Sighting of endangered monkeys using rope bridge to cross road gives hope their numbers will expand

[kobayashiGT]

Sighting of endangered monkeys using rope bridge to cross road gives hope their numbers will expand

source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/sighting-of-endangered-monkeys-using-rope-bridge-to-cross-road-gives-hope?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=STFB&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3cd-kcvJC_x9f7Sc3nukYUQNCuQofc9sFre84MHu6n0eXfzxf_nR03LpY#Echobox=1587123524

SINGAPORE - The sight of a monkey climbing a rope bridge to cross a road may not be noteworthy to most people.

Most would not have noticed the bridge across Old Upper Thomson Road, which was built by the National Parks Board (NParks) in October 2019 to help animals cross from the vegetation in Thomson Nature Park to the forests in the neighbouring Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

But a new video showing three critically endangered Raffles' banded langurs using the rope bridge has excited conservationists here.

The video was posted by NParks on Thursday night (April 16) on its social media channels.

It shows the shy, black-and-white monkeys using the bridge to cross the dual-lane road. As they make their way from one end to the other, a car drives by under them.

Primate scientist Andie Ang, who has been studying the langurs for about a decade, said the footage from the camera trap marked the first time she saw the shy langurs using a crossing aid to move across two forests.

The langur, found only in a cluster of forests in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and a number of surrounding buffer forests, is one of two monkey species in Singapore.

The other is the brown-furred long-tailed macaque, which is more commonly seen in parks.

Dr Adrian Loo, NParks’ group director for conservation, said langurs have been spotted using the rope ladder bridge on multiple occasions since last August.

The most recent sighting, which comprised a troop of langurs crossing the bridge from Thomson Nature Park to Central Catchment Nature Reserve, was observed on April 6, said Dr Loo.

Dr Ang, a Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund (WRSCF) research scientist, said the sighting is significant as it shows that the arboreal bridge is useful in allowing wildlife to cross safely.

This connectivity is crucial for this species as it could expand the forested areas the langurs can access to find food and mates, she added.

There are only 63 Raffles' banded langurs left in Singapore.

Earlier research by Dr Ang and five other scientists from the National University of Singapore and Andalas University in Indonesia showed that the genetic make-up of this species - which can also be found in southern Peninsular Malaysia - is distinct enough to be considered a species of its own.

There are two other langur species in the region.

Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee shared the video in a Facebook post on Thursday evening and said that Thomson Nature Park is a key conservation site for Singapore's rare native biodiversity, including the langur.

"The habitats and ecological connectivity of the area had been enhanced for the langurs," he explained.

"Rope bridges between the nature park and the adjacent Central Catchment Nature Reserve act as canopy linkages to keep them safe from traffic."

MONKEYS CROSSING

Thomson Nature Park is home to about three troops of langurs, including one comprising five bachelors, said Dr Ang.

The other two are family units comprising an alpha male, females and their young.

Previously, the langurs had used the natural canopy of the trees on both sides of Old Upper Thomson Road to cross.

But tree pruning in 2017 had disrupted this connectivity, she noted.

"After that, volunteers saw the langurs descending to the ground to make the crossing.

"But unlike macaques, langurs are arboreal animals and are uncomfortable travelling on the ground," she said.

It took consistent monitoring over the years by Dr Ang and Ms Sabrina Jabbar, a WRSCF project assistant, as well as volunteers who had joined a citizen science survey, to narrow down the most likely location along the 3km-long Old Upper Thomson Road that the langurs were likely to use again.

"Based on the observations, we recommended the location for the bridge to NParks," said Dr Ang, who chairs the Raffles' banded langur working group, comprising representatives from NParks, WRS, the Nature Society (Singapore) as well as volunteers.

She added that more rope bridges or other artificial crossing aids could be used to facilitate the movement of wildlife in Singapore's fragmented forest landscape.

But such bridges need to be regularly maintained to ensure the safety of animals using them, as well as that of pedestrians and vehicles below, she said.

"Such devices should not be seen as an alternative to preserving habitat and maintaining natural canopy connectivity," she said.

"After all, it also takes time before animals begin to use them."

NParks’ Dr Loo said the Board will be installing more rope ladder bridges to enhance connectivity for arboreal animals. 

Giving an update on the first single-rope bridge that NParks installed in February 2018 across Upper Seletar Reservoir, Dr Loo said it has been removed with the conclusion of a  trial, as there is currently no need for enhanced aerial connectivity at this site.

The trial had looked at different forms of aerial connectivity and tested the feasibility of the single rope bridge design. Single-rope bridges were found to require higher maintenance and to not be as animal-friendly as rope ladders, Dr Loo said.

He added: “As a result of the trial, a second rope ladder bridge has been installed earlier this year across Old Upper Thomson Road at a spot in the canopy that is frequented by the langurs. This complements the original rope ladder bridge that was installed last year.”

Dr Loo said NParks will continue to work with the Raffles’ Banded Langur working group to identify new crossing sites.

In his Facebook post on Thursday, Mr Lee urged people to remain indoors during the current circuit breaker period, saying that Singapore's wildlife will still be around for people to admire after the crisis.

He said: "During this critical period, it is important that all of us stay home and keep ourselves and our families safe from the threat of Covid-19.

"Our biodiversity is keeping well, and will still be around for us to visit and admire, after we have overcome this pandemic."

 

 

[RadX]

Normal la

 

just @Angcheek visiting relatives

[Heartbreakid]

Rare monkey, I once saw this black monkey while walking the nature trail. One Ang Mo exclaim, "look it's a black monkey! It's very rare." Then I looked up and saw this rare monkey jumping across the trees.

Well is good that SG preserve this piece of forest. Hope SG preserves or promotes more forests and green land growth instead of urbanisation.

[kobayashiGT]

1 hour ago, RadX said:

Normal la

 

just @Angcheek visiting relatives

population growing ya? hahahha

[Kklim]

1 hour ago, Heartbreakid said:

Rare monkey, I once saw this black monkey while walking the nature trail. One Ang Mo exclaim, "look it's a black monkey! It's very rare." Then I looked up and saw this rare monkey jumping across the trees.

Well is good that SG preserve this piece of forest. Hope SG preserves or promotes more forests and green land growth instead of urbanisation.

Better still if they keep the Tagore forest across the road from the park. Will be gone by 2030 if URA sticks to its development plan.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Kklim

[Heartbreakid]

2 hours ago, Kklim said:

Better still if they keep the Tagore forest across the road from the park. Will be gone by 2030 if URA sticks to its development plan.

SG needs to stop all these forest clearing. In recent 10 years, SG os clearing forest at a fast pace. Yishun near the dam, Sembawang there, where those were forest are all cleared.

This Coronavirus really tell us that Urbanisation doesn't really help humankind when we cannot even self sustain. What's the use of all the money if there is no food available or we need to spend more to buy the same amount of food?

[Playtime]

1 hour ago, Heartbreakid said:

This Coronavirus really tell us that Urbanisation doesn't really help humankind when we cannot even self sustain. What's the use of all the money if there is no food available or we need to spend more to buy the same amount of food?

Errr... I'm sure,  then they lagi clear first to generate economic activity in order to buy food... at least that will be the justification. 

[Heartbreakid]

1 hour ago, Playtime said:

Errr... I'm sure,  then they lagi clear first to generate economic activity in order to buy food... at least that will be the justification. 

That is what taking place now.

With current technological advancements, SG should pay attention to farming (it's ongoing but more has to be done), instead of clearing land for economic purposes to buy food. 

Point here is to achieve self sustainability on food other than water.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Heartbreakid

[Heartbreakid]

1 hour ago, Playtime said:

Errr... I'm sure,  then they lagi clear first to generate economic activity in order to buy food... at least that will be the justification. 

That is what taking place now. My point is our own country needs to know how to self sustain, just like how we have our own water.

With current technological advancements, SG should pay attention to farming (it's ongoing), instead of clearing land for economical purposes to buy food. 

Point here is to achieve self sustainability on food other than water.

[Atonchia]

37 minutes ago, Heartbreakid said:

That is what taking place now. My point is our own country needs to know how to self sustain, just like how we have our own water.

With current technological advancements, SG should pay attention to farming (it's ongoing), instead of clearing land for economical purposes to buy food. 

Point here is to achieve self sustainability on food other than water.

Now all vertical farming in control environment. 

All to be housed in huge multi storeys complexes with artifical lighting. 

So multiplies the area for agriculture. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Atonchia

[13177]

5 hours ago, Kklim said:

Better still if they keep the Tagore forest across the road from the park. Will be gone by 2030 if URA sticks to its development plan.

Indeed very scary the way they are clearing all the forested area. Even the coming new tengah estate also from cleared forest.

[Windwaver]

Wah, that monkey quite fast but how scientist know they shy huh?

[Windwaver]

1 hour ago, Heartbreakid said:

That is what taking place now. My point is our own country needs to know how to self sustain, just like how we have our own water.

With current technological advancements, SG should pay attention to farming (it's ongoing), instead of clearing land for economical purposes to buy food. 

Point here is to achieve self sustainability on food other than water.

I agree, at least 50% will be a good baseline.

 

[Heartbreakid]

2 hours ago, Atonchia said:

Now all vertical farming in control environment. 

All to be housed in huge multi storeys complexes with artifical lighting. 

So multiplies the area for agriculture. 

Yes, needs to work more on it. I just hope that this Coronavirus crisis can wake up the Gov abit so they don't just focus on economy, more people, etc. 

We are small, we are special but we must also learn to be able to sustain and not just think of growing money through economy.

Just hope that in future, or near future, we can be independent from imported food sources.

[Kklim]

17 hours ago, Heartbreakid said:

Yes, needs to work more on it. I just hope that this Coronavirus crisis can wake up the Gov abit so they don't just focus on economy, more people, etc. 

We are small, we are special but we must also learn to be able to sustain and not just think of growing money through economy.

Just hope that in future, or near future, we can be independent from imported food sources.

The problem is we have scholars planning farms, not people who have real-life experience. Heard one multi-million chenghu project in Lim Chu Kang flopped.

[Jusnel]

37 minutes ago, Kklim said:

The problem is we have scholars planning farms, not people who have real-life experience. Heard one multi-million chenghu project in Lim Chu Kang flopped.

The problem is 

1. Plan by scholars who have never touch soil or shovel before 

2. They set too many rules and regulations. 

3. They always look at KPI and ROI in too short term.  

They simply forgot that farming is a very long term project and hard work.  It's not a car production factory that churns out thousands of new cars every day. 

 

[Icedbs]

Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee shared the video in a Facebook post on Thursday evening and said that Thomson Nature Park is a key conservation site for Singapore's rare native biodiversity, including the langur.

"The habitats and ecological connectivity of the area had been enhanced for the langurs," he explained.

I hope Mr. Lee realised that the recent decision to do direct alignment of the MRT Cross island Line by going below the Central catchment is going to threaten the habitat of these langurs and many other species.(see below)

So please don't say one thing and then the next thing they do is to continue to clear off the langur's habitat.  There is only 60+ of them left in Singapore.

A worksite south of the Singapore Island Country Club's golf course, dubbed A1-W1, will eat into the langurs’ habitat by clearing 3ha of forest — which is roughly equivalent to three football fields, Dr Ang said.

“This area provides crucial connectivity for arboreal animals like the langurs,” she said. “They use it to move from the north to the south.”
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/explainer-what-are-raffles-banded-langurs-and-how-will-they-be-affected-cross-island-line

[Meanmachine]

I love Nature and I savour every drop of opportunity to visit most nature parks in Singapore, The discovery of the endangered Raffles banded languars are to be celebrated, I mean how often do we see such special here, let alone their discovery was timely, coming out from forestry and leading the troops via rope balancing act way high above expressway were a treat . . . I hope more can be done to made their habitat more balance & cohesive with human being, I'm sure the languars family knew Urban Singapore is their home away from home