Singapore leps

[Mark Walker]

Well stated, and I'm sorry that the situation is so bleak.  Believe it or
not, I was really only arguing (as usual) in favor of being able to collect
and retain non-threatened butterflies OUTSIDE of refuges - species which I'm
sure the local Leppers ignore on a daily basis, but butterflies which much
of the rest of the world rarely sees.  I do a lot of traveling, and I'd like
to think that I would be able to take home a few of the common species I
might find along the way to add to my collection.  I have no interest in
applying pressure on species which are already fighting for survival against
the encroaching developers.  

Here in Southern California we have a similar situation, even if we are not
constrained by ocean on all sides.  When I left two years ago, I thought it
was bad.  Now, there seem to be no natural areas which are considered
sacred.  They develop everything, leaving a portion of the canyon bottoms
and inaccessible hillsides as token "wildlife parks".  When you look beyond
the tragedy of it all, it's almost laughable that the public is willing to
accept the notion that this negligible bit of _undisturbed_ land is capable
of sustaining any animal populations.  Even the rodents are struggling.  If
you're a higher carnivore, forget it.  You'd better settle for eating small
pets and unsupervised children, and then prepare for the inevitable lynch
mob.  I've never seen so many displaced Red Tailed Hawks, loitering
aimlessly around power and telephone poles, looking for a reason to soar.
We fought like hell to spare Laguna Canyon from the onslaught of the
commuter toll road, and were promised minimal impact and the inclusion of
wildlife corridors.  Now, a few years after completion, the wildlife
corridors are meaningless as the canyon and surrounding hillsides are giving
way to yet more development.

Interestingly, many of the canyon areas are on fire this morning.  We've
found a great solution to this perennial _problem_ - replace the chaparral
with composites.

Oh well, I'm off the subject and starting to wallow.  Have a great day, and
go enjoy a curry puff for me (I used to buy them by the bag).  By the way, I
don't know your name...

Mark Walker.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	SK Khew [SMTP:khewsk at hotmail.com]
> Sent:	Tuesday, September 01, 1998 3:02 AM
> To:	khewsk at hotmail.com; leps-l at lists.yale.edu; MWalker at mailhost
> Subject:	RE: Singapore leps
> 
> Hello Mark,
> 
> I'm glad that you have visited our little island before, and I must say 
> that you are knowledgeable about what the situation is like in 
> Singapore.  I suppose no one is going to stop anybody who captures one 
> or two butterflies in a private condominium's garden, but the laws here 
> are pretty strict about collecting in the nature reserves.  I guess you 
> know how seriously the authorities are, about rules and regulations in 
> Singapore from your last visit here.
> 
> Migration?  Most of the time, no.  There doesn't appear to be much 
> migration observed, and even so, the Malaysian species which tend to 
> display this behaviour are already found in Singapore.  
> 
> I am involved in a programme to establish and sustain caterpillar host 
> plants of several species within the nature reserves.  This is an area 
> which we are really short of information, and even for our 240-odd 
> species, only a handful of host plants are known.  
> 
> The developed areas are often too hazardous for the butterflies to 
> survive, as there is often much fogging (of pesticides) to rid the 
> populated areas of disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes.  Alas, this 
> fogging also kills off our favourite butterflies along with the rest. 
> 
> It is also interesting to note that most people's perception of a 
> beautiful garden is one that has plants in pristine condition and with 
> unmolested leaves and flowers.  This is usually maintained by spraying 
> all sorts of insecticides to make sure that caterpillars and other 
> insects do not eat up their garden plants.  It would be pointless to try 
> to change this perception for the benefit of our butterfly friends.  
> Therefore a more realistic solution would be to look towards the nature 
> reserves.
> 
> You comment about Singapore having so little of ANY habitat to start 
> with is very true and accurate.  Land is scarce and where there is 
> direct competition for land between a commercially-viable project versus 
> leaving the land as a nature spot, you know which one would win.  I 
> suppose the government here has taken enough steps to strike a realistic 
> balance between conservation and development, but  having so little land 
> to start with, it's always easier said than done.
> 
> From my own voluntary research work, I find that more than 95% of the 
> species in Singapore are forest-dependent.  Only a handful can survive 
> in urban areas.  Much effort therefore has to be concentrated on 
> conserving the nature reserves as this is the last remaining sanctuary 
> for butterflies in such an urbanised country like Singapore.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >	I do appreciate this sensible argument, and I do agree that the size
> >of the island does make a difference.  I enjoyed touring Singapore back 
> in
> >1980, and at that time, as small as the island was, there were still 
> many
> >suitable butterfly habitats (including the gardens in and about the 
> city
> >itself) that would sustain the most common of species.  Migrations from 
> the
> >Malay Peninsula occur as well, do they not?  As for the limited size of
> >nature reserves and the whole issue of conservation in general, this IS 
> a
> >most important issue for Singapore and clearly one that should be 
> respected
> >by all.  If there is truly no butterfly fauna in Singapore outside of 
> the
> >nature preserves, and precious little of this habitat remaining, then I 
> am
> >the first to put my net away while visiting Singapore.  If, on the 
> other
> >hand, there remain at least a half dozen species which are perfectly 
> happy
> >and thriving and in no danger of being eliminated, I can't see why it
> >wouldn't be acceptable for someone to collect and preserve a specimen 
> or
> >two.
> >
> >	Thank you for your insight, however.  You certainly are more
> >vulnerable to vanishing habitat, seeing as how you have so little of 
> ANY
> >habitat to start with.  We may, in fact, be able to learn a lot from 
> how you
> >handle this issue.  The right solution would guarantee sustainable
> >populations of all species, thereby securing the privilege of amateur
> >collectors such as myself to visit, study, and admire your insects, 
> both
> >alive and preserved.
> >
> >	Mark Walker.
> >
> >
> 
> 
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