© Nicholas Lim

Through the project, i have learnt more about conservation and the threats that the animals face. While i knew that animal smuggling and poaching existed, i was surprised at the scale at which it was happening. I did not expect such a large number of the animals to be lost from these activities. Some of these animals are sold to people as pets. I feel that this is cruel as they are unable to take care of their needs and are mistreated. Wild animals should not be confined to a small cage.

However, i also realised that loss of habitat from human activities such as logging is a real and major threat that the animals face. Without their homes, many of the animals are unable to adapt and die.Such activities have led to a sharp decline in the population of many animals such as the orangutans which are now critically endangered.

To me, conservation should not only be about ensuring that the animal continues to survive but also thrive. Hence, public education of the plight is necessary to ensure that current practises do not continue. This would not be easy as most people are not aware of such activities or feel that it would not affect them. In reality, such events do concern us as it has effects on the whole ecosystem.

Nicholas Lim

Photographer

The Rhinoceros Hornbill

© Nicole Chong

The Rhinoceros Hornbill, Buceros rhinoceros, is one of the largest hornbills, growing up to 122 cm. Characterised by its orange and white beak, reddish eyes (for males) or whitish eyes (for females), black body and white underparts, they can be found in many regions of Asia such as Singapore. The courtship and bonding of these birds are critical, as the female must trust the male to provide her with everything when she is incubating and raising chicks. The female lays her eggs within a tree cavity. She seals up the entrance with droppings to deter predators, except for a small slit through which the male provides food over the next few months. Industralization and land development have resulted in forested areas in Singapore making way for human usage. Hence, the habitat and continuity of future generations of the Rhinoceros Hornbill is being threatened greatly by deforestation due to urbanization in Singapore over the recent year. Currently, they only present in low densities in most large blocks of lowland and hill forest.

The Singapore Zoological gardens is currently embarking on a pioneering breeding and reintroduction program to re-establish the Rhinoceros Hornbill population in Singapore. However, as like all conservation efforts, saving the hornbills would require a national/regional concerted effort and governments, conservation organizations as well as education of the public would have to be carried out for all groups to work hand-in-hand in order to ensure sustainable development of our native wildlife.

Nicole Chong
Photographer

Choose

I'm just your average fur seal pup
With gossamer fur and eyes of onyx.
My mum and dad are all I have,
And all they have is little me.


Sometimes at night they hold me close
And hide me under their stifling weight.
I never understood why they had to do that
Until it was a little too late.


You see, it's cold out here every night
And to survive the cold I have to fight.
My fur is my warmth, my inborn duvet.
Would you kill a man to get his blanket?


So lift up your eyes and look into mine,
What do you see besides profit and hide?
Is my life worth less than a branded fur coat?
How would you feel if your life was denied?


Priya Smita Selvarajoo
Photographer

Camaraderie

© Winnie Teo

White tigers Omar, Jippie and her sister Winnie are a big hit at the zoo. In fact, they’re most likely more famous than the tiger over at the night safari, which is of normal coloration. Contrary to popular belief, their fur color is not albinism, but a recessive gene is responsible for the “snow white” appearance instead. Omar supposedly came from India, being one of the famous Bengal tiger. Subspecies of the tigers include the Bengal Tiger, Indochinese, Malayan, Sumatran, Siberian, South China, Bali and Javan, the last two now extinct. Another subspecies is the Caspian tiger, though many argue that it is actually genetically similar to the Siberian tiger and hence should not being called a subspecies.


Anyway, white tigers are usually found in captivity, mainly because of their coloration. One, it gives away its location and hence alerts its prey, making hunting difficult for even such a powerful beast. Two, tiger parts are high in demand these days for the medicinal and spiritual power people though they possess. A white coat allows a hunter to spot its target from afar in the bushes of India. Thankfully, the Singapore zoo took in the 3 tigers. And there they are today, attracting crowds of tourists, basking in their glory. I suppose only Omar knows that, since he’s pacing half the time and not paying attention to the ladies like he ought to.


It’s wonderful to see the 3 of them get along with each other, especially since tigers are solitary animals. ^________^"


Winnie Teo
Photographer

Project Zoo: ACJC – From Conception to Inception

Elephants remain the preferred choice for moving logs in rough terrain. © Lee Kee An

Hello dear friends and fellow photographers!

My name is Duc and I am proud to present you the ACJC Photographic Society’s latest project, which we embarked on in collaboration with the Singapore Zoological Gardens. Let me also take this opportunity to share with you a little bit about its conception.

In June 2010, I read through an O-level comprehension passage entitled “The Shutter and the Trigger” by Billy Arjan Singh. The author was originally a tiger hunter who became a photographer after he realized that hunting only destroyed wildlife and nature but photography captured memories of the animals and their unique expressions forever.

Photography can give photographers themselves the sheer joy of getting close to nature and capturing its soul - a privilege indeed. This made me decide that wildlife photography would be something our CCA would benefit from, because it would be both enjoyable as an outing and enriching as a skill-improving activity.

Furthermore, Singapore is blessed with having such a world-famous zoo. I especially like the concept of an open zoo because it allows photographs to be taken without being obstructed by bars and wires (as with a number of conventional zoos). However, it is the animals that relish this open space more than anyone else. I believe this enables photographers to capture that sense of freedom, even though they are living in captivity.

Our photographs certainly cannot compare to those taken by professional wildlife photographers, but nonetheless, we hope that Project Zoo will appeal to you. We aspire to take advantage of our youth to better reach out to those in our age group.

Here in Project Zoo, you will find that aspiration portrayed in beautiful and often sentimental photographs by members of the ACJC Photographic Society. It is my hope that you will enjoy our work and musings as much as we enjoyed making them.

Lastly, on behalf of the project team, I would like to thank Mr. Yap Wai Kit, Research and Conservation Officer with the Singapore Zoo, for continuously advising us and giving us tips on animal photography.

Pham Quang Duc
Chief Photographer