARAGUAY

CHILE
Did You Know?
URUGUAY In 1542, Spanish explorer Don
Francisco de Orellana went on an
ARGENTINA expedition in search of cinnamon
and gold. Instead, he discovered
the world’s mightiest river and
named it Rio de Orellana.
European geographers later
renamed the river Rio Amazonas
(Amazon River), after the
mythical tribe of warrior women
who cut off one breast to enhance
their archery skills.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
AMAZON BASIN I PAGE 3

Overflowing River,
Flooded Forest
Every year, during the wet
season, from December to June,
the Amazon River overflows
and floods the forest along its
riverbank by over 10 metres in
depth. The width of the river
can expand as much as 45km!
Animals from the Amazon
River and its tributaries visit the
flooded forest to feast and breed.
Amazonian manatees feed and
gorge themselves on plants during
this period and may fast for the
rest of the year if food is scarce.

At Amazon Flooded Forest in

River Safari, we replicated the
landscape of a flooded forest to
showcase how animals live and
play during the wet season in
Amazonia.
CHAM TUD YINN

Green Is Cool and serving as an ‘air-conditioner’ and household appliances. Carbon

The Amazon Basin holds the
world’s largest rainforest and
occupies an area that is about twice
the size of India. It plays a very
important role in helping to absorb
a huge amount of heat from the sun
to cool the Earth’s surface.
Through photosynthesis, the plants
in the Amazon forest absorb 20%
of carbon dioxide emitted from
burning of coals, oil and natural
gases to power machines, vehicles
dioxide is a greenhouse gas
that traps heat from the sun and
causes global warming. By utilizing
carbon dioxide for photosynthesis,
the Amazon helps to reduce the
amount of greenhouse gas in the
atmosphere.
Our Treasure Trove
In Amazonia
Many of our food, medicines and
raw materials came from the
Amazon forest. As the world’s
population grows and more food
is needed to feed the hungry
world, we try to cultivate new crops
that have higher yield and better
resistance to disease, droughts,
etc. The Amazon Basin, which is
home to some 80,000 known plant
species, and millions of unknown
species, is a source of genetic
materials for developing new crops.

Most forest plants need certain

species of animals to pollinate the
flowers to set fruits, or to disperse
the seeds for new plants to
germinate. Thus, we are indirectly
dependent on many animals for
food, medicines and raw materials.

Did You Know?

Rubber seeds were
smuggled out of South
America to Kew Gardens
in the UK and germinated.
In 1877, 22 rubber
seedlings were sent
to Singapore Botanic
Gardens and successfully
transplanted. Many of
the trees in the rubber
plantations in SE Asia
today descended
from these
seedlings.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
AMAZON BASIN I PAGE 5

Passion Fruits of the

Fruit lipstick tree

MADE IN AMAZONIA
•
Rubber trees produce a milky white sap, latex, when the bark is cut. The
latex is used to make tyres, electrical cables and many other things that we
use daily. The forest people in Amazonia used rubber to make footwear,
bottles and balls long before Europeans arrived in South America.
• Rubber Seeds
Annatto food dye is extracted from the seeds of the achiote or lipstick tree.

PHOTOS: LIM AI KHENG

Rubber pod It is used to colour dairy products such as cheeses, and
snacks, smoked fish, etc. It adds colour and flavour to many
Latin American and Caribbean cuisines.
•
Tapioca, which is the roots of the cassava plant, can grow in poor
soil and withstand drought. It is the 3rd most important crop in the tropics,
Cocoa pod after rice and corn. The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Tapioca
•
Cocoa seeds are processed to make chocolates and
cocoa powder. Cocoa butter extracted from the
process is used in many cosmetic products and
pharmaceutical products.
•
Every Brazil nut that we eat is harvested from the Amazon
rainforest. The flowers of the Brazil nut tree are pollinated by certain species Brazil Nut
of bees. Brazil nuts cannot be cultivated in plantations because
of the absence of these bees.
•
The nut of the cashew fruit is eaten as a popular snack while the hard shells
are processed into cashew nut shell liquid to make resins, paints, lacquer,
insecticides, etc. The fleshy part of the fruit (cashew apple)
is very rich in Vitamin C. It is made into jams, juices and wines.
Cashew Apple •
Passion fruits, Cape gooseberries
and pineapples are just a few of the tropical fruits that
originated from the Amazon rainforest.

Cape Gooseberry Pineapple

GETTYIMAGES WIKIPEDIA/ BOB PETERSON

Indian Hemp

Cinchona

A South American
collecting curare
from the sap
of a tree to
poison the
tips for
hunting
arrows.
WIKIPEDIA/ SEWilco

DRUG STORE IN AMAZONIA

•
The forest people of Peru were the earliest to use cinchona bark to treat fever.
Subsequently, Quinine, an anti-malaria drug was developed from the same
plant. This drug has remains an important anti-malaria drug till today, about
400 years since its medicinal property was documented. In contrast, some
anti-malaria drugs that are discovered after Quinine are losing their efficacy
because the malaria parasite has developed resistance against them.
•
The Amazonian forest people use the poison from the curare vine to smear
their arrows for hunting. In modern medicine, curare vine is used as a muscle
relaxant during surgery. It is also used to diagnose a neuro-muscular disease,
and to treat smoking withdrawal symptoms.
•
The Apinaje tribe in Brazil uses the leaves of the Indian hemp to treat ulcers,
flu and to induce milk production. In modern medicine, the plant is processed
as a drug for controlling glaucoma, and for eye treatment procedures. It is also
used to treat dry mouth resulting from radiation therapy for cancer. Cosmetic
companies used it for hair and skin care products.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
AMAZON BASIN I PAGE 7

Threatened Tribes
In the first half of the 20th century, 55 tribal populations in Amazonia had vanished. There are now over
200 different tribes and they continued to be threatened by cattle ranchers, oil exploration companies and
illegal loggers who take their land and even kill them.

Tribal people were the first to discover 75% of the plants used to manufacture medicines. They have vast
knowledge of the hidden forest treasures and we can learn a lot from them.
DAVID TAN

GETTYIMAGES

Matsés, Peru
The matsés women in Peru wear
facial piercing and markings
inspired by the jaguar.

GETTYIMAGES

Guarani,
Brazil

GETTYIMAGES GETTYIMAGES

Yanomami, Brazil

Kalapo Brazilian Indian

You can now go on the Amazon River Quest at River Safari to explore the amazingly
rich Amazon forest which is home to a wide variety of animal and plant species. The
boat ride takes you through lush vegetation to admire close to 30 animal species,
which among others, include the world’s largest anteater, the largest rodent and the
largest South American wild cat. Find out more as you read on, but nothing beats
going on the Quest yourself. So, take the plunge and cruise down
the Amazon River for a wild adventure.

Water-lovers, tree-dwellers and high-fliers –

here’s a sneak preview of some of the animals you will
encounter on Amazon River Quest.

Many of the animals are well-camouflaged, just

as they would in the wild where it is important
to blend in with the forest environment to avoid
predators or to pounce on prey unawares. Be
sure to put your observational skills to good
use - look left, right and above as you go on the
Amazon River Quest, and you will be rewarded
with wonderful views of the animals.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
AMAZON RIVER QUEST I PAGE 9

Above: The Amazon River is dotted with many waterfalls and
rapids and we try to replicate the landscape with three plunges
for the Amazon River Quest. As a safety requirement,
visitors must meet the minimum height of
1.06 metres to go on the Quest.
Below: Look out for the biggest wild cats of South America – the
jaguars. Shamu is housed in the first habitat while his parents
Angel and Khan live in the second habitat. Jaguars are
one of the few cats that love water.
Above: Cruise through the scarlet ibis aviary and watch the chilli-
red birds flutter overhead. The Amazon River Quest also offers you
a close encounter with the showy Caribbean flamingos.
Below: The snout of the tapir is used to grasp leaves for feeding.
In the wild, the Brazilian tapir is dinner for the jaguar. Here at
River Safari, this animal is thriving and the female has recently
given birth to a baby. Tapir babies look like ‘gray walking water
melons’ with white spot and stripes. You may be lucky
enough to catch a glimpse of the baby!

PHOTOS: DAVID TAN

RED HOWLER
EMPEROR TAMARIN BLACK BEARDED SAKI MONKEY MONKEY

The South American forest is well known for its amazing variety of monkeys but unfortunately many are disappearing as a result of
habitat destruction. When you go on the Amazon River Quest, you will be able to ‘feast’ your eyes on
seven different species of monkeys and tamarins.
Odd & Thriving
River Safari has a wonderful collection of over 300 different species of animals, huge
and small. Among them is a group of animals that always evoke strong reactions from
our visitors. These creatures, unlike the more commonly-known animals, appear
weird to many people. Mostly unknown and unloved, they are in fact nature’s
masterpieces with unique features superbly adapted for survival,
and definitely worthy of our admiration.

COLOURFUL no known antidote. The toxin is

WARNINGS
The fire-bellied newt is a small
amphibian with very contrasting
colours of black or brown on its
dorsal body and a fiery orange
underside. Like most brightly-
coloured animals, its bright orange-
coloured belly serves as a warning
to would-be predators “Stay away, I
am poisonous!”
This newt species produces a toxin
known as tetrodotoxin, which is
similar to the toxin produced by
the puffer fish and so far, there is
ALL PHOTOS: DAVID TAN
excreted from poison glands at the
side of its head.
The fire-bellied newt makes its
home in the lower Yangtze River
and the ponds, flooded and paddy
fields of the hilly plains of central
and south eastern China. It is
collected in huge numbers and
sold as pets. Although the fire-
bellied newt is not endangered
at the moment, over harvesting,
habitat destruction, pollution
and the use of herbicides and
pesticides in paddy fields may
become threats to this species in
the future.
SNAKES IN
TRUNKS
Lurking in the rivers, streams and
estuaries of S.E. Asia are the
unusual-looking elephant trunk
snakes. Unlike snakes in general,
they have baggy skin which hangs
loosely over their body. The skin
feels rough because of it is covered
with small scales that have a sharp
triangular ridge. The elephant trunk
snake feeds mainly on catfish and
eels, and it literally ‘squeezes its
prey to death’. It warps its body
around its victims, gripping them
tightly with the triangular-ridged
scales. Even with a layer of
slippery mucous on their body, the
fish prey have a hard time wrestling
free of the snake’s grip.

Adult elephant trunk snakes are

totally aquatic because their baggy
skin makes it almost impossible
to slither on land. They can stay
in water for 45 minutes before
emerging to catch a breath.
Females produce live young, which
spend part of their time on land.
The fire-bellied newts have recently moved into the Giant Panda Forest as neighbours of Kai Once the young develop baggy
Kai and Jia Jia, and as one of the Yangtze treasures for our visitors to learn more about. skin, they live only in water.

The elephant trunk snake has a flap in
its nasal passage which can be closed
to prevent water from entering. After
admiring the awesome Mekong giants in
River Safari, be sure to look out for the
elephant trunk snakes in the jewel tank.
DISGUISE TO
THRIVE
It is one of the most bizarre-looking
creatures in the world and yet
visitors to River Safari’s Amazon
Flooded Forest often stroll pass
the mata mata without noticing it
because it is so well-disguised.
This freshwater turtle has an arrow-
shaped, flattened head, and a
snorkel-like nose. Small skin flaps
decorate the sides of its flat head
and neck, creating an irregular
shape that breaks up the outline
of the animal. These, together with
its patterned shell, make the turtle
looks like a small stack of dried
leaves, blending in perfectly with its
riverbed habitat.
The mata mata hunts by ‘suction
feeding’. The skin flaps on the
neck and head are sensitive to
WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
ODD & THRIVING I PAGE 11
movements in the water and help
the turtle to track the location of
nearby prey. When a fish swims
close by, it expands its neck and
opens its unusually large mouth to
suck in a large amount of water. As
water surges into the mouth, the
fish is sucked in too! Water is then
expelled and the prey swallowed.
Did You Know?
Some South Americans
regard the mata mata as an
ugly creature, and would refer
women whom they consider
ugly as ‘mata mata’.
ILLUSTRATION: CHAM TUD YINN
The neck of the mata mata is very long in
relation to the rest of its body. Stretching
its long neck, the turtle is often able to
reach the water surface to catch a breath,
without having to leave the river bottom
where it rests most of the time.
ALL PHOTOS: DAVID TAN

Turtles are toothless but the snapping alligator turtle can easily
THE DINOSAUR OF THE snap off a finger with its strong jaws, which are lined with very hard
blades! This turtle is the largest freshwater turtle. It can grow to a
TURTLE WORLD huge size with males weighing over 80kg, which is heavier than an
average-sized man.
With a ‘spikey’ shell, long scaly tail and beak-shaped
mouth, the alligator snapping turtle looks rather
prehistoric. In fact, it is often referred to as ‘the dinosaur
of the turtle world’. Running along the length of its shell
are three ridges which resemble those of an alligator,
hence its name. Its thick, irregularly-shaped shell helps
to break up the body outline so that it blends in well with
the river bed where it waits for prey to come by.

Remaining almost motionless, the alligator snapping

turtle needs to lure prey to a very close distance in
order to snap it up. To do this, it uses a very unusual
‘tool’ - the pink, worm-like projection on its tongue. It
opens its mouth and wriggles the ‘worm’ as a bait to
attract potential prey. Once a fish is within reach, it The eyes of the alligator snapping turtle are patterned to blend
launches its powerful head forward and snaps up its in with the face of the animal and are positioned such that they
meal with its beak-like jaws. cannot be seen from above – all to ensure that the turtle remains
inconspicuous to prey.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
ODD & THRIVING I PAGE 13

Turtles & Terrapins of The Mississippi

As you start your River Safari journey, you will get to meet the ‘dinosaurs of the turtle world’ at the
Mississippi River exhibit. Look hard as the alligator snapping turtles are motionless and very well
camouflaged against their surroundings. Watch them snap up chunks of fish during feeding time at
1.30pm. In the wild, their diet comprises fish, frogs, other turtles, worms and snakes.

The common snapping turtles are also found in the same exhibit as the alligator snapping turtles. One
way to tell the two species apart is to look at the ridges on the shell - the common snapping turtles have
very low ridges and they do not run along the length of the shell.

ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE

The low ridges on the shell of the common snapping turtle do not run along the length of the shell.
The upper jaw of the common snapping turtle is also much smaller and less pointed.

Another resident of the Mississippi River is the red-eared terrapin or slider. It is a very popular pet in
many countries. Irresponsible pet owners often release their pet red-eared sliders into water bodies
when they no longer want to keep them. Highly adaptable, these terrapins thrive and complete with
local species for food and living space.

Thinking of getting a
pet red-eared terrapin?
Pause for a moment
and find out more about
the commitment of
keeping a pet terrapin,
and its present and
future housing needs.
Consider what happens
when you no longer
want to keep the pet.
The red-eared terrapin
is a not local species
and you should not
release it into our water
bodies because it will
upset the balance of
the local ecosystem
and harm the local
species.

THE GHOST &
THE ROBOT
The black ghost knifefish is one
of the most fascinating animals
to watch in the Amazon Flooded
Forest of River Safari. Apart from
its unique black coloration, this
fish has, on its underside, a long
ribbon-like fin that undulates
constantly, creating tiny ‘waves’
that sweep through the length of
the fin all the time. With the help
of the fin, the black ghost knifefish
is able to hovering in water, or
change direction quickly, swimming
forwards, backwards and vertically.
The ability to be nimble is important
for this fish as it needs to move
among tree roots to hunt for small
fish and crustaceans.
By observing and recreating the
wave-like movement of the black
ghost knifefish, scientists have
invented a robot called ‘Ghostbot’.
This robot could lead to invention
ALL PHOTOS: DAVID TAN
The tribal people in South America believe that the ghosts of the deceased live
in the black ghost knifefish, hence its name.
of nimble robots that can perform
underwater recovery operations
such as plugging leaking oil
pipes or monitoring of underwater
habitats for conservation work. Like
the black ghost knifefish, many
other animals and plants have
inspired inventions that benefit us
– this reinforces the need to protect
biodiversity for our well-being.
The black ghost knifefish lives
in murky water, and being a
nocturnal hunter, it needs to find
its way around and locate prey in
the dark. It has a special organ
located in its tail to produce an
electrical field, and when a prey
swims through the field, it is able
to sense its presence using special
cells or electroreceptors on its skin.
Each knifefish generates its own
signal frequency. In some cases,
the frequency changes when
another knifefish is near. Reasons
for this behaviour could be for
communication or to avoid jamming
each other’s signals.
The bottlenose mormyrid is an important
source of food for the Africans. Although
this fish is not threatened at the moment,
the African authorities are regulating the
collection to prevent overfishing. The
mesh size of nets is controlled to prevent
fishermen from catching very young
bottlenose mormyrid.
OF ELEPHANTS &
DOLPHINS
Some call it an ‘elephant fish’ while
others refer to it as a ‘freshwater
dolphin’ because this fish sports
a short snout that reminds people
of the trunk of an elephant or the
protruding jaws of a dolphin. Also
known as the bottlenose mormyrid,
this fish can be admired together
with the ‘Congo jewels’ in River
Safari.
In the wild, the bottlenose mormyrid
can be found in deep, muddy
waters of African rivers. It hides
in caves during the day, venturing
only at night to feed on weeds,
small fishes and crustaceans.
Like the black ghost knifefish,
the bottlenose mormyrid has a
special organ in its tail to produce
an electrical field to detect prey
passing by. The signals are picked
by special electroreceptors on the
fish’s body.

ARMOURED,
WOOD-EATERS
Visitors to Amazon Flooded Forest
at River Safari are always intrigued
by L191 Pleco - a fish that looks like
a prehistoric animal with a heavily
armoured body, long broom-like fins
and a huge sucker mouth on the
underside.
L191 Pleco belongs to a group of
special wood-eating catfish (the
Panaque) that are found in the
Amazon, Magdalena and Orinoco
River Basins. As the fish is not a
strong swimmer, it uses its sucker
mouth to attach itself to wood. Lining
the sides of the mouth are rows
WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
ODD & THRIVING I PAGE 15
of spoon-shaped teeth which
Panaque catfishes use to chew on
wood, producing a rasping sound
What’s In A Name?
New species of
in the process.
armoured suckermouth
catfish are being
Unlike other wood-eating animals,
discovered in South
Panaque catfishes do not have
America every year and
bacteria and other micro-organisms
the number grows so
in their guts to help them digest
fast that some newly-
wood. It appears that they chew
discovered species have
up rotting wood only to extract
to be given a ‘L-number’
the organic matter and micro-
before an official name
organisms that are found in
is assigned to them.
between wood fibers. The wood
The letter ‘L’ refers to
ingested is passed out as waste.
Loricarridae, which is the
This feeding process helps to
armoured suckermouth
break down large chunks of wood
catfish family.
in the rivers and speeds up decay
and recycling of nutrients in the
ecosystem.
1
L-19
 A Big Crash
Zina was born in April 2013 and she is the latest addition to our crash of white rhinos at Wild
Africa. At birth, she weighed an impressive 65kg, which is about 20 times the weight of a
newborn human baby. Hopefully, she will grow to weigh as heavy as Mum Donsa, at 1,500kg.

Donsa, Zina and the other white rhinos enjoy having ‘mud spas’. They are often seen coated
with a layer of mud, which acts as a sunblock as well as a bug repellent.

The white rhinos at Singapore Zoo have been breeding well. Since 1996, we have bred 15
white rhinos and sent ten to zoos in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea
on an animal exchange programme.

The Southern white rhinos represent a picture of conservation success. There were fewer
than 100 individuals back in 1895. As a result of conservation efforts,
over 14,000 Southern white rhinos now roam the land of Africa.
DAVID TAN
Chat With A Keeper
The watery world where aquatic animals thrive is very different from land ecosystems.
We dive into the depth of things with Hon Yien, Junior Aquatic Management Officer
at River Safari and find out the challenges he faces in caring for
the freshwater animals in Asia’s first freshwater wildlife park.
Q: What do you do as a Junior
Aquatic Management Officer
(JAMO)?
I take care of a variety of
freshwater fishes, including river
giants such as the freshwater
giant stingrays, Mekong giant
catfish and Siamese carps. In
addition, I look after three reptile
species.
Besides preparing food, feeding
the animals, conditioning and
observing them, I have to
ensure that the exhibits are
well-maintained. I have to stay
alert and keep an eye on the life
support system to ensure that it
is working in a tip-top condition.
This is very important because
the system filters the water to get
rid of the waste matter produced
by the animals, keeping the
watery environment clean and
oxygenated.
Q: What inspired you to be a
Junior Aquatic Management
Officer?
I chose to be a Junior Aquatic
Management Officer because it
is very different from other jobs. I
get to swim with the animals and
interact with them – it is fun and
the best part of my job.
Q: What are the special skills
needed for this job?
Firstly, an Aquarist needs to
be a qualified open-water diver
because the job involves a lot
of underwater work. Having the
passion and in-depth knowledge
of the animals that we work with
are essential to doing a good job.
Q: As different species live at
different depths, how do you
feed the various animals in
River Safari?
Most of the animals that I look
after are fed at the surface of
the tanks. We have to dive into
the water to feed the freshwater
giant stingrays, which are bottom
dwellers. On the other hand, the
sturgeons, which are also bottom
dwellers, have been conditioned
to come to the surface to be fed
by hand. The goonch catfish is
an ambush predator and is fed
using a feeding pole. As for the
Indian gharials, we feed them
from the outside of the exhibit
for safety reasons. These fish-
eating crocodilians have a set of
extremely sharp teeth that can
deliver deadly snaps.
Q: Can you train aquatic
animals to behave in a certain
manner?
Training aquatic animals is
very different from training land
animals because we are working
in a watery environment. Aquatic
animals are extremely sensitive to
the environment - they can sense
that a trainer is not calm and get
frighten easily.

To train the giant freshwater
stingrays to take food from
our hands, we started at the
quarantine area where we would
feed them at the surface using
a feeding pole. Once they were
used to this routine, we entered
the holding tank during the feeding
sessions to familiarise them with
our presence. At first, we had to
get them to come as close to us
as possible. Slowly, they began to
take food from our hands. During
that period, we had to be careful
as the stingrays would nibble at
us at times! When dealing with
animals, we need lots of patience.
The entire training process took
us a few months. Now, Di, the
male and Saan, the female are
comfortable enough to approach
us during feeding times at the
Mekong Exhibit.
Q: Which animal do you find the
most interesting?
The Mekong giant catfish is the
most interesting animal as it is one
of the largest freshwater fish in the
world. I find it amazing that it can
WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
CHAT WITH A KEEPER I PAGE 19
grow up to 3 meters and weigh up
to 300kg on a mostly plant diet.
The stingrays interact with us
the most when we dive. Saan is
particularly shy and backs off very
easily. This makes her difficult to
feed at times. However, I think she
recognises me as I have the least
problem, amongst the aquarists,
when feeding her. When I am in
the exhibit with her, I can finish my
work in half the time compared to
the others.
ALL PHOTOS BY DAVID TAN
 Life Underground
Burrows protect the animals from predators, the scorching sun, gusty wind and bitter
snow. They may be used as a permanent dwelling or just for a short time as a refuge,
for hibernation, to give birth and raise young. Burrows can also keep the animals
close to their food sources such as underground plant parts, insects, earthworm
and other invertebrates. However, living in dark burrows with
low oxygen supply is challenging in other ways.

can collapse on them easily. Most tunnel through moist soil with their
burrowing or fossorial animals pointed snout while using their
have modified limbs and sharp large front paws to push loosened
claws for digging. soil aside.

Moles are found in North

DAVID TAN

America, the United Kingdom and

Tools To Dig
Making burrows is no easy task.
The animals have to work in the
dark to dig through earth, which
can be very hard, or sandy and
many countries in the Northern
Hemisphere. They spend most
of the time underground, coming
out of their network of burrows
only on rare occasions such as
during dry periods when food is
scarce. To make burrows, they

Moles can be easily distinguished by their large fore feet. Note the sharp claws for digging
and front paws that are turned outwards to push soil aside as the animals burrow.

The incisors teeth of the naked mole rat

are highly visible and they are not for
a toothy smile. This adaptation allows
the animal to gnaw without having to
open its mouth and ending up with
mouthfuls of soil while digging. Visit the
naked mole rat colony at the Zoo and
watch how these ‘wrinkled sausages’
scurry around or just pile on top of one
another and snooze away. You can also
experience life in a burrow when you
visit them.

Did You Know

The term ‘mole’ is used
to describe a person
who works secretly
against an organisation
or the government.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
LIFE UNDERGROUND I PAGE 21

N A K E D M O L E R AT C O L O N Y

Volcanoer

Sw
eep
ers Digger

Eating Chamber

Sleeping Chamber

Nursing Chamber
Toilet Chamber

Burrow Designs – Basic to Mind-Boggling

Some animals build simple burrows with just an entrance and an exit. Others build complex network with
ventilation systems,and chambers for nursery, sleeping, eating, storage and toilets. Animals such as the
naked mole rat and prairie dogs construct ‘towns’ with massive network of burrows that can house millions
of animals! (see section on Busy Towns, Ghost Towns). Prairie dog towns often have well-constructed and
reinforced dikes to prevent flooding from heavy rain.

Burrowers From Down Under

Marsupial moles in Australia are easily mistaken for the moles found in the Northern hemisphere even though
they are not related. Being burrowers, both groups have similar adaptations – a cylindrical body for easy
movement in tunnels, tiny eyes and no external ears. Their ear holes are covered with fur so that they will not
be clogged with soil while burrowing. Marsupial moles use their horny nose to push through the sandy soil,
scooping up loose soil with their spade-like forefeet and throwing up the sand with their hind feet.

Wombats are another group of burrowing marsupials. They have strong limbs and sharp claws for digging.
Like the marsupial moles, they too have a backwards-facing pouch.
WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM ISABEL CHENG

Unlike the moles in the Northern Hemisphere, marsupial moles make tunnels that The wombat usually spends the day
collapse behind them as they travel. Females have a backwards-facing pouch to resting in burrows and emerges at dusk
prevent soil from entering it as they burrow. to forage for food.

Sensing
Underground
Eyesight is of little use to animals
that spend most of their time in
dark burrows. Therefore, most of
them have very small eyes while
others are blind. In the case of the
moles, the tiny eyes are covered
with fur to prevent soil from getting
into them. These animals depend
on the sense of touch to find their
way around. The pointed snout is
lined with sensory cells to navigate
and to sense the presence of
earthworms, which are their
main diet. They eat insects and
sometimes, mice as well.
The star-nosed mole has one of
the most bizarre-looking snouts
in the animal kingdom. On its tip
of the snout are two pink ‘stars’,
with 22 stubby finger-like projects.
The ‘stars’ are very sensitive to
the touch and used to locate prey
such as worms, beetles, ants
and salamanders. The fleshy
projections function like fingers to
grasp prey and to keep soil from
entering the nose and mouth. With
the strange looking ‘stars’, the mole
is able to find, identify and gobble
down its food in less than quarter
of a second.
DAVID TAN
Catch A Breath
Burrows are enclosed and have
low oxygen supply. Therefore,
burrowing animals need to find
ways to ‘catch their breath’.
Animals such as prairie dogs
construct well-ventilated burrows
that draw breeze through. Naked
mole rats have red blood cells
that are very good at binding with
oxygen. They also have more red
cells and use oxygen at a slower
rate than other rodents.
Left: The naked mole rat is not exactly
naked. A closer look will reveal sparse
whisker-like hairs on its face and body.
These sensory hairs are important for
navigation in dark burrows and sensing
other members in the colony.
Below: The star-nosed mole is the fastest-
eating mammal, thanks to its super
sensitive ‘starred’ snout.
GETTYIMAGES

Busy Towns,
Ghost Towns
Prairie dogs are rodents that
inhabit the prairies and grasslands
of North America. Like the naked
mole rat, they live in burrows with
different chambers for nurseries,
sleeping quarters and toilets. The
burrow entrances are usually
marked by earth mounds. These
mounds are used by the prairie
dogs as lookout posts. In addition,
they set up ‘listening posts’ near
burrow exits to listen in to the
movements of predators.
The black-tailed prairie dogs are
known for constructing complex
burrow systems or ‘towns’ to house
huge communities. Most ‘towns’
cover an area that is equivalent
to a few school fields but some
are enormous. The largest prairie
dog town on record covered some
25,000 square miles (65,000
square kilometers). Located in
Texas, it was home to an estimated
four hundred million prairie dogs.
Much of the prairie dog’s natural
habitat has been converted to
agricultural land. Owing to their
burrowing nature and herbivorous
diet, prairie dogs are often
regarded as pests. During the
20th century, some 98% of the
population was killed, turning busy
prairie dog towns to ghost towns.
Another species, the white-
tailed prairie dogs, do not have
extensive burrow system. They
live in scattered burrows in
mountain valleys and hibernate
during winter.
Above: At the sight of predators, the
first alerted prairie dog will make sharp
warning calls, bob up and down to warn
the rest of the colony. Prairie dogs are
apparently able to produce different bark-
like calls to differentiate the presence of
eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, badgers,
ferrets and snakes.
WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
LIFE UNDERGROUND I PAGE 23
Burrow Buddies
and Baddies
Some animals do not have to
work hard to build underground
homes. They simply move into
those of other animals. Studies
have revealed that gopher tortoises
share their underground home
with some 70 different species,
including many invertebrates.
Prairie dogs share their burrows
with burrowing owls and even
their predators, the black-footed
ferrets. The killing of prairie dogs
mentioned earlier has caused the
population of the black-footed ferret
to plummet.
Left: Burrowing owls are the only owl
species that live in burrow. They make
their home out of occupied or abandoned
burrows of prairie dogs. They have very
long legs to run and hunt for insect prey
Below: The black-footed ferret almost
became extinct because of the loss
of grasslands and the plunge in the
prairie dog (favourite prey) population.
Reintroduction and recovery programme
of the black-footed ferret is making some
progress, but the species is still at risk
because of diseases and habitat loss.
DAVID TAN
 Myths or Facts?
Ever heard amazing stories of animals grieving over the death of family members,
lemmings committing suicide or ostriches burying their head in sand?
Read on to find out the truth and how some popular animal myths started.

Elephants Grieve Like We Do

Lemmings Commit Suicide
When Their Population Gets
Too Big – Myth Or Fact?
ANSWER: MYTH
Lemmings do not commit suicide. This myth probably
arose as a result of the documentary ‘White Wilderness’
which used special production technique to create fake
scenes of lemmings jumping into the ocean during a
mass dispersal (which was also referred to wrongly as
mass migration in the film). Although the documentary
was screened in the 1950s, many people till today still
think that lemmings commit mass suicide.
Lemmings are found in the tundra and their
populations fluctuate drastically depending on the
– Myth or Fact?
ANSWER: FACT
Many studies and observations made in the wild
have suggested that elephants do grieve over the
death of family members like we do. Elephants often
stay around the body of a dead herd member for
days, touching and holding it with their trunks. They
also show similar interest when they encounter the
bone remains of their own kind, feeling, sniffing and
carrying the bones around.
Apart from grieve, many elephants have been
observed to show care for one another. In the early
days of Singapore Zoo, when Gambir the elephant
arrived as an orphaned calf, Anusha, the matriarch
adopted her and cared for her. Anusha also played
her role as the matriarch well, and would always
hurry over to ‘settle’ disputes among herd members.
Our elephants Intan and Aprila having a friendly
moment together. Both get along well and often seen
touching and playing.
DAVID TAN

climate, predators and the availability of food. In a

good year, their numbers can increase ten times.
When the population is at its peak, the lemmings
exhaust their food supply quickly. A huge number of
them will then travel or ‘mass disperse’ to look for
alternate food sources. Sometimes, they encounter
water bodies and will swim across in search of
greener pastures. Some drown in the process. The
death toll can be high considering the huge number
of lemmings swimming across at one time, resulting
in what looks like a ‘mass suicide’.
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
MYTHS OR FACTS I PAGE 25

conditions. Therefore, not all Recent research also revealed

female mantises make a meal out that under unobtrusive
of their mates. It is believed under laboratory conditions and with
stressful laboratory conditions with regular feeding, the Chinese
Female Praying bright lights and confined spaces, praying mantis did not show
Mantises Eat female praying mantises tend cannibalism, instead they
to eat their mates. Studies have performed courtship dances.
Their Mates shown that only certain species
during Mating – such as the European praying
mantis are cannibalistic towards
Myth Or Fact? their mates during mating, and
in the wild, fewer than 1/3 of the
ANSWER: BOTH A FACT & A females were observed to turn their
MYTH mates into dinner. Under natural
Different species of praying conditions, there is a higher chance
mantis behave differently, of escaping from the jaws of the
and the same species reacts females and this also helps to
differently under varying reduce the number of ‘love victims’.

eggs. They turn the eggs several

times a day and from a distance,
they may disappear as if their
heads are buried in sand.

When you next visit Jurong Bird

Park, drop by Dino Descendants
to view the ostriches and other
flightless birds. You may be lucky
enough to get a nice photo of our
female ostrich standing next to her
The truth is that ostriches do not
Ostriches Bury- bury their heads. In the face of
freshly-laid egg.

ing Their Heads In danger, they run away. Being able LAM KA PO

to sprint up to 70km/h or maintain a

Sand When Threat-
ened – Myth or
Fact?
ANSWER : MYTH
The myth that ostriches bury their
heads in the sand when in danger
has become a figure of speech to
describe people who refuse to face
and resolve problems.
steady speed of 50km/h, predators
would have a hard time catching
up! At times, ostriches deal with
threats by lying low and resting
their long neck on the ground in an
attempt to be less visible.
Male ostriches dig a large hole in
the sand for several females to lay
up to 70 eggs in it. Both the male
and the major hen incubate the
Wild Wild Hunt 38 Answer:
Papyrus plants can be
found in the bioswale
near the Zoo’s multi-

HUNT
Congratulations to the
readers who to manage
to spot the papyrus
plants in our parks!
Lucky winners will each
receive a t-shirt!
storey carpark, and
many landscaped
ponds including the one
along the boardwalk to
Amazon Flooded Forest
in River Safari.

The Paper Plant

The word ‘paper’ is derived from the papyrus plant. In
ancient times, this aquatic plant grew in abundance in
River Nile but it died out. The papyrus plants found in
Egypt today are believed to have been reintroduced by
the French in 1872.

History On Papyrus
Ancient Egyptians were the first to use the stems of
the papyrus plant to make a writing material known as
papyrus. Compared to stones, metal plates and leather
which are heavy or expensive, papyrus was a wonderful
invention – light, portable and easy to write on. Apart
from the Egyptians, the Greeks also used papyrus
as the basic writing material. The earliest books ever
discovered were written on rolls of papyrus. Papyri (the
term for papyrus with writing on it) dated some 4,000
years ago have been unearthed. Today, we learn much
of the history of Egypt, the Roman Empire and the rest of
the ancient world through historical records on papyrus.

Sadly, there were no records of the process of making

papyrus as it was a closely-guarded secret in ancient
Egypt. In 1965, an Egyptian engineer Dr Hassan Ragab
rediscovered the art of making papyrus and in 1968, he
founded the Papyrus Institute, which is a well-visited
tourist attraction in Egypt.

A native to River Nile, the hardy papyrus plant flourishes in many

parts of the world today, often as an ornamental plant. Apart from
beautifying some of the moats and landscaped ponds in WRS
parks, the papyrus plant is also planted in the bioswale near the
multi-storey Zoo carpark as a purifying agent (for details, please
refer to section on Uses Of The Papyrus Plant).
 WILDLIFE WONDERS 39 I SEPTEMBER 2013
WILDHUNT I PAGE 27

The Death of Papyrus

The use of papyrus as a writing material was partially
replaced by parchment, which is made of animal
skin. Compared to papyrus, parchment is stronger
and because it is smoother to write on, both sides of
a parchment can be used. However, parchment was
expensive to produce. Paper, one of the greatest
inventions of China, eventually replaced the papyrus as
the key writing material.

Uses of the Papyrus Plant

Light and durable, the papyrus plant was used by
the Egyptians to thatch roofs, construct fences and
make boats, baskets, sandals, ropes, mats and other
household items. Today, the papyrus plant continues to
serve the same function in some African countries.

Ancient Egyptians chewed the raw papyrus, swallowed

the juice and spit out the remains. The rhizomes of the
papyrus plant, which are filled with starch, were eaten
as a source of carbohydrate.

Recent studies showed that the papyrus plant has

the great ability to absorb nitrogen, phosphorous and
residues of organic matter in waste water through its
huge network of roots. The papyrus plant is now a
popular plant not just for its ornamental value but more
importantly for its purifying properties.

Wild Hunt 39 Clue:

This is a South
Send your entry to: The Editor, Wildlife Wonders (Wild Hunt) American
Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826 plant. Spot it as
Find out the answer in Wildlife Wonders Volume 40. you go on an
Closing Date: 28 February 2014 adventure in our
newly-opened
Name: park.
Address:

Contact no.: Answer:

Photocopied form is acceptable.
YOUR SAY
Write to us and share your stories, riddles or poems
about nature with our readers. If published, you will
receive a $10 Ben & Jerry’s voucher. Please send
your contribution to:

The Editor, Wildlife Wonders (Your Say)

Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore 729826

Remember to include your name and

mailing address.

contributed by:
Alastair Shee
&
Amelia Shee
 FUNPAGE
CONTEST ONE:

The Right Tools

Match the animal parts with
their functions

(A) Locate and identify food (B) Grasp leaves for feeding (C) Push loose soil aside
(D) Blend in with the environment (E) Run and hunt insect prey

1. ( ) 2. ( ) 3. ( ) 4. ( ) 5. ( )

CONTEST TWO:
What’s In The Name
Find out what these names or terms mean.

NAME/TERM : WHAT IS IT?

L191 • • The world’s mightiest river
Fossorial • • Another term for burrowing
A crash • • A wood-eater
A ‘town’ • • A complex network of burrows where prairie dogs live
Rio Amazonas • • A collective term for rhinoceroses

Wildlife Wonders Volume 39 Contest One: The Right Tools

FUNPAGE CONTEST FORM 1. ( ) 2. ( ) 3. ( ) 4. ( ) 5. ( )
Name: _____________________________ Age: ________
Address: __________________________________________ Contest Two: What’s In The Name
School: __________________________________________
L191 • • The world’s mightiest river
Contact No.: __________________________________________
Fossorial • • Another term for burrowing
Please send your answers to: A crash • • A wood-eater
Singapore Zoo, Education Dept 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826 ‘town’ • • A complex network of burrows where prairie dogs live
Winners will receive a $10 Ben & Jerry’s voucher by post.
Closing Date: 28 February 2014 Rio Amazonas • • A collective term for rhinoceroses

CONTEST 1: Which Is Which? CONTEST 2:

FUNPAGE Binturong – A1, U2 In Search of
ANSWERS Orang Utan – A5, U3
Tree Kangaroo – A2, U4
Wild Facts
for Wildlife Wonders Black Bearded Flying Lizard – A3, U5
Volume 38: White-handed Gibbon – A4, U1
 Wildlife News
Native Birds’ Day
Did you know that there are over 100 species of native
birds in Singapore? It comes as a pleasant surprise to
many that birdlife thrives in our urbanised country. To
promote greater appreciation of native birds and ensure
that they continue to thrive in our community, Jurong
Bird Park joined hands with National Parks Board
(NParks) and Nature Society of Singapore to organise
the first-ever Native Birds’ Day Festival on 23 and 24
November 2013.
To mark the event, Jurong Bird Park and NParks
worked together to place a pair of pink-necked
green pigeons and a pair of black-naped orioles
into a purpose-built aviary in Ang Mo Kio Park Town
Garden West as part of the rescue and rehabilitation
Above: Dr Luis, Assistant Director, Jurong Bird Park, releasing a
black-naped oriole in Ang Mo Kio Park Town Garden West.
Right: Young visitors to Bird Park learnt about native birds
of Singapore through interactive activities at the Education
Awareness Booth.
WILDLIFE WONDERS 2013
programme. These two pairs of native birds were
brought to Jurong Bird Park by a member of the public.
Of these, three were very young and the vets had to
nurse them back to health and hand-raise them till they
were old enough to feed on their own.
In November 2013, the rescued birds were ready to be
placed in the purpose-built aviary and they remained in
there for seven days so that they could get used to their
surroundings before they were released into the wild of
Singapore. This activity is part of our efforts to enhance
the native bird population.
The two day Native Birds’ Day Festival also featured
a forum on native brids, a photography trail, a photo
exhibition and an education awareness booth where kids
had fun with face painting and a ‘bird race’ at the Park.
COMMONLY SEEN LOCAL BIRD SPECIES:
DAVID TAN
Emerald Dove Crimson Sunbird
Black-naped Oriole Pink-necked Green Pigeon
Wildlife News
Snow & Tell –
A Children’s Day Special
Some 1,500 children celebrated the coolest Children’s
Day at the Zoo with Inuka in his new home. They
watched with glee as Inuka savour his special treat
It was fun learning about polar bears through Snow & Tell a skit
peppered with lots of surprises and laughter.
ITE Eco Trip –
Conservation Out In
The Wild
To enable students to gain a deeper
understanding of field conservation
work and conservation related
issues, WRS collaborated with
ITE College West to organise an
eco-trip to Balikpapan, Indonesia in
late September for 22 ITE students,
accompanied by three lecturers.
During the trip, the students worked
with a field researcher to learn how
to conduct population survey on
proboscis monkeys and bats, and
monitor mangrove forest growth.
They also had the opportunities
to work with local fishermen and
appreciate environmental issues
relating to industrialisation.
WILDLIFE WONDERS 2013
of apples, carrots and other yummy food frozen in
an ice block. During the ‘Snow and Tell’ session, the
children discovered more about polar bears and their
shrinking home in the Arctic. They also learnt about the
adaptations of polar bears in the freezing cold through
close views of the preserved specimen of Sheba
(Inuka’s mother who had passed on last year).
A close peek at the preserved specimen of Sheba (Inuka’s mother
who has passed on last year).
The participating students not only
gained insights into conservation
field work and related issues but
also to appreciate what they have
back home, as one student put it
“Despite the simplicity of their
life, the villagers all seemed very
happy. It makes me think about
what I have and how I appreciate
them now. I will not litter to have Field researcher showing ITE students how
to identify various mangove plant species.
a better environment”.
Below: ITE students learnt about bats
and understand how field researchers
use mist nets to conduct bat
population surveys.
ITE students ‘battled’ through a mangrove
forest, with prop roots that are as tall as a
human, to get to the survey site.
Events
Calling Nature Enthusiasts
SINGAPORE ZOO

NIGHT SAFARI
RIVER SAFARI

JURONG BIRD PARK WRS Docents Recruitment

NOW OPEN!
Be a volunteer at WRS Parks
and spread the conservation message .

To apply or find out more, please email

veu@wrs.com.sg or visit http://education.wrs.com.sg.

Year of The Horse @ Singapore Zoo

Gallop across the Zoo and usher in the Year of The Horse. Visit the world’s smallest breed of
horse (the Falabella) and the ponies. Enjoy a picturesque view of the serene Seletar Reservoir
and the green lush vegetation in the backdrop from a horse carriage. Before you attempt all
these, remember to stop by our Education Awareness Booth at the entrance to learn more
about horses and other hoofed cousins. Watch out more details at www.zoo.com.sg

Kai Kai & Jia Jia’s Very Own Books

凯凯嘉嘉对你说 A NEW HOME FOR KAI KAI & JIA JIA
(soft cover - 210mm X 210mm. Includes stickers.) (hard-cover - 235mm X 287mm)

Written by a panel of Chinese Kai Kai and Jia Jia have

language teachers, this just moved from China to
publication not only provides Singapore. Jia Jia wonders
fun facts about Kai Kai and if she can fit in here. Will the
Jia Jia but also includes giant pandas be able to make
activities which allow children a new home in their new
to learn in an interactive and forest? Grab a copy and find
exploratory manner. This book out! Suitable for pre-schoolers
is suitable for pre-schoolers. and lower primary students.

ORDER FORM FOR KAI KAI AND JIA JIA PUBLICATIONS

I would like to order:
凯凯嘉嘉对你说 (soft cover) ________ set X S$12.00* = S$ __________________
A NEW HOME FOR KAI KAI & JIA JIA (hard-cover) ________ copy X S$28.50* = S$ __________________
*inclusive of GST, postage and handling charges. Photocopied form is acceptable.
Name __________________________________________ Tel _____________________________________________
Address ________________________________________ Email ___________________________________________
__________________________ Postal code____________ Cheque no. _________________ Amount _______________
Cheque to be made payable to Singapore Zoological Gardens.
Please send cheque with this form to: Education Department, Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Enquiry: call 63608534 or email shaiah.s@wrs.com.sg
 Maned Wolf
As its name suggests, the maned wolf is adorned with a beautiful mane on its neck. It is also
nicknamed ‘wolf on stilts’ because its distinctive legs are so long that the animal appears to be
walking on stilts. The maned wolf inhabits the grasslands and scrub forests of South America,
and its long legs allow it to see above tall grass to hunt rodents and hares.

Maned wolves are threatened by habitat destruction, especially due to conversion to agricultural
land. Road kills are common as development encroaches on their natural habitat. Domestic
dogs compete for food with maned wolves and pose a threat too.

Go on the Amazon River Quest at River Safari and spot the wolves walking on stilts.

DAVID TAN