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Serangoon
Estuary
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Location:
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1°23'N, 103°56'E; in east-central Singapore at the mouth of the Serangoon River. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Area:
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c.15 ha. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Altitude:
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Sea level. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Biogeographical
Province:
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4.7.1. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Wetland
type:
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02, 06, 07, 08 & 10. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Description
of site:
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A river estuary with extensive mudflats and prawn ponds adjacent to the Serangoon Sewage Works. The area formerly had extensive mangroves but much was destroyed by a sanitary landfill which began about 15 years ago. The wetland is saline and intertidal, with a tidal range of 3.2m. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Climatic
conditions:
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Humid tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of 2,373 mm, an average relative humidity of 85%, and temperatures ranging from 23.7 to 30.7°C. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Principal
vegetation:
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Remnants of mangrove forest, mainly Avicennia sp; wasteland, urban development and landfill desert which may be planted with ornamentals, in the surrounding areas. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Land
tenure:
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The wetland and the adjacent areas are State Land. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Conservation
measures taken:
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None. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Conservation
measures proposed:
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A proposal made in 1984 to preserve the area was rejected. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Land
use:
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The site is currently undergoing landfill for development purposes. Housing construction, sewage works and a rubbish dump in adjacent areas. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Possible
changes in land use:
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The whole of the wetland is slated for landfill coverage in the next few years. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Disturbances and threats: | The present landfill operations are only half complete so the area is still able to attract large numbers of shorebirds for which it was formerly famous. However, the landfill is likely to destroy the area completely. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Economic and social values: | The area formerly supported a prawn fishery, but fishing activities were discontinued prior to the onset of landfill. For many years it has been an extremely popular bird-watching and bird ringing site. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fauna: |
Large
numbers of waterfowl, especially shorebirds, once occurred at the site
including at least three threatened species, Chinese Egret Egretta
eulophotes (average maximum 15), Nordmann's Greenshank Tringa guitifer
and Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus. It has been estimated
that the estuary as a whole held up to 20,000 shorebirds during the migration
seasons in the early 1980s. During the period 1977-1982, over 120 species
of birds were recorded, including 54 species of waterfowl. Average maximum
counts included:
Pandion haliaetus and Falco peregrinus are regular passage migrants and winter visitors, and unusual visitors have included a party of 11 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus in June 1984. Concentrations of over 500 Motacilla flava are common during the migration seasons. A large number of invertebrates have been recorded in the mudflats and remnants of mangroves. |
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| Special floral values: | None known. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Research and facilities: | Studies of the shorebirds have been carried out by the Malayan Nature Society Bird Study Group, and regular bird counts were made during the period 1977-1982 by D. Bradford, H. Buck and R. Ollington. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria for inclusion: | 2a, 3a. | ||||||||||||||||||
| References: | Hails (l987b); Karpowicz (1985); Parish & Wells (1984); Ng (1977). | ||||||||||||||||||
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Source:
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Christopher J. Hails. | ||||||||||||||||||