Polluted? Bright blue liquid runs in Toa Payoh drain

The lovebirds, Faith and Joy, are back together again

STOMP was notified this afternoon that missing parrot Joy has been found yesterday, just a few blocks away from home.

On May 15, owner Christine had written in to STOMP for help on finding Joy.

Christine shares her good news:

"Thank god yesterday I received a call from a family living in Block 17 in Toa Payoh, just a few blocks away from my house.

"They asked me about its colour and told me that Joy had flown into their house.

"When I went there, I found out that the family had 5 cats!

"The family is beautiful and I also found out that we both are animal lovers.

"I not only got Joy back, but also made new friends."

Related post: Faith the parrot misses his buddy Joy, please help find him (15th May 2010)

Looks like this incident with an escapee green-cheeked parakeet (Pyrrhura molinae) had a happy ending. I'm not sure about the survival rate of parrots that manage to escape from captivity, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is high mortality, especially if the birds are too used to being fed by humans and are naive towards potential threats and predators.

Faith the parrot misses his buddy Joy, please help find him

Faith is crying without ease now that Joy is missing, said STOMPer Christine. She appeals for help to find her other parrot, Joy, who had flown out of her home in Toa Payoh this afternoon (May 15).

In an email, she said:

"I've lost my beloved parrot, Joy, this afternoon at Toa Payoh.

"I had let Joy and his mate, Faith, out for playtime on the floor as usual.

"I didn't expect Joy to fly out while I was busy in my room doing things.

"Now Faith is crying without ease and I've been searching high and low around my block for Joy.

"If anyone sees a Green Cheek Conure, please contact me immediately.

"It's such a pain to see the pair of parrots being separated as they've been together since they were babies.

"A token of appreciation will be given for your kind action.

"Thank you!"

Please email STOMP at stomp@stomp.com.sg if you have any information regarding this STOMPer's pet.

Indeed, parrots are known to form very strong pair bonds; even outside of the breeding season, when many species congregate in large flocks, the pair remains close together. In the case of captive parrots, the object of their affection often turns out to be a human being, and they can become extremely jealous and destructive when they feel that they are not receiving enough attention.


(Photo by P. Stubbs photo)

The green-cheeked parakeet or green-cheeked conure (Pyrrhura molinae) is a relatively small species of parrot that is native to forests and woodlands of the Mato Grosso in Brazil and Bolivia, extending to northern Argentina and Paraguay.


(Photo by P. Stubbs photo)

It is another common species in aviculture, and is said to be playful, affectionate and intelligent. They can be trained to talk, although their ability to do so is limited compared to other parrot species.


(Photo by Jim B L)

They are not considered extremely loud parrots (comparatively speaking), and so the green-cheeked conure is thought to be suitable for people living in apartments.


(Photo by Jim B L)

Like previous reports of missing parrots, this is just another incident which adds to the growing list of exotic parrot species that may be encountered in the wild in Singapore. It is unlikely that the green-cheeked parakeet will ever become established here, although one cannot completely discount the possibility. After all, at least 5 non-native species of parrot are known to breed locally, and given that parrots are long-lived, there is always the possibility that an escapee will live long enough to eventually encounter and breed with a compatible partner that has just escaped. The green-cheeked parakeet itself has been recorded at Changi South, with 2 birds seen in January 1999.

Snails and cockroaches share feast on muah chee leftovers

Cockroaches are pests known to help themselves with leftover food but it seems snails also do the same, says STOMPer KC, who saw a box of muah chee leftovers being feasted on by cockroaches and snails.

KC found it interesting as he had never seen snails eating anything other than leaves and grass before.

In an email, KC says:

"I was at Toa Payoh and chanced on this.

"Someone left a box of finished muah chee and it attracted some cockroaches.

"I passed by the same place half an hour later and found that the roaches were replaced by snails.

"This is the first time that I see snails eating something other than leaves.

"Didn't know that they enjoy muah chee too".

There is nothing new about seeing American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) feeding on scraps and garbage, but it is interesting to see giant African snails (Achatina fulica) incorporating food waste into their diet.

Bold rats at Kim Keat Link even emerge in broad daylight

Rats at Kim Keat Link have been getting bolder and bolder, even appearing by day to feed on scraps left for the birds by people there, according to STOMPer Kevin.

Here's what Kevin wrote in an email today (Nov 17):

"The location is at Kim Keat Link between Block 247 and 246.

"Residents here have written in and called the Toa-Payoh Bishan Town Council's hotline with regards to the increasing number of rats.

"They live inside the drains, near the walkways leading to the carpark.

"Someone has been feeding the birds here attracting the rats to this area.

"I hope something can be done before the situation gets really bad."

Monkey business in Toa Payoh

At first, STOMPer Dylan thought a cat was walking towards him, but after seeing its long tail, he realised that it was a monkey.

In an email to STOMP today (Jul 20), the STOMPer says:

"From far, I thought it was a cat walking towards us. But it looked weird as its tail was extremely long! Then I realised that it was a monkey!

"Finally I get to see the real thing which I heard has been roaming around in the Toa Payoh Lor 7-8 area for some time. Just nice I have my DSLR with me this time and managed to snap some shots before it ran away.

"Quite harmless I must say but you never know when they can attack when hungry.

"Thought of informing the police but what the heck, they would take ages to arrive and later have to give some description to them for something we won’t get to see in front of us again.

"Forget the trouble. If it must be caught, it must be red-handed. Hopefully someone else will be luckier."

Related post: A surprising sight: Monkey forages for food at Toa Payoh (28th April 2009)

Poisoned birds left to suffer all around Toa Payoh estate

A STOMPer wonders what happened to these birds, which were spotted fighting for their lives at Toa Payoh Lorong 4.

In an MMS to STOMP, the sender suggests that they could be victims of poisoning.

The STOMPer says:
"These pictures were taken at Blk 62 Toa Payoh Lorong 4.

"Three birds were found poisoned and dead.

"The third was in a drain suffering!"

Related posts: Killing of pigeons is last resort, public also has role to play, says East Coast Town Council (17th July 2009)
Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them (14th July 2009)
Dead bird spotted in Ang Mo Kio. How did it die? (24th February)
Dead birds found near Taman Jurong market (4th January 2009)

Is this an example of collateral damage? As far as I know, there is no deliberate culling of common myna (Acridotheres tristis) or Javan myna (Acridotheres javanicus). Did these mynas consume poison that was intended for feral pigeons (Columba livia)?

A surprising sight: Monkey forages for food at Toa Payoh

STOMPer Shirley was surprised to see a monkey wandering around and looking for food at Toa Payoh Lorong 7.

This STOMPer says:

"New neighbour in Toa Payoh Lorong 7, Block 18."

"It is surprising to see a monkey in an old and mature estate like Toa Payoh.

"I saw this today(28 April) at 3.30 pm. It was searching for food.

"The monkey didn't look ferocious."

It's been a while since any long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were reported from the Toa Payoh area; there were a few older posts on STOMP about macaques being sighted in the area. These are the ones I could find:

Monkey business in Toa Payoh (23rd January 2007)
Monkeys spotted in Toa Payoh (4th February 2007)
How did monkeys end up in Toa Payoh? (12th September 2007)
Are kids safe? Wild monkeys scurry around Toa Payoh playground (12th March 2008)
Monkeys eat Hungry Ghost Festival food offerings (11th August 2008)
"Monkeys in Toa Payoh turn hostile and snarl at me!" (2nd October 2008)

Given that the nearest forest reserves are some distance away, one wonders if these urban monkeys are of captive origin; certainly, it is intriguing that these monkeys are showing up in well-populated areas, far from any extensive forested areas. First we have a macaque in Pasir Ris, now we have another one in Toa Payoh.

Branch hanging on for dear life

STOMPer Gohergeous was on a bus passing Toa Payoh East, when she spotted this huge tree with one of its broken branches hanging dangerously on the other branches.

She is worried that the broken branch may fall and hurt pedestrians or motorists walking or driving by under the tree.

Says this STOMPer:

"On Friday, April 24, I was in a bus when I spotted a huge tree which was damaged by last Wednesday's storm.

"The tree is located in front of the vacated Block 28 at Toa Payoh East.

"One of its branches cracked and fell but got stuck on the other branches.

"It looks very dangerous as it may fall onto the passers-by walking on the path right below the grassy hill.

"I wonder if anyone is going to remove it before it causes any danger to pedestrains or motorist."

Greater Bird of Paradise spotted at ECP

STOMPer Slow saw this gorgeous Greater Bird of Paradise at East Coast Park on Apr 12 and wonders if it is lost. She says:

"Think someone lost their Greater Bird of Paradise.

"Spotted one yesterday (Apr 12) morning at East Coast Park near Bedok Jetty.

"It was calling quite loudly around 7.30a.m."

On Sunday night, Gloria Seow left a message on the wildbirdSingapore Yahoo! Group:

Was at East Coast Park at 730am near Bedok Jetty when we heard a strange call. Upon investigating, we spotted the Greater Bird of Paradise (43cm) w our naked eyes and managed a few shots - see picture. Went back to the car to get the big camera but the bird had already flown into the grove of trees even after waiting around for it for 1/2 hr.

We checked - its a CITES II species - meaning that one requires an export licence but no import licence. Sad that these birds can still be traded legally. Glad that it has escaped!

A bird of paradise? In Singapore? What an unexpected surprise!

This bird was definitely an escapee. I wonder who might be owning and rearing birds of paradise here in Singapore.

The greater bird of paradise (Paradisaea apoda) is a native of the forests of southwest New Guinea and the nearby Aru Islands. Here's a nicer photograph of a male:


(Photo by Bertrand Linet)

Compared to the male with his dazzling array of plumes, the female is much more drably-coloured:


(Photo by petrakhus light)

This species is not considered endangered, and is listed as a species of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A species is thought to be of Least Concern when it has been evaluated against the criteria and does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

However, as mentioned by the person who submitted this post to STOMP, this species is on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Which means that:

• An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is required.


• An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species.


• A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the Convention.


• In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.


• No import permit is needed unless required by national law.

As a signatory to CITES, Singapore has in place laws to regulate the trade in endangered species. According to the legislation, on top of the above criteria listed by CITES, an import permit is also necessary before a CITES-listed species can be brought into Singapore. You can find out more by reading all about the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act.

However, as stated in a reply to Gloria's message:

You're so lucky to see this bird, though not at the right habitat..Yes they are classified as App II of CITES which allows trade with the issuance of permits. However the catch is, Indonesia and PNG does not allow any export of the species. They are protected by domestic law in these range countries. So legal export is impossible, technically.

However over 150 individuals from the genus Paradisaea, Cicinnurus and Seleucidis have been imported here from the Solomon Islands and African countries like Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast in 2005. They were all declared as captive bred specimens. How far this is true we do not know. Its hard to imagine a war torn, famine stricken countries in Africa have the means and resources to breed these birds like bantam chickens. But they manage somehow, i guess. Wonders never cease..

So it seems that the legal status of birds of paradise in private collections in Singapore appears to be quite suspicious.

The birds of paradise consist of 40 or so species distributed in New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, northern Australia and surrounding islands. The males of many species are extremely colourful, and they are known for their extravagant displays, as can be seen from the next couple of video clips:




A couple of other exotic birds have made an appearance in Singapore; a toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) was spotted roaming Seletar Hills last October and this January, while there were 4 reports in August and September last year of a grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) in the Jalan Kayu area. The Bird Ecology Study Group has noted other exotic species, such as Narcondam hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami), southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri), palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus), pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura), red avadavat (Amandava amandava), mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) and radjah shelduck (Tadorna radjah). It is most likely that these were escapees or even deliberate releases from captivity.

Quite a number of our non-native birds are present because of the trade in birds as pets. These include many species of parrot, some of which have become established locally, such as the Tanimbar corella (Cacatua goffiniana) and yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea), red-breasted parakeet (Psittacula alexandri) and rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri). There are breeding populations of non-native songbirds such as the sooty-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster), red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), white-crested laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus), hwamei (Garrulax canorus) and Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) in various parts of Singapore. As a hub for the exotic pet trade, both legal and illegal, it is not surprising that so many non-native species are popping up in Singapore. I can understand parrots and songbirds being sold and kept as pets, but it's truly amazing to hear of birds of paradise, hornbills and toucans being reared by private individuals.

Interestingly enough, the Oriental white-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus), a former native that was wiped out before the 1970s, has made a comeback of sorts, thanks to the establishment of a feral population that originated from escapees.

The population of Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) seen around the forests and woodlands of the Central Catchment Area, Toa Payoh and Yio Chu Kang are possibly hybrids; among the original founders were a pair of escapees belonging to different subspecies, one belonging to the northern race (Anthracoceros albirostris albirostris) and the other belonging to the southern race (Anthracoceros albirostris convexus). So these hornbills are actually of captive origin, unlike those found in Pulau Ubin and Changi, which are descended from wild birds that flew over from Johor.

The lone female rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) and its former partner the female great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) that until recently used to fly around the Bukit Timah area are also ex-captives.

While the chances of most of these escapees breeding and establishing populations in Singapore are slim, one cannot discount the possibility that given certain conditions, successful breeding can occur. Escapees and exotic species certainly do add quite a fair bit of variety to our bird lists, but my greatest worry is whether all these introduced species will negatively impact our native birds.

Foam river in Toa Payoh North Canal

The canal at Toa Payoh North became a foam river for a while yesterday (March 3).

The STOMPer, who sent in this video, is curious as to why there is foam in the water and where the foam is coming from.

He asks in an e-mail:

"Wonder where this foam is coming from?"

Others who noticed the strange occurrence have also suggested that the foam might have come from a factory nearby. One STOMPer Rachel also wonders if the foam might be chemically unsafe.

What do you think? Let us know.

Related stories:
It's foam, foam, foam in this canal in Toa Payoh North
Foam in drain: Result of industrial waste?

Do check out the video posted on STOMP.

Related posts: Foam in drain: Result of industrial waste? (3rd March 2009)
It's foam, foam, foam in this canal in Toa Payoh North (3rd March 2009)
Why so many dead fish in Rochor River? (10th February 2009)
Water in Clementi canal turns bright blue (7th February 2009)
Dead fish clog this waterway near Toa Payoh flyover (29th January 2009)

Foam in drain: Result of industrial waste?

STOMPer Rachel wonders why there was so much foam floating in this drain, which is located in Toa Payoh, today.

She suspects that it might be the result of industrial waste from the factories nearby.

She says:

"These pictures were taken this afternoon at around 12.45pm.

"I'm wondering what the foam is doing inside the drain?

"Is it industrial waste?"

"I just had another look outside the window at about 1.30pm and the drain is clear now."

Related story:
Is this chemically unsafe foam?

Related posts: Foam river in Toa Payoh North Canal (4th March 2009)
It's foam, foam, foam in this canal in Toa Payoh North (3rd March 2009)
Why so many dead fish in Rochor River? (10th February 2009)
Water in Clementi canal turns bright blue (7th February 2009)
Dead fish clog this waterway near Toa Payoh flyover (29th January 2009)

Is this chemically unsafe foam?

UPDATE: The title of the post has been amended to It's foam, foam, foam in this canal in Toa Payoh North

STOMPer Darren was at a bridge near Toa Payoh North facing the housing estate when he saw this pool of foam floating in the canal.

The foam had a distinct smell unlike the usual soap.

He tells STOMP:

"I was at the bridge outside the SPH HQ in Toa Payoh, facing the housing estates when I saw this pool of foam floating on the canal.

"There is a distinct smell coming from the canal, and it's certainly not soap.

"While I don't sense or see any danger from the smell, the sheer amount of foam floating there is disturbing, especially if the chemical content is unknown."

Related Story:
Foam in drain: Result of industrial waste?

Related posts: Foam river in Toa Payoh North Canal (4th March 2009)
Foam in drain: Result of industrial waste (3rd March 2009)
Why so many dead fish in Rochor River? (10th February 2009)
Water in Clementi canal turns bright blue (7th February 2009)
Dead fish clog this waterway near Toa Payoh flyover (29th January 2009)

If I'm not wrong, the large canal in the Toa Payoh North area drains into the Kallang Basin. I don't know if the foam is due to natural processes or human activity, but it definitely is a cause for concern. Given the frequency of such incidents, somehow I have a feeling that the ability of the Marina Reservoir to serve as an urban water catchment will be less than optimal.

Dead fish clog this waterway near Toa Payoh flyover

A STOMPer was told her sister had noticed a foul odour while waiting for a bus in front of Block 161 Toa Payoh near the flyover. She soon discovered a nearby waterway was full of dead fish.

Here's what she had to say:

"I took these pictures today (Jan 29) at about 9.30 am.

"While waiting for a bus my sister had noticed a rotting stench. For a moment she had thought there might have been a dead body nearby!

"She looked into the nearby waterway and discovered workers clearing the area of dead fish.

"A worker nearby told me that the the problem was happening all along the waterways in the area, from Thomson to Towner Road, and even all the way to the Geylang area.

"It seems all of the fish that are dying are also of the same species.

"I wonder what the source of the pollution is. There appears to have been construction nearby, maybe that's the cause of the problem."

So much for the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and its ABC Waters Programme...

The fish involved appear to be tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), of which 3 species are known to occur locally; these are the blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). These species are also known to hybridise with one another, both in captivity and in the wild. In fact, the popular red tilapia that is bred on fish farms throughout the region is a hybrid between the Nile tilapia and Mozambique tilapia. Originally native to much of Africa, and parts of the Middle East, various species of tilapia have been introduced for aquaculture and fisheries throughout the tropics, and have established populations in every continent except Antarctica.

Ordinarily, these fish are extremely hardy, able to survive in our urban waterways. They thrive even in concretised monsoon drains and canals, habitats which present very harsh living conditions that most of our local fish cannot cope with. However, there are occasions when entire shoals of tilapia suddenly die en masse, which is a cause for concern, since these incidents may indicate that the cleanliness of our waters has been compromised.

The cause of this particular mass death could be due to various reasons. I think it is likely that for one reason or another, the waters underwent hypoxia, killing the fish. As to what triggered the depletion of dissolved oxygen, one can only guess. Possible causes include hot weather, or eutrophication due to an overabundance of algae or phytoplankton. There might be pollution, which would be quite serious if it is capable of killing tilapia in large numbers. Finally, it is possible that there is a virulent disease or deadly parasite sweeping through the tilapia population in the area. Without any actual analysis of the water, it is difficult to extrapolate further.

What worries me is that the area affected is situated relatively close to our Central Catchment Area. Also, it is drained by the Kallang River, which flows into the newly-completed Marina Reservoir. If pollution is the cause of this die-off, it does have serious implications for the management of our water supply. At this point, the former mouth of the Singapore River is still undergoing the transition from brackish water to freshwater, but in future, if pollution occurs upstream, it could contaminate the entire reservoir. It is essential to bear in mind that any form of pollution occurring at any point along the Kallang River and Singapore River could affect the entire reservoir.

I think the most likely scenario was that this die-off was more due to natural causes, a spell of hot weather and consequently low dissolved oxygen content making the waters temporarily inhospitable to aquatic life. Even so, the importance of safeguarding the health and cleanliness of our watersheds simply cannot be overstated.

Update: Mystery over dead fish in canal (30th January 2009) (Mirror)
Related post: Why so many dead fish in Rochor River? (10th February 2009)