NUS Researchers Launch Database for Public Sightings of Large Marine Animals

New platform key for wildlife observations and monitoring in low-visibility waters here

- Audrey Tan

In the depths of the waters surrounding Singapore roam marine creatures such as dugongs, dolphins, sharks, rays and turtles. But spotting them can be tricky, owing to the nation's murky waters.

Every reported fleeting encounter with these animals can be valuable for marine scientists to glean information such as the animals' preferred habitats or food types.

Now, marine scientists at NUS want to tap the public to learn more about these elusive marine megafauna, or large marine animals.

On Feb 17, they launched a new public submission database, dubbed MegMaLS (Mega Marine Life in Singapore).

It provides a template for people to submit the location, date and time, as well as any photographs or videos, of such sightings.

The database is an initiative of the NUS department of biological sciences and the university's Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.

Associate Professor Huang Danwei, the museum's deputy head, said: "This platform is especially critical for faunal (animal) observations and monitoring in our low-visibility waters."

Singapore's waters are heavily sedimented because of coastal development in the nation's early years, resulting in the low visibility.

Prof Huang said the template for submissions will help scientists more easily analyse data, and gain information that can be applied elsewhere, such as for conservation and management.

"It also reduces the time taken for observations to be recorded and analysed, minimising biases that may creep in when observers try to recall details about bygone encounters with marine species," he added.