Singapore's TidbiTs

Mention MacRitchie Reservoir to anyone here, two things usually come to mind. The scenic tree-top walk and the long-tailed macaques who are the long-time residents of the forest. Named after municipal engineer James MacRitchie, MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore’s oldest reservoir, and an important source of the city’s water supply. The reservoir, within the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, has also been transformed into a venue for recreation which is part of Public Utilities Board’s Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Programmes to bring community closer to water. Do you know that the Central Catchment Nature Reserve was first established as a nature reserve under the directorship of the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1990? You can stroll along the submerged boardwalk, take in the scenic views from the bandstands, chill on the benches among the huge park, enjoying the bright looking flowers amongst them. Rows of bright orange flower trees of Kock's Bauhinia (Bauhinia kockinia) an...

Where can you find some wildlife apart from the zoo in urban Singapore? Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is located at the quiet remote corner of northwestern part of Singapore. Buloh is a Malay word for bamboo. And Sungei means river. Therefore, Sungei Buloh means Bamboo River. Simply because it is located along Buloh River. Maybe there are many bamboos which grow in the area previously. You certainly can see some bamboos there. The rich mangroves at Sungei Buloh were once used as a spawning location and nursery by prawn and fish farmers. Sungei Buloh Nature Park was designated a Nature Park in 1989 and the wetland reserve was officially opened in 1993 by former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. It was a protected forest reserve in 1890, though after 1973, during the industrialisation of Singapore, the mangroves around Kranji were cleared to make way for prawn, fish and horticultural farms and light industries. But since 2002, the 202 hectares of rich biodiversity of wetlands of mangrove swa...