Env & nature, Lately, plans were revealed to consolidate and expand Wildlife Reserves Singapore. WRS footprint in Mandai had undergone enlargement previously. Its premises encroached onto the surrounding secondary forests. As was then, concerns were raised. Despite nature groups request for development halt, a top academic and a government aligned NGO came out to declare that the Mandai forests have no significant conservation value. This time around, nature groups insisted on the conduct of an Environment Impact Assessment. The Singapore Zoological Gardens is one of the better designed and managed zoos in the world. I prefer to use the name SZG instead of WRS because the latter is a misnomer. In between my university studies, I served a very short job placement stint at SZG. I had drawn flakes before from animal welfare groups for supporting the concept of animals held in captivity. I still believe that zoos have a role to play in environmental education. When this sole intrinsic purpose is implemented well, a zoo can help to bring people and animals together in a setting that is still within the comfort and safety zones of humans. The close proximity experience can hopefully raise some awareness in visitors about the plight and threat that wildlife faces in their diminishing natural habitats. Any education starts with experience. Of course, the best experience will always be to witness for oneself what is actually happening out there in Indonesia, East Africa or Brazil. Not many can afford the trip. Moreover, I think most urbanites would rather decline the offer of sweat and dirt to hike through an undulating multi-layered humid rainforest or waddle across an inter-tidal species-rich mudflat, and instead choose to warm up to the cute, cuddly and majestic. So be it; the zoo can provide the individual that initial tentative step towards possible conservation action. Keeping one single species inside the extreme confines of a man-made forest or savannah replica can never truly represent the biodiversity and ecological inter-dependence of any natural habitat. This cannot be further from the truth and I strongly agree because EO Wilsons book has taught me well. We however still cannot deny the fact that civilisation has creepingly decimated and degraded much of planet Earths ecosphere. Engineering, mining, agriculture and urbanisation respects no resource boundaries because nature is hardly part of the equation for human ingenuity, his invisible hand and short timeline constantly circumvent the negative impacts so as to extract the maximum returns to benefit the current generation. Capitalisms only drive is insatiable unlimited personal gains. A well-run zoo that stays true to its roots can possibly bring some nature understanding and environmental reckoning to people. I have once again stated my view that zoos, including SZG, do have a niche in bringing the valuable transformative charisma of animals to city inhabitants. Then again, SZG is only as well meaning as the person, B Harrison, who conceptualised and managed it in the early days until when he handed over the reins. Over the years, SZG seems to be waylaid by tourism dollars, incorporated into WRS and appears to resemble more and more like RWS: Resorts World Sentosa. Although on the ground crew members genuinely care for the animals, management may be looking in other directions. To be blindsided by revenues is to set the course for losing the primary objective that I argued for above. The disabled unfriendly water ride attraction installed inside the Night Safari panders to shallow tourism. To clear forests in order to expand the contrived runs counter to conservation. Let us put aside the senseless tourism growth mindset to conduct a fair and comprehensive EIA to reach an environmentally accountable decision. Proper EIAs have been twice sidestepped at Bidadari road diversion and Dairy Farm condominium development. Internationally reputable SZG should start conservation at its doorstep and not miss the chance to take the lead in environmental stewardship. Many years ago, I prematurely terminated my SZG job stint to join a local organic farm that holds steadfast to its ecological practices. For now, I shall leave to continue this story in another post. Do the complete EIA and publish the details. Tan Choon Ming
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 11:52:14 +0000
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