73% Plants & Animals lost in Singapore
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Singapore has lost up to 73 percent of its plants and animals over the last two centuries...
Singapore has lost up to 73 percent of its plants and animals over the last two centuries...
Quote:
World Conservation Union (IUCN) figures estimate that 77 percent of the island's remaining butterflies, fish, birds, mammals, and other species are threatened
World Conservation Union (IUCN) figures estimate that 77 percent of the island's remaining butterflies, fish, birds, mammals, and other species are threatened
Quote:
The analysis that species that may have been lost include as many as 4,866 plants, 627 butterflies, 234 fish, 111 reptiles, and 91 mammals. Since 1923 alone, 61 of the 91 known forest-bird species have died out. As much as 73 percent of the island's original biota (flora and fauna) has been extirpated.
The analysis that species that may have been lost include as many as 4,866 plants, 627 butterflies, 234 fish, 111 reptiles, and 91 mammals. Since 1923 alone, 61 of the 91 known forest-bird species have died out. As much as 73 percent of the island's original biota (flora and fauna) has been extirpated.
Taken from this LINK
This is really alarming and tragic... What are your thoughts and ideas as to what we can do to change this awful trend?
Thanks for your consideration,
Fellowship
Comments
i know no one cares, but in many ways, slidell is another local community that looks like it was overdeveloped about 8-10 years ago, driving out tons of wildlife in favor of shiny new strip malls, which then eventually went under because the supply outstripped demand, it lost that small town "country feel" that attracted everyone in the first place, and now no one wants to reclaim the land.
now you see the ultra-sad dance of a grocery store which was obviously at one point a gas station, pet store, and restaurant in its brief history, and the sun beats down on the concrete and pavement all day, and bakes this city alive. it's laughable how many new subdivisions are under water during every afternoon thunderstorm, because every jackass with a contracting permit allow some of these houses to be built where they are, the city councils are more than willing to whore themselves out for the big money, and they keep filling in marshes to make ground for "oak hollow" and "green rivers" subdivisions. so where did all the people who had enough money move to to get away from slidell, but still feel like they were in the "country" and still be able to drive to their jobs out there?
yup, my neck of the woods. and the commercial spots and industries followed them here. i am sure once they've finished raping this little town for all its worth, they'll move onto some smaller towns west of here. sigh...
i mean, i understand that the two sides feed off each other, and the realtors are more than willing to sell acres without conscience, but when does common sense kick in and say "do i really need to bulldoze ten acres of land for a target 15 minutes away when there's one 25 minutes away???"
thankfully, though, i am fully confident that between wacko diseases spreading into new areas of the world and dramatic weather/climate changes, people will begin to learn that if you f*ck with mother nature, she will f*ck back.
for example, from my old home in florida, remember hurricane andrew? sure, it was a big mother of a hurricane, but anyone who's lived in florida will tell you we've felt worse. but for some reason, it flattened miami. correction: it flattened the suburbs of miami, which were composed of houses so flimsy, they make my old treehouse look solid. and the insurance companies looked the other way when housing codes were violated, then couldn't cover the wreckage. and all of these middle-to-lower income families that got dazzled by promises of finally owning their own home were homeless and bankrupt. meanwhile, all the OLD houses around southern florida that had been there for a hundred years, built by people who knew where AND how to build a house were still standing. a little water damage, a fallen tree here and there, but nothing like the carnage in those cookie cutter subdivisions. i wonder how many animal species were driven into an overpopulated 'glades to make room for that fiasco. and then mommy wonders why little jimmy got attacked by an alligator in the backyard. hmmm, maybe it's because you bought a house built 5 feet away from a creek that is 100 yards away from a swamp?!? damn gator gets a bullet through his head, when all he was doing was trying to figure out why all the muskrats seemed to have left.
anyway, that's my "earth is getting overdeveloped" rant that i have been wanting to get off my chest. carry on with your daily programming...
I don't intend to downplay the loss of habitat or the need to preserve biodiversity, but why focus on Singapore and not the regional picture. Animals and plants don't acknowledge political borders.
Edit - here's another useful link on this story from the BBC. While the numbers about Singapore may be accurate, anyone who projects deforestation rates out to 2100 is a fool. That smacks of scare-mongering.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3090071.stm
Originally posted by gobble gobble
That smacks of scare-mongering.
Yup, and FCiB is just pretending to be more moderate than he actually is with a generic save the rainforests/whales plea.
I kid, I kid!
Originally posted by Eugene
Singapore's only 270 sq. miles in area. It's highly urbanized and populated, so I don't find this at all surprising. I wonder what percentage of indigenous wildlife and plantlife unique to the modern NYC, SF, LA, etc. metro areas have been made extinct.
This is a logical argument. higly urbanized aera, are not good for the biologic diversity.
Same goes for Hong-Kong....
I know I'll be accused of being racist in saying this but...
some aspects of asian culture are truly stupid & backward..
Originally posted by aquafire
What else can we expect from a city state that is a hub for illegal trade in endangered species, where tiger bones are ground up for " chinese traditional medicine " , along with bear gall,( bears kept in tiny cages & glands prodded daily to make wounds seep) ivory, and just about any other piece of wildlife ( marine & land ) that they can get their greedy hands on...
Same goes for Hong-Kong....
I know I'll be accused of being racist in saying this but...
some aspects of asian culture are truly stupid & backward..
Save that argument for when it's relevant. The extinction of the plants and animals FCiB mentioned is by and large due to the destruction of habitat and not poaching/illegal trade/hunting...
Originally posted by Eugene
Save that argument for when it's relevant. The extinction of the plants and animals FCiB mentioned is by and large due to the destruction of habitat and not poaching/illegal trade/hunting...
It's profoundly connected Eugene.
If " think locally : act globally " doesn't make any sense to you then we don't stand a chance.
Originally posted by aquafire
It's profoundly connected Eugene.
If " think locally : act globally " doesn't make any sense to you then we don't stand a chance.
And this has what to with anything?
It's only profoundly connected if you want to argue for the sake of arguing. You're pointing the finger at Singapore and Hong Kong for doing nothing to stop poaching and the use of endangered animal parts in traditional Asian medicine when the topic is the encroachment of human civilization.
Since western civilization is likewise pushing animals to extinction in highly urbanized regions, your argument falls flat on its big red baboon ass.
In other words, tell my how the slow extinction of the Snowy Plover in the SF Bay Area can be blamed on the use of severed Bengal Tiger penises in old Chinese medicine.
rok had a great reply with the example of Louisiana. It really is an issue of local action being needed.
Thanks for all imput,
Fellowship
Originally posted by gobble gobble
As Eugene noted, Singapore covers a very small area. Wouldn't nearly all of their flora and fauna also be found in Malaysia and Indonesia?
While you are right about Singapore, I have been to Malaysia and it is scary...
They are destroying their biodiversity at a record rate to make space for an exploding KL and cash crops like palm trees. You can drive hours and hours without seeing any rainforest, only palm trees right to the horizon.
In a way, I can understand why they are doing this - the industrialized nations (at least here in Europe) have had over a century to destroy their natural habitat and get rich. Now the developing countries want their share even if it means selling their natural treasures so that we can have palm fat to fry burgers...
But it is sad, nonetheless.
Originally posted by Eugene
And this has what to with anything?
It's only profoundly connected if you want to argue for the sake of arguing. You're pointing the finger at Singapore and Hong Kong for doing nothing to stop poaching and the use of endangered animal parts in traditional Asian medicine when the topic is the encroachment of human civilization.
Since western civilization is likewise pushing animals to extinction in highly urbanized regions, your argument falls flat on its big red baboon ass.
In other words, tell my how the slow extinction of the Snowy Plover in the SF Bay Area can be blamed on the use of severed Bengal Tiger penises in old Chinese medicine.
Ripple effect..Butterfly effect..call it whatever.
But the deforestation of the planet, along with the loss of boidiversity has EVERYTHING to do with intensely over-populated / polluted environments.
You ask what is the connection between the excinction of snowy plovers in California ( sorry to hear about that ) & Bengal tigers...simple ..exploitation, profiteering & wilful ignorance..
.....a potent mixture in anybody's language....
Every species lost diminishes our future.
Originally posted by aquafire
Ripple effect..Butterfly effect..call it whatever.
But the deforestation of the planet, along with the loss of boidiversity has EVERYTHING to do with intensely over-populated / polluted environments.
You ask what is the connection between the excinction of snowy plovers in California ( sorry to hear about that ) & Bengal tigers...simple ..exploitation, profiteering & wilful ignorance..
.....a potent mixture in anybody's language....
Every species lost diminishes our future.
Yes, this is precisely what *I* was talking about, but it wasn't what you were talking about. Your first reply made no mention of pollution, industrialization, deforestation and whatever else. These are not inherently linked to the poaching of endangered animals.
The eventual extinction of the Snowy Plover will not be the fault of Singaporeans, so there's no point in singling them out.
Originally posted by FellowshipChurch iBook
What are your thoughts and ideas as to what we can do to change this awful trend?
Fewer humans. Really. Population control is the future (and, no, I don't mean genocide, I mean birth control).
That said, all strip mall developers must die. Nothing is making our nation uglier or more traffic-ridden than the rise of the strip mall. Sometimes they are a necessity in out-of-the-way areas, but in suburban areas they are so profuse as to be nauseating IMO.
Originally posted by Eugene
Yes, this is precisely what *I* was talking about, but it wasn't what you were talking about. Your first reply made no mention of pollution, industrialization, deforestation and whatever else. These are not inherently linked to the poaching of endangered animals.
The eventual extinction of the Snowy Plover will not be the fault of Singaporeans, so there's no point in singling them out.
Stop thinking in neat packages Eugene...The world isn't seperate little boxes of problems.
The problems that we face locally are often part of the larger global picture...The killing of endangered species whether as a deliberate outcome of exploitation or the outcome of enviromental degredation or wanton destruction of habitat is all profoundly connected...
It's the mindset I am talking about..try to think of it as stepping out of your paradigm..
And I emphasise the mantra...Exploitation,Profiteering & wilful ignorance...
But your correct in that I should have been a little clearer in the first place..
I write these things with the greatest respect.
Originally posted by Eugene
Gosh, shut up already. Again, YOU were the one that picked out ONE group of people to blame. Who was the one not thinking locally? Globally? At all? Stop responding with the same generic nonsense you already used.
This Post was about Singapore. I didn't post it...
I originally made comment about the illegal trade that goes on in that city along with Hong-Kong. To whit : It goes with the entire cultural mindset..
If your culture tells you its OK to exploit endagered species, then it isn't much of a leap to appreciate the same attitude of " I couldn't Give a flying F**ck " for the enviroment locally also applies.
So get off your high horse Eugene...your making an arse of yourself