Rarity

© Lee Kee An

Have you ever spotted a vaquita before? Chances are that you haven’t, because if you do, then you will be the 66th person to have ever sighted a live vaquita!

Why so? This is due to the fact that the vaquita is very shy and more importantly, it is critically endangered. There is only an estimated amount of 150 vaquitas left. The major reason for the depleting number of vaquitas and many other animals on earth are the same—human actions. Though vaquita and many others animals are not hunted by humans, they are still nearing extinction. Gill nets casted by fisherman and “killer rubbish” are among many examples that cause the death of many animals all year round. One must also not forget that our purposeful hunting of animals for their body parts is another major reason that is driving the fast extinction of many animals from the surface of the earth. 

We need to realize that all animals have the right to live in this world. We should respect them for what is theirs and stop hunting them for food or use in accessories. All animals play a part in maintaining the ongoing cycle of life, driving them to extinction will not do us any good at all. Hence, we can all play part to help prevent the extinction of the animals. By purchasing goods that are, in any way, not produced from animals, we will be able to curb problem of over-hunting.

Frances Jin

Photographer

Zoo Excitement!

© Dean Khaw

The trip to the zoo was indeed fun and fulfilling. From the talk given by the person-in-charge, I have not only learnt much about the need to save the animals but also some great tips on how to shoot them.

During the shooting, I came into close contact with many animals, for example a Kangaroo and an Ostrich. The closure between the animals and I was superb and I really enjoyed myself.

In Singapore, we do not really get a chance to have such close contact with these animals except for our usual pets. Perhaps, the zoo is the only place where we get to see so many different types of animal as we have a limited land space and do not have much nature in Singapore. This is unlike other countries like New Zealand or Australia where the people there get to interact with the animals often as part of the population rear animals for a living. This could be one of the reasons why they love the animals so much more than us due to their everyday interaction.

Here, we often see cases in newspapers where there are cruel masters out there who torture and mistreat their own pets for the sake of relieving stress, fun and novelty. This should not be happening because the animals, like us, deserve their own rights to live normally and without the infliction of pain from others. Unlike us, these pets are hapless as they cannot call for help. Thus we should really treat our pets with due respect.

I strongly feel that we should cherish our unique zoo that only Singapore has because it not only allows us to see so many different kinds of animals especially those that are extinct, but also enable us to learn and benefit through such a trip. Not only so, our zoo can also help Singapore revenue through tourist's visits.

If given a chance, and if time permits, I would want to visit the zoo again to experience the fun and enjoyment that I had. And who knows, the feeling that I have felt might not be the same again!


Dean Khaw
Photographer

Penguins

© Debra Tan

Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere and are most commonly found in Antarctica. There are a total of 17 different species of penguins. They mainly feed on krill, fish and squid. Their wings can also be used as flippers to propel them forward when swimming.

They can adapt to the environment that they live in. But they are now less able to cope with the alterations to the environment due to commercial fishing, oil pollution and coastal development. As a result, penguins face extinction unless something is done to help.

Penguins are living things which should have a right to live. However, there is bound to be conflict where food is concerned. If we do not fish for food, the human population will starve. However, if we were to fish for food, the penguins will not be able to have the sustenance that they require to survive out in the wild.  Hence, it is important to protect the rights of these animals while at the same time, taking necessary actions to ensure that humans have enough food.

Debra Tan

Photographer

Life as an Animal

© Chiew Jia En

As a child,
I dream of flying
Like the birds in the sky.
I dream of swimming
Like the dolphins in the sea.
Why can't I live a
Life as an animal?

As a teen,
I dream of friendship
Like the birds that flock together as one.
I dream of strength
Like the dolphins that smile even when seas are choppy
Why can't I live a
Life as an animal?

As an adult,
I dream... Dreams are not real.
Of being a child, a teen.
Of gaining back my simplicity.
Of true friendship.
Of smiling because there's a rainbow after the rain.
Why can't I live a
Life as an animal?

We grow up. We gradually see the world. We slowly taste the salty waters from our eyes.

As we grow up, the way we think changes. All these can only be explained by our exposure to our complicated world. Sometime when life gets so complicated, we tend to reminisce the times when we were young and innocent and when life only revolves an activity of all sorts. However, as we grow up, everything changes. We think about relationships with others, the complex structure of our societal system and more and more of ourselves. Animals, on the other end, retain their simplicity. So “Why can’t [we] live as an animal?” when life is simpler and we’re happier.

Isabel Liew
Photographer

Animals

© Pauline Ho

All the animals are on Earth for a reason. So, we should not abuse or exploit them. The horses are here to run for themselves, not work for human. The birds (including chicken) are here to fly for themselves, not to be eaten by human. The crocodiles are here to live, its skin are not for purses. And the list goes on and on.

I feel that even though we need to eat to survive, we should not feed excessively on these animals. These animals are lives, not our food. I think that if everyone work together to stop eating too much of the animals, the earth would be a better place for both the animals and the humans.

Stop buying goods made of animal’s skin. Stop eating wild animals, such as dogs, cats, mice. Stop making the animals your slaves. Treat the animals fairly and you will feel happy.

Pauline Ho

Photographer

© Nicole Chong

What I like about zoo is that it provides a venue for interactions between animals and humans. Even though the form of interaction is largely superficial; like feeding the animals or watching animals show or even just staring at the animals but, it helps to foster the basic sense of care and empathy towards the animals. This is what I think is necessary to develop a society that embrace and respect the nature. Other than that, visiting the zoo also give the visitors the big picture of the natural habitat of each species. Notice boards containing information regarding the habits and fun facts about the animals further educate the public about wildlife.

However, during the visit, my friend pointed out that animals kept in zoos often face boredom. One of the signs was that the animals kept on repeating the same motion like walking back and forth or swaying their trunks. This motion is called pacing. Sometimes the size of the enclosure is relatively too small compared to their natural habitat. Even though the zoo has put in much effort to decorate the enclosures to match the natural environment, size cannot be camouflaged.

Nothing much can be done to deal with this problem unless the zoo can be as spacious as Serengeti National Park. And the fact that zoo has enormous contributions in educating the public, I think zoo is still the ideal place for urban dwellers to develop their love for animals. I hope in the future the zoo would provide more opportunities for the public to participate in taking care of the animals and hence, more meaningful man and animal interactions could be fostered.

Vanessa Kirana

Photographer

© Elizabeth Chan

As I was snapping pictures of the animals in the zoo, I never knew what to expect. Even though animals of the same species generally look alike, but when I observed them for longer, they all had their own personalities just like how humans do. It was really amazing how the Orang Utan especially were so human like, preferring to stay in the shade, running after their young and almost always eating. 

We want the best environment for our human kind, likewise, the animals want their own habitat to be undestroyed by human developments. Not only is conservation of the habitat of these animals important for the animals but vital for us. The forests are necessary as an oxygen source for the right balance for our environment. Also, the conservation of their habitats would allow us and our future generations to have experiences that we would never be able to have in an urban city as Singapore is. 

However, The very few reserves left in Singapore, such as Sungei Buloh gives us a taste of what natural environments in Singapore used to be. Unlike in the zoo where the animals are kept in safe enclosures a fair distance away, the monitor lizards, birds and insects run free. We're in their territory and no matter how many times I go back, I constantly get intrigued by what I discover on the trails. It used to be a common sight to see now exotic animals roaming around freely just a few decades ago. Only after we've lost so much of our wildlife do we truly treasure and know how precious these animals are. So, it's important to hold whatever is left dearly. Go out, volunteer to save our nature reserves and have fun while you're at it!

Lum Hui Lin

Photographer

© Melissa Ling

Animals. They are not humans, but nevertheless, they are living and should receive the same treatment from humans as what humans receive from humans. They breathe the same air as us, walk on the same ground as us, even lead similar lifestyles to us. What makes them so susceptible to abuse then? Recent cases of animal abuse have been circulating and breaking the hearts of animal lovers. We need to prevent such cases from continuing because it is morally incorrect to treat animals cruelly no matter how dangerous they are. We should start from the individual level, such as not kick stray animals that we see out of frustration. As we move into a world with lesser & lesser animals, it is certainly our duty to preserve whatever we have left to the best of our ability. This, we are doing a favour to Mother Nature to protect what she have given to us.

Melissa Ling

Photographer

© Tan Ming En

Many people think that keeping animals in zoos is a form of cruelty towards them. They lobby about how animals should be left untouched in their natural habitats and let nature run its course. In zoos they are kept in enclosures and their freedom is limited. Animals in zoos are treated like babies, with zookeepers pampering them. It is known that once an animal kept in an enclosure is released back into the wild, their chances of surviving are extremely low.

However, even though animals may belong in the wild, they are not necessarily safe there. While governments are doing their best to curb poaching and deforestation, it is impossible to stop it completely. Animals get killed or die due to their habitat being destroyed. It is thus better to keep them in enclosures, where they are relatively safer.

Many animals are endangered as well, and keeping some of these animals in zoos let us see these animals and possibly delay their extinction. Animals are an integral part of our environment, and more should be done to preserve them, or else, generations after us will only be able to see these animals throgh pictures and book, having no chance to see the animal live.

One of the more important ways to preserve wildlife is to preserve what mother nature has given us such as forests. These are the habitats of animals and clearing of such natural habitats are detrimental to them. Humans are not the only inhabitants of this earth and thus we should think of how to conserve wildlife as well.

Tan Ming En
Photographer