Pulau Hantu: fascinating for non-divers too!
Early yesterday morning, a small group of adventurous people joined wildfilms to see Hantu for themselves at low tide. They included volunteer guides from Semakau and Chek Jawa, as well as a couple who had been on a guided walk at Pulau Semakau and curious to see our other shores as well.
Going at low tide, especially before dawn, allows a brief but fascinating glimpse of the Hantu's rich reefs and shores.
At low tide, the water clears up. And in the dark, our living corals are in 'full bloom'. Like this gorgeous Brain coral (Symphyllia sp.)
And you can take your time to have a real close look at them.
The reef flats surrounding the little island teem with lving corals large and small.
We saw some corals that we have rarely encountered elsewhere, including this amazing colony of Spine coral (Hydronophora sp.). A few tiny transparent shrimps happily frolicked among the tentacles.
And a really nice patch of delicate Leaf coral (Pavona sp.)
These hard corals provide shelter and food for a wide range of animals. We encountered the usual assortment of flatworms, fishes, crabs and other creatures.
The treat of the day was a brief encounter with a busy Yellow-lipped sea snake (Laticauda colubrina).
These snakes have to come ashore to nest on reef flats. In the past, they used to nest on Pulau Sudong before it was reclaimed. They have since become more frequent visitors to Pulau Hantu and Pulau Semakau as well as our patch reefs. If Pulau Hantu's reef flats are affected by development, there will even fewer places for these beautiful creatures to inhabit.
At sunrise, some of us went to look at the Southern mouth of the central lagoon near the jetty at Hantu Besar. On the way there, we saw a set of large prints on the sand. Probably monitor lizard, but possibly also otter: Debby said she saw one at Hantu recently. And otters have also been sighted at Pulau Semakau.
As elsewhere around the man-made seawalls of Hantu, corals are abundant on the reef flats near the jetty at the mouth of the lagoon. They are also found inside the shallow lagoon which is mostly completely exposed even at moderately low tides.
We were rather concerned, however, to see a film of oil on the water draining out of the lagoon. Where was it coming from? It was painful to watch the oil swirl around the living corals, colonial anemones and other animals that obviously cannot run away.
The lagoon also has patches of tape seagrass. Seagrasses provide a special habitat that complements reef life.
There are several mature mangrove trees in the middle of the lagoon. Mangroves too, are another shore habitat that complements reef life. Near these trees are many Common sea stars. We saw also stacks of mating sea stars in the sandy bottoms of the other shallow swimming lagoons on Hantu.
Hantu is blessed with a range of shore habitats: mangroves, sandy shores, seagrass areas, coral rubble areas and living reefs. All on a tiny little island that is easily explored by non-swimmers and non-divers.
As we approached the mangrove trees, we noticed the huge jet of stuff being churned out just off Hantu near Pulau Busing and Pulau Ular...
This is the same thing that Debby and her team of ReefFriends survey volunteers observed a day before. Could this be causing the film of oil?
Besides frantically documenting the marinelife, wildfilms also interviewed a small group of people who camped overnight just to have a look at Hantu. As well as a father who comes regularly to Hantu, to ensure that his kids experienced what he did as a child. The simple joys of the sea and an unspoilt shore. He was most concerned to hear of efforts to develop an artificial reef on Hantu.
As we left Hantu with the incoming tide, we could see swarms of fish in the relatively clear waters, swimming about the corals just under the jetty.
Wildfilms feel a greater urgency to document the marine life on the shores of Hantu. With the reclamation of Terumbu Bayan, the northern reef flats of Hantu are likely to be particularly impacted.
We plan to make more regular trips to Hantu, to document what is happening there. If you would like to join us, email Ria at hello@wildsingapore.com
More about Pulau Hantu and plans to 'build a reef' there as well as more photos of what non-divers can see on the shores of Pulau Hantu.
Going at low tide, especially before dawn, allows a brief but fascinating glimpse of the Hantu's rich reefs and shores.
At low tide, the water clears up. And in the dark, our living corals are in 'full bloom'. Like this gorgeous Brain coral (Symphyllia sp.)
And you can take your time to have a real close look at them.
The reef flats surrounding the little island teem with lving corals large and small.
We saw some corals that we have rarely encountered elsewhere, including this amazing colony of Spine coral (Hydronophora sp.). A few tiny transparent shrimps happily frolicked among the tentacles.
And a really nice patch of delicate Leaf coral (Pavona sp.)
These hard corals provide shelter and food for a wide range of animals. We encountered the usual assortment of flatworms, fishes, crabs and other creatures.
The treat of the day was a brief encounter with a busy Yellow-lipped sea snake (Laticauda colubrina).
These snakes have to come ashore to nest on reef flats. In the past, they used to nest on Pulau Sudong before it was reclaimed. They have since become more frequent visitors to Pulau Hantu and Pulau Semakau as well as our patch reefs. If Pulau Hantu's reef flats are affected by development, there will even fewer places for these beautiful creatures to inhabit.
At sunrise, some of us went to look at the Southern mouth of the central lagoon near the jetty at Hantu Besar. On the way there, we saw a set of large prints on the sand. Probably monitor lizard, but possibly also otter: Debby said she saw one at Hantu recently. And otters have also been sighted at Pulau Semakau.
As elsewhere around the man-made seawalls of Hantu, corals are abundant on the reef flats near the jetty at the mouth of the lagoon. They are also found inside the shallow lagoon which is mostly completely exposed even at moderately low tides.
We were rather concerned, however, to see a film of oil on the water draining out of the lagoon. Where was it coming from? It was painful to watch the oil swirl around the living corals, colonial anemones and other animals that obviously cannot run away.
The lagoon also has patches of tape seagrass. Seagrasses provide a special habitat that complements reef life.
There are several mature mangrove trees in the middle of the lagoon. Mangroves too, are another shore habitat that complements reef life. Near these trees are many Common sea stars. We saw also stacks of mating sea stars in the sandy bottoms of the other shallow swimming lagoons on Hantu.
Hantu is blessed with a range of shore habitats: mangroves, sandy shores, seagrass areas, coral rubble areas and living reefs. All on a tiny little island that is easily explored by non-swimmers and non-divers.
As we approached the mangrove trees, we noticed the huge jet of stuff being churned out just off Hantu near Pulau Busing and Pulau Ular...
This is the same thing that Debby and her team of ReefFriends survey volunteers observed a day before. Could this be causing the film of oil?
Besides frantically documenting the marinelife, wildfilms also interviewed a small group of people who camped overnight just to have a look at Hantu. As well as a father who comes regularly to Hantu, to ensure that his kids experienced what he did as a child. The simple joys of the sea and an unspoilt shore. He was most concerned to hear of efforts to develop an artificial reef on Hantu.
As we left Hantu with the incoming tide, we could see swarms of fish in the relatively clear waters, swimming about the corals just under the jetty.
Wildfilms feel a greater urgency to document the marine life on the shores of Hantu. With the reclamation of Terumbu Bayan, the northern reef flats of Hantu are likely to be particularly impacted.
We plan to make more regular trips to Hantu, to document what is happening there. If you would like to join us, email Ria at hello@wildsingapore.com
More about Pulau Hantu and plans to 'build a reef' there as well as more photos of what non-divers can see on the shores of Pulau Hantu.
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