NParks Buzz

Why do woodpeckers peck at trees? Tap to find out why! 👉 They do so to find food, excavate holes for nesting and communicate with other woodpeckers. One of the birds that can be seen at Punggol includes the Common Flameback (Dinopium javanese), which has a golden-yellow back and a distinct crest. Males have a red crest, while females have a black crest with white spots. 😮 Come celebrate our flora and fauna at this year’s Festival of Biodiversity at One Punggol on 25 and 26 May! Festival of Biodiversity 📆: Sat & Sun, 25 & 26 May 2024 ⏰: 10am – 7.30pm 📍: One Punggol 🔗: https://fob.nparks.gov.sg 📸: Mendis Tan

Ethnobotany and Diversity of Figs exhibition Figs have a close-knit relationship with their pollinating wasps and both are dependent on each other for reproduction. However, for some figs like the Common Fig (Ficus carica), the fig fruits we eat are produced on 'female' trees, different from the trees that hatch wasps which are functionally 'male' – this means we do not consume wasp larvae in the figs that we eat! Curious about the relationship between figs and fig wasps? Head down to the Ethnobotany and Diversity of Figs exhibition to find out more! 📅: Now till 1 Sep 2024 ⏰: 9am – 6pm 📍: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Level 2, Centre for Ethnobotany (Ethnobotany Garden) 📸: J.-Y. Rasplus

Festival of Biodiversity 2024 We’ve got more talks lined up for you at this year’s Festival of Biodiversity! 😉 Hear from curators of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, our Friends of Marine Park community, and our colleagues at these Spotlight Talks on natural history, marine life and bees. 🖼🐙🐝 Also, find out more about the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and how Red Data Books and Red Lists are developed at the Open Door Sessions! 📆: Sat & Sun, 25 & 26 May 2024 ⏰: 10am – 7.30pm 📍: One Punggol 🔗: https://fob.nparks.gov.sg/festival-workshops/festivalworkshops/

Do these trees look familiar to you? Tolerant of salt and poor soil, the Casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia) can grow along sandy beaches and coastal forests, playing an important ecological role in these habitats. Its roots hold the soil together and the tree serves as a windbreak, thus mitigating coastal erosion. The roots also help to improve soil quality by forming symbiotic relationships with bacteria that can fix nitrogen in the soil.

SSO Mother’s Day Concert 2024 Wishing all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day! 🥰 Join us for an enchanting evening at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to celebrate this special day! Experience classical music and grand opera scenes performed by the Singapore Symphonic Orchestra (SSO), with Music Director Hans Graf at the helm. See you there! 😊 📆: Sun, 12 May 2024 ⏰: 6pm – 7pm 📍: Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanic Gardens 📸: Singapore Symphony Orchestra

The Cat Management Framework was announced today! 🐱 From 1 September 2024, all pet cats will need to be licensed and microchipped to enhance traceability and safeguard their health and welfare. Cats will also be allowed to be kept in HDB flats, with up to two cats for each HDB flat. In private premises, the limit is up to three cats or dogs, or a combination of both. If you’re a cat owner, don’t worry! There will be a two-year transition period from 1 Sep 2024 to 31 Aug 2026 for you to ease into the changes 😉. You are allowed to keep ALL your cats, as long as you license them during the transition period and are able to ensure their health and welfare are taken care of. Visit https://go.gov.sg/cat-framework to find out more!

Launch of “A Garden of Birds” exhibition A new community photography exhibition, “A Garden of Birds”, is open at the Singapore Botanic Gardens! Dedicated to the birds of the Gardens, marvel at around 160 photographs shared by passionate birders. Together with illustrations and interactive displays, these photographs are on display at both the CDL Green Gallery and People’s Gallery spaces in the Gardens. 🗓️: 7 May – 31 Oct 2024 📍: CDL Green Gallery, 9am – 6pm daily* (Singapore Botanic Gardens) 📍: People’s Gallery spaces, 5am – 12am daily (Located near the Visitor Services Counters at Botany Centre, Nassim Gate, Tyersall Gate, Gallop Gate, and Bukit Timah Gate [Botanic Gardens MRT Station Exit A]) 🔗: www.go.gov.sg/sbg-agardenofbirds   *Closed on every last Tuesday of the month, except on Public Holidays – the closure day will then take place on the next working day.

Plans to designate Singapore’s second marine park Earlier today, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee announced that plans to designate Singapore’s second marine park at Lazarus South-Kusu Reef are underway! 🌊   The habitats at parts of Lazarus Island and Kusu Island have been identified to be ecologically significant through an Ecological Profiling Exercise in 2022. Designating these areas as a marine park will allow us to better conserve and manage both terrestrial and marine sites, and enhance ecological connectivity. More info at 👉 https://go.gov.sg/secondmarinepark

Festival of Biodiversity 2024 Workshops Look forward to these exciting nature-themed workshops to discover Singapore’s rich biodiversity from marine life to wildcats! 🦀🐆 With storytelling sessions and interactive craft activities, check out these workshops to learn how you and your family can be part of Singapore’s conservation efforts. 🗓️: Sat & Sun, 25 & 26 May 2024 📍: One Punggol ⏰: 10am – 7.30pm 🔗: More details on the workshops at https://fob.nparks.gov.sg/

Festival of Biodiversity 2024 Workshops Look forward to these exciting nature-themed workshops to discover Singapore’s rich biodiversity from marine life to wildcats! 🦀🐆 With storytelling sessions and interactive craft activities, check out these workshops to learn how you and your family can be part of Singapore’s conservation efforts. 🗓️: Sat & Sun, 25 & 26 May 2024 📍: One Punggol ⏰: 10am – 7.30pm 🔗: More details on the workshops at https://fob.nparks.gov.sg/