S1E1: A visit to Sungei Buloh: How Singapore can better host migratory birds

Why mudflats are vital for dwindling numbers of birds that stop over seasonally.
Synopsis (headphones recommended): In this new 4-part environment podcast series for 2024 - Green Trails - The Straits Times hits the ground with experts in spaces that are critical to the interlinked crises the planet faces: climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. The next episode drops in June.
For this inaugural episode, our team heads to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the local haven for birds that travel across the world to refuel at.
The society - one of the island's oldest non-governmental organisations - convinced the government to preserve Sungei Buloh as a wetland reserve by showing officials the diversity of birds that depend on the spot.
ST journalist Ang Qing takes a walk with representatives from the Nature Society (Singapore) - Veronica Foo and Tan Gim Cheong.
They talk about the lesser-known Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat, which is key to supporting the thousands of migratory shorebirds that stop over in Singapore between August and March, and why it should also receive full protection from the law.
Read an earlier article on migratory birds: https://str.sg/JtYUU
Discover the Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group: https://str.sg/wNzGa
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:30 Why is Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve so special?
7:01 Have there been fewer shorebirds at the reserve?
11:15 What kind of man-made features threaten migratory birds?
18:00 Why a lesser known mudflat needs to get stronger legal protection
Host: Ang Qing (aqing@sph.com.sg)
Trail producers: Lynda Hong, Hadyu Rahim, Teo Tong Kai, Amirul Karim, Eden Soh
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive Producers: Ernest Luis (ernest@sph.com.sg) & Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg)
Follow Green Pulse Podcast here every 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Follow Ang Qing on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ichp
Read her articles: https://str.sg/i5gT
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
---
ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
---
#greenpulseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.