My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Aim: To learn as a family about the fascinating animals we have in Singapore.

Procedure:1. Select an animal from the table below and read the interesting facts provided in the description. 2. When you are ready, share these trivia and the photograph of the animal provided below with

your family. Emphasise that these creatures are all part of our rich natural heritage and like us, Singapore is their home. For additional information and photographs, check out NParks Flora & Fauna Web (florafaunaweb.nparks.gov.sg).

3. At the end of the session, ask your children to write down one interesting learning point on the poster. Encourage them to make a simple sketch of the animal they have just learnt about.

4. Continue learning about our local fauna when opportunities arise. Whenever a local creature catches your attention, do some research together with your family and continue adding more information to the poster. Our Community in Nature programme is a great source of information on Singapore’s wildlife – keep a look out for our emails to find out other interesting animals that you can learn about with your family.

Creature of the Day Description DistributionMalayan Colugo(Galeopterus variegatus)

• This mammal has large eyes and mottled grey fur, and is often found clinging onto tree trunks. Its appearance helps it to camouflage against trees.

• Although it is sometimes referred to as a flying lemur, it is not related to lemurs.

• The Malayan Colugo is not capable of true flight, but instead uses membranous skin flaps that run the length of its body to glide from tree to tree.

• A baby colugo clings to its mother’s belly – sometimes you can spot the baby’s head peeking out from under its mother’s skin flaps.

Mainly in forest habitats within the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and adjacent plantations and parkland.

Smooth-coated Otter(Lutrogale perspicillata)

• The Smooth-coated Otter is the largest otter in Southeast Asia, and is named after its velvety, smooth coat.

• This creature has webbed paws that are highly adapted for swimming, and it is able to stay underwater for up to eight minutes in a single breath. These traits make it a formidable predator in the water, allowing it to hunt successfully for fish, frogs, crabs and turtles.

• The Smooth-coated Otter is a highly social animal, often hunting in a family group.

• Otters communicate using smells and calls. • They use their strong, musky scent to mark

territories and produce alarm calls to warn each other of danger.

• While the Smooth-coated Otter is critically endangered in Singapore, there have been increased sightings of these animals in our parks and along our shores in recent years.

Mostly lives in mangroves and mudflats. Most commonly seen at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pulau Ubin.

Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Creature of the Day Description DistributionLeaf porter crabs(Family Dorippidae)

• Leaf porter crabs are tiny, measuring only 1–2 cm in width.

• These crabs are named after their exceptional habit of carrying leaves or other objects on their backs, allowing them to hide from predators.

• Their hind legs are oriented upwards to carry objects, instead of being pointed downwards for walking.

• Most active at night, these crabs flip upside down and swim just beneath the water surface while holding onto their leaf.

Often spotted on seashores, near seagrasses and in mangroves.

Asian Koel(Eudynamys scolopaceus)

• This bird derives its common name from its characteristically loud, ascending calls (“ko-el”) that are often heard repeatedly in the early morning.

• Koels belong to the cuckoo family. Like many other cuckoos, the Asian Koel is a brood parasite, meaning that it lays its eggs in the nest of another bird, relieving itself from the responsibilities of parenthood.

• In Singapore, this species mostly lays its eggs in the nests of house crows. The male koel distracts the crow from its nest while its partner sneaks into the nest to lay her egg, sometimes removing one of the crow’s own eggs in the process.

• As the koel chicks compete with their nestmates for food, they provide a natural means to help keep house crow populations in check.

• Males of this species resemble house crows in their size, shape and colour. However, females are largely brown with white spots and bars.

Found in a wide variety of habitats, including urban landscapes.

Mudskippers(Family Gobiidae)

• Mudskippers are amphibious, meaning they can live both on land and in water.

• They live on the mudflats of mangroves and are capable of using their strong pectoral fins to ‘walk’ on land.

• These fish survive out of water by storing water within their gill chambers, from which oxygen is absorbed.

• They dig deep burrows to avoid predators, lay their eggs in and regulate their body temperature.

• Mudskippers have powerful tails that allow them to jump long distances to escape from danger.

Easily spotted in mangrove habitats (e.g. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).

Photo credit:Ron Yeo

Male

Female

Photo credit:Cai Yixiong

Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Aim: To recognise the role that biodiversity plays in providing food resources and other products that people depend on.

Procedure:1. As a family, go to a nearby supermarket to search for different foods or food products that

come from native or locally cultivated plants. 2. First, visit the fruits and vegetables section to identify edible plant parts that come from native

or locally cultivated plants. Use the table provided below to guide your search.3. Next, search for the food products listed in the table below to learn about their plant-based

ingredients.4. When you return home, search for photos of the plants used in the foods or food products to

find out what the plant sources look like.5. Select any five plants you have identified and read up on their other uses. Fill in your findings

in the poster. 6. Explain to your family that natural habitats such as forests, coastal areas, mangroves and

aquatic habitats are important sources of various foods and food products that are important for people. Many of the examples you have found come from plants that have been cultivated locally for many years, but originated in natural habitats.

7. Discuss the value of biodiversity in providing us with food resources. Can you think of other ways humans depend on plants in their daily lives?

Food Plant Source Plant Component UsedFruits Mango (Mangifera spp.), Rambutan (Nephelium

lappaceum), Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola), Papaya (Carica papaya), Banana (Musa spp.) etc.

Fruits

Vegetables Kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica), Kailan (Brassica alboglabra), Xiao Bai Cai (Brassica rapa) etc.

Leaves

Food Products Plant Source Plant Component UsedAttap Chee Nipah Palm (Nypa fruticans) SeedKaya Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Seed

Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) LeavesGula Melaka Several palm species (Nypa fruticans, Arenga pinnata

and others)Sap from the flower buds

Dodol Durian Durian (Durio zibethinus) FruitCoconut (Cocos nucifera) Seed

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Aim: To appreciate and learn about the diversity of birds that can be found in your backyard and to recognise that a significant amount of biodiversity can be found in urban landscapes.

Procedure: 1. Set aside about half an hour for this activity, either early in the morning (7.30–9.30 am) or

late in the afternoon (4.00–6.00 pm), when birds are more active.2. Find a spot around the house with a view of some greenery. Alternatively, you may prefer to

venture outside and conduct this activity in a nearby park or garden.3. When you are ready to start the activity, stay at the same spot quietly for 10–15 minutes and

keep a look out for any birds. A pair of binoculars may come in handy to spot birds that are further away.

4. Use the space below to take notes during your birding session. Write down all of the different species that you see and keep a tally of how many of each kind that you spot. To help you identify the species, pictures of some of the more common birds are included in this activity sheet. If you spot any birds that are not shown, record its key features (approximate size, colours, overall shape, unique behaviour) and attempt to identify it on the Internet using these descriptive characteristics to guide your search. Once your investigations are complete, record your findings on the poster.

5. On the poster, summarise your findings by writing down the most common species that you encountered and how many different species you observed. Both the number of different species found in a habitat, as well as the number of individuals of each species, can help to tell the story of an area’s biodiversity. As a family, discuss your findings and reflect on the role of urban greenery in supporting biodiversity.

Notes:

Bird Species Number Observed Remarks

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Zebra Dove/Peaceful DoveGeopelia striata Size: 20 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Pink-necked Green PigeonTreron vernansSize: 25 cm Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Spotted DoveStreptopelia chinensisSize: 30 cm Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Rock PigeonColumba liviaSize: 30 cm

House CrowCorvus splendensSize: 43 cm Photo credit: Ron Yeo

Asian KoelEudynamys scolopaceusSize: 42 cm Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Scarlet-backed FlowerpeckerDicaeum cruentatumSize: 8–9 cm Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Common Urban Birds of Singapore Sizes are approximate and measured from beak to tail.

MaleMale

Male

FemaleFemale

Female

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Black-naped OrioleOriolus chinensisSize: 25 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Yellow-vented BulbulPycnonotus goiavierSize: 20 cm Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Asian Glossy StarlingAplonis panayensisSize: 20 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Javan MynaAcridotheres javanicus Size: 25 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Common MynaAcridotheres tristisSize: 25 cm Photo credit: Cheryl Chia

Sunda Pygmy WoodpeckerPicoides moluccensisSize: 12 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Common FlamebackDinopium javanense Size: 28–30 cm Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Olive-backed SunbirdNectarinia jugularisSize: 10 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Male

Male

Female

Female

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Common Urban Birds of Singapore Sizes are approximate and measured from beak to tail.

My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusSize: 12.5–14 cmPhoto credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Oriental White-eyeZosterops palpebrosaSize: 11 cmPhoto credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Collared KingfisherTodiramphus chlorisSize: 25 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

White-throated KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensis Size: 28 cm Photo credit: Cai Yixiong

Common Urban Birds of Singapore Sizes are approximate and measured from beak to tail.

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Aim: To recognise that a tree can be a habitat and a host to many different organisms.

Procedure:1. As a family, visit a tree in your neighbourhood or a nearby park. Try to select an older tree

for this activity because they tend to support a richer community of organisms.2. Referring to the information provided in the table below, discuss how trees are habitats for

many living things, providing them with shelter and food.3. Spend 20–30 minutes observing the different organisms living on the tree. Also take note of

any larger animals, like birds and lizards, in surrounding trees. Avoid touching and handling any animals as they might get injured in the process, and some of them, like ants and centipedes, may sting. Do not peel off the bark or otherwise damage the tree or any other plants.

4. In the spaces provided on the poster, record your observations.

Common organisms found on trees and ways that they utilise tree habitats:

Organisms Associations with Tree HabitatsInsects • Ants live on or around trees. Weaver ants build leaf-nests on trees.

• Bees and butterflies are often seen collecting nectar from flowers. They are important pollinators of the flowers.

• Many insects depend on trees for food, including:Leaf-eating insects: caterpillars, grasshoppers.Wood-eating insects: termites, beetles and other wood-borers.Sap-sucking insects: cicadas, stink-bugs and scale insects.

Spiders • There may be orb-weaver spiders or hunting spiders living on the trunk or branches. Orb-weaver spiders build spiral, wheel-shaped webs which they use to catch their prey.

Reptiles • Reptiles such as snakes and lizards can be found living on trees.Birds • Some birds (orioles, bulbuls, koels, sparrows, mynas, kingfishers) eat the fruits of trees,

while others eat insects that live on trees.• Woodpeckers may be spotted pecking the surface of the tree trunk in search of insects

and grubs in the wood.• Sunbirds drink nectar from the flowers of some trees.• Many birds may nest in the tree (e.g. crows, pink-necked green pigeons).

Mammals • Squirrels and fruit bats eat the fruits of trees. Some bats feed on nectar from flowers of trees.Plants • Common examples of plants which grow on trees are epiphytic ferns and orchids.

• Moss is often found at the base of tree trunks or on the roots.• Vines and climbers, plants which generally have weak stems, use trees as support to

reach the canopy for sunlight.• Strangling figs, which start out as climbers, will gradually wrap themselves around their

host tree and “strangle” it.• Some parasitic plants like mistletoes tap water and nutrients from their host tree and can

be spotted in the canopy as they have different leaves from those of their host.Lichens • Lichens, which are composed of two organisms in a symbiotic relationship – an alga

and a fungus – are commonly found growing on tree trunks and do not harm the tree. Lichen may give the branches a green, black or even orange colouration.

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Asian Glossy Starling Juvenile Aplonis panayensisPhoto credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Common ChineseMistletoe Macrosolens cochinchinensis Photo Credit: Ang Wee Foong

Pigeon OrchidDendrobium crumenatum Photo Credit: Ang Wee Foong

Lichen

Examples of Interesting Organisms that Utilise Tree Habitats

CicadaFamily Cicadidae Photo Credit: Cai Yixiong

Orb-weaver spiderFamily Araneidae Photo Credit: Cai Yixiong

Olive-backed Sunbird MaleNectarinia jugularis Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

Common lora FemaleAegithina tiphia Photo credit: Sheau Torng Lim

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Aim: To spend time together as a family and discover the different animals and plants that can be found in a park.

Procedures:1. Select a park that your family has never been to and plan a trip to visit it. Refer to www.

nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_visitorsguide&task=parks for a listing of parks that you can visit.

2. When at the park, spend some time looking out for plants and animals.• Keep a look out for animals that may be hiding in trees or shrubs, such as birds,

lizards and squirrels. • Look for interesting insects that might be found around vegetation.• Search around any water bodies (e.g. streams, ponds, etc.) for dragonflies and other

aquatic animals.• Take time to appreciate the plants around the park, and point out any interesting plant

features to the rest of the family.3. On the poster, draw some of the plant and animal highlights of your trip, and label them

if you can.

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My Family’s Nature Pledge Activity Sheet COMMUNITY IN NATURE

Aim: To encourage your family to be more environmentally conscious and commit to doing your part for the environment and conservation of biodiversity.

Procedure:1. As a family, brainstorm an environmentally friendly practice that you would like to adopt.

This can be anything from maintaining your own garden of native plants or reducing your ecological footprint by walking to school, to setting up a nature blog to share with others about the interesting animals and plants that you have encountered in Singapore.

2. When crafting your goals, keep them SMART:• Specific: specify the details of your habit so that you can be clear if the objective

has been met• Measurable: identify how you plan to measure your success in reaching your goal• Achievable: be realistic in setting your goals• Relevant: for this exercise, select a goal that helps protect the environment or brings

your family closer to nature• Time-bound: decide on a suitable timeframe to assess your success in achieving

your goal3. Write the habit on the poster and have each family member pledge their commitment.4. At the end of the specified time frame, evaluate if the goal has been achieved. If it has,

reward your family with a sticker for a job well done!

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