Wrapping up at the Northern Expedition Day 17

Today is the beginning of the end of the Northern Expedition. There are no more field trips, and everyone is busy shutting down the stations.

But we have a glimpse of some special animals seen during the Expedition, and an Irrawady dolphin was spotted during a recent dredge survey!

AMLive interview and basket star at the Northern Expedition Day 16

Prof Peter Ng and Prof Daphne Fautin shared about the Northern Expedition on AMLive, explaining what we found and why these were important in helping Singapore better understand and manage our marine ecosystems.

From the Raffles Museum facebook page.

A large basket star has also been found in the dredge survey! And another fruitful survey in the mangroves of Sungei Buloh.

Tongue-eating isopod and otters (again) at the Northern Expedition Day 15

The find of the day was this icky isopod that had eaten and replaced the tongue of this fish. Eeks.

We also had our FIFTH otter sighting for the Expedition, an exciting dredge and many other happenings as the last week of the Northern Expedition begins.

Stonefish and Owl at the Northern Expedition Day 14

The Expedition takes us to very edges of Singapore! Today I join the team heading for Lim Chu Kang mangroves, which lies abruptly at the end of Lim Chu Kang Road.

Another team returned to Mandai mangroves, while the fishing folks are tackling Changi, and lots more happenings in the field and at Base Camp.

Northern Expedition on Channel NewsAsia

Prof Daphne Fautin speaks about her astonishment in finding so much marine life in Singapore in this latest Channel NewsAsia video clip of the Northern Expedition. While Prof Peter Ng highlights that the three-week expedition will go a long way towards future policy planning.

Here's more of what she said and the embedded video clip.

More sea anemones at the Northern Expedition Day 13

We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon at Pasir Ris on the Northern Expedition Day 13. With more interesting sea anemone finds.

The weekend began quietly, with few volunteers turning up. But we had fun reviewing some special finds the day before.

Mangrove anemones and special slug at the Northern Expedition Day 12

Revived teams plunge into the mud as field trips resume on Day 12 of the Northern Expedition of the Mega Marine Survey.

Among the highlights, several mangrove sea anemones and the mangrove leaf slug. Also jellyfishes and other fun explorations in the morning.

The Northern Expedition on RazorTV

A great video clip on RazorTV giving a glimpse of the work of the Expedition, interviews with scientists, organisers and volunteers.

Here's the video.

Dredging, more talks and isopods at the Northern Expedition Day 10

Yesterday, I joined the dredging team that have been working every day throughout the Expedition. There are limited places on the boat so I didn't get to go until now. Here is Dr Bertrand setting up a net for a dredge, next to him, the yellow sled dredge and the brown beam dredge.

Many interesting creatures were found, we had another series of exciting talks in the evening and enjoyed a great dinner too.

Northern Expedition in the news!

The Northern Expedition in today's Straits Times by Grace Chua with photos by Ng Sor Luan.

Photo by Ng Sor Luan, Straits Times

Among the highlights of the article, it describes a typical day at the Northern Expedition and features some key happenings so far.

What has the Mega Marine Survey found so far?

What has the Mega Marine Survey found? Since it started, over thirty new records have been found from Singapore and the region, including the Laternula, a species of lantern shells which may have bioactive compounds and chemicals that can aid medical science.

Volunteers busy sorting through finds at the Northern Expedition.

Six species have been identified as possibly new to science, including a new species of small goby, nicknamed "Zee", found in the mudflats off Lim Chu Kang. Another five species have been rediscovered, including a species of a large coastal catfish which was last seen in Singapore waters over 100 years ago.

Here's the full NParks media release of the latest finds at the Survey.

VIP visit and otter again at the Northern Expedition Day 9

Today, Minister of State Tan Chuan-Jin visits the Northern Expedition! So we had a very busy day. AND another otter sighting too!

Minister expressed his support for the Expedition and how impressed he is with the passion shown by all those involved in making it happen. See Minister's full personal post about the Expedition and efforts for marine conservation.

Durians and evening talks at the Northern Expedition Day 8

As we wait for the afternoon boat ride to Base Camp at Pulau Ubin, Dr Tan Heok Hui spots the Galaxea, the boat used for our dredging work, heading back to its berth at Punggol. Looks like the dredge just got done.

Today, we look forward to an evening of talks and dinner at Ubin Town.

Highlights of Week 1 at the Northern Expedition

Here's a glimpse of some of the interesting places and colourful marine life seen during the first busy week of the Northern Expedition that I missed blogging about in earlier posts.

Photo by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Loh Kok Sheng and Ivan Kwan surveyed a part of Pulau Ubin that is rarely visited on Day 2. Past the picturesque Tanjung Tajam.

Surprises in sea anemones and wood at the Northern Expedition Day 7

Some sea anemones started to 'give birth' to tiny baby sea anemones! Prof Daphne Fautin hurried over to the Sorting Station to tell the volunteers to see this special event for themselves.

We also came across surprises in dead wood, on a quiet but productive Sunday morning at the Northern Expedition of the Mega Marine Survey.

Otters (again) and strange sea creatures at the Northern Expedition Day 6

A pair of otters were spotted today by Koh Kwan Siong right next to our sorting station at Outward Bound Singapore! Our third otter sighting in a week!

Also, more strange sea anemones, a surprise jellyfish catch and other finds on the first weekend of the Expedition.

Strange clams at the Northern Expedition Day 5

Not all the animals we collect are killed. These large Knobbly sea stars and some other sea stars from Chek Jawa are going to be returned when we revisit Chek Jawa again this evening. Tiny samples of their tissues have been taken and we don't really need to have them as specimens.

I'm back for Day 5 of the Expedition with more field trips, and a 'Pandora' surprise while sorting teeny weeny clams.

Special crab at the Northern Expedition Day 4

The elusive Masked burrowing crab has been found by Chay Hoon at Changi on Day 4 of the Northern Expedition! Marcus came with his Big Camera and took a nice photo of this mama crab and blogged about the trip.

Shared by Marcus Ng on facebook

Another flurry of field trips with all kinds of interesting finds. 

Otters and special crabs and snail at the Northern Expedition Day 3

Loh Kok Sheng saw otters during the survey at Tuas on Day 3 of the Northern Expedition!

I caught up with the special finds made so far as I spent a day at the Expedition, before the field teams headed out for surveys at Tuas, Chek Jawa, Pulau Sekudu and Pulau Ubin in the evening.

Otters, octopus and more on Northern Expedition Day 2

Day 2 of the Northern Expedition got off to a great start as Jerome spots otters at Punggol Jetty on the way to Pulau Ubin!

Shared by Jerome Pang on facebook.

Today, there was dredging, and field trips to Tuas, Chek Jawa and Pulau Ubin. Here's a glimpse of some happenings.

The Northern Expedition begins!

The Northern Expedition starts today!

A rather large contingent of core participants depart from Punggol and head off for Outward Bound Singapore at Pulau Ubin, where the Expedition will be based.

Training for the Northern Expedition

Volunteers are getting trained for the Northern Expedition which starts next week!

Three batches of Specialist Volunteers got detailed briefings on what we can expect and how the Expedition will be conducted.