I'm a finalist in the Singapore Blog Awards 2013!

Knobbly sea stars on Cyrene Reef;

The Lazy Lizard's Tales is a finalist in this year's Singapore Blog Awards!

I'm one of ten bloggers competing in the Panasonic Best Eco-Challenge Blog category.


My profile picture is that of one of the resident wild pigs of Chek Jawa.

This category is for "blogs with some content on living green, environmental issues or anything on eco-living, even if there may be other non-eco related content. Bloggers must have an interest in eco-related topics."


The winner of the category gets a Panasonic HX-WA30 video camera, as well as a paid blogging assignment worth $600.

It's really great that the awards finally have a category that caters to my niche. Last year, Monday Morgue, one of the other blogs I run, was a finalist in the Sold.SG Best What-the-Hell Blog category, but this is the first time the awards that's such a great fit for bloggers with an interest in nature and environmental issues.

Voting has already commenced - everyone is entitled to vote once per day in every category. For the Best Eco-Challenge Blog category (as well as the Panasonic Best Beauty Blog and Best Cooking Blog categories), you'll have to vote via the Panasonic Singapore Facebook page.



Lucky voters might even get the chance to win a JBL Charge Stereo Speaker worth $249, or a JBL Flip Stereo Speaker worth $195.

I haven't really found the time to read the blogs of the other finalists in my category, mostly because I'm busy helping out with the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey (more on that later). If you're visiting my blog for the first time, here's a quick summary of what I do, which should give you a clear picture of my passions and interests:

I've been a longtime volunteer with the Naked Hermit Crabs. For the last 5 years (and counting), we've been conducting free guided tours on the Chek Jawa Boardwalk.


(Photo by Ria)


(Photo by Liana)

And last year, we started giving tours on the boardwalk at Pasir Ris mangroves.


(Photo by Pei Yan)


The Naked Hermit Crabs were one of several groups featured in a recent article in Sunday Life! about nature interest groups in Singapore. We ended up on the front page.

I'm also an active participant with the Raffles Museum Toddycats!, the volunteer arm of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research.


(Photo by Fung Tze Kwan)

We're actively involved in exhibitions and roadshows that showcase Singapore's biodiversity and raise awareness of our natural heritage.


(Photo by Fang Chee)

Before the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research closed its Public Gallery in preparation for the big move to new premises, I participated in The Last Hurrah! series of guided tours, bringing people behind the scenes at the museum, and showing them the value of the museum's collections.




(Photos by Marcus)


(Photo by Eunice Soh)

I've volunteered with TeamSeagrass, assisting in monitoring the growth of seagrasses on many of Singapore's shores.



(Photos by Ria)

Last year, I was at the inaugural Festival of Biodiversity, volunteering with the Raffles Museum Toddycats! and the Singapore Marine Biodiversity Exhibition.


(Photo by Zuze)


(Photo by Fang Chee)


(Photo by Rene)

I've also been contributing to the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey (affectionately known as the Mega Marine Survey of Singapore), a five-year project to catalogue and document the marine life that inhabits Singapore waters. Last year, I was at the Northern Expedition, based at Outward Bound School on Pulau Ubin.


Pulau Sekudu;




(Photo by Rene)

Right now, I'm in the midst of the Southern Expedition, and have been helping out with inter-tidal surveys of some of Singapore's reefs.


Beting Bemban Besar;


(Photo by Rene)


I was interviewed by the media about my involvement as a volunteer, and made a cameo appearance in the news.

When I'm not out exploring Singapore's wild places, you might find me attending a talk about biodiversity, providing live coverage via Twitter for the benefit of people unable to attend these sessions. Here's a sample of some of the talks and seminars I recently attended and live-tweeted:

• Our Heritage in Nature
• The Singapore Institute of Biology: Public Forum on Conservation in Singapore
• Raffles Science Institute Guest Lecture Series

We all have our own ways of caring for the environment. For some, it might mean adopting changes in lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprints, or making purchasing decisions based on corporate commitments towards sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices. For myself, I'm driven by the desire to experience and appreciate Singapore's natural heritage, share it with people who might not be aware of the fact that we do still have quite a fair bit of biodiversity that is worth protecting, and to advocate greater ecological awareness and conservation of our little pockets of wilderness.

Do show your support for voting for The Lazy Lizard's Tales, and may the most deserving bloggers win!