Central Catchment Nature Reserve | |
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Type | Nature reserve |
Location | Singapore |
Coordinates | 01°22′N103°48′E / 1.367°N 103.800°E |
Area | 2,880 hectares (28,800,000 m2) |
Status | Open |
The Central Catchment Nature Reserve [a] (CCNR) is the largest nature reserve in Singapore, occupying 2880 hectares. [2] Forming a large green lung in the geographical centre of the city, it houses several recreational sites, including the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari and the River Safari, as well as several newer facilities built to encourage public appreciation of the reserve, such as the HSBC TreeTop Walk. The reserve sits within the boundaries of the Central Water Catchment. [3] It is one of the four gazetted nature reserves in Singapore. The other three are the Labrador Nature Reserve [4] which was gazetted since 1 January 2002, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve [5] and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. [6] All four nature reserves along with the parks are protected under the Parks & Trees Act 2005.
The nature reserve acts as a catchment area for the surrounding reservoirs. The country's main reservoirs – MacRitchie, Upper Seletar, Upper Peirce and Lower Peirce are located within the reserve. [7] [8]
Most forests in the CCNR were cleared for logging and cultivation unlike Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which remain relatively undisturbed. The CCNR now consists of a mixture of young and mature secondary forests with virgin primary forest surrounding the reservoirs. [9]
Bordering MacRitchie reservoir are remnants of rubber plantations from the 19th century. Walkways and boardwalks in the reserve, which range from 3 to 11 kilometres long, allow visitors to enjoy a closer feel to nature. The reserve is also visited by hikers and trekkers due to its terrain and scenery. A hike can lead to the nearby Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The park has been designated with the code 9V-0008 by the international Parks On The Air award program, and so is regularly 'activated' by Amateur Radio operators using portable equipment.
The nature reserve boasts a rich biodiversity with over 500 animal species including crab-eating macaque, colugo, common treeshrew, Sunda slow loris and Sunda pangolin. Central Catchment Nature Reserve is the only place in Singapore where Raffles' banded langur monkey remains, with a population that has been severely diminished. [10] Wild birds such as crimson sunbird, greater racket-tailed drongo and kingfishers are found in the reserve, too. Some species of critically endangered bats have also been spotted. The reserve has many species of butterflies. It is home to some 1,600 species of flora. [11] The reserve, along with the adjacent Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, has been identified by BirdLife International as the Central Forest Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports populations of vulnerable straw-headed bulbuls and brown-chested jungle flycatchers. [12]
The nature reserve contains a 250-metre suspension bridge. The HSBC TreeTop Walk opened to public on 5 November 2004. It connects the two highest points in MacRitchie – Bukit Pierce and Bukit Kalang. At the highest point, the bridge hangs 25 metres from the forest floor. The difficulty level of the trail ranges from moderate to difficult. The suspension bridge serves an important role in forest canopy research, giving researchers access to areas well off the ground. To preserve the tranquility of the environment and for safety reasons, the number of people allowed on the walkway is capped at 30. Visitors will only be able to travel along the narrow walkway in one direction, by entering from the Bukit Pierce entrance and exiting through the Petaling Trail. Rangers are deployed along the 10.3-kilometre trail to ensure safety. [13]
The CCNR provides free guided tours to schools and the general public. This is part of National Parks Board's efforts to educate people about the conservation of nature areas in Singapore. [14]
The banded leaf monkey is one of four primate species native to Singapore. The CCNR is the only location in Singapore where the nationally critically endangered banded leaf monkeys can be found. Due to rapid urbanisation and habitat loss, the population at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve had died out in 1987. [15] The Central Catchment population had declined to as few as 10–15 monkeys before recovering to about 40 by 2012. [16] Today, they are restricted to a small area within the Central Water Catchment with a population of about 70 by 2022. [17]
Bukit Timah, often abbreviated as Bt Timah, is a planning area and residential estate located in the westernmost part of the Central Region of Singapore. Bukit Timah lies roughly 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the Central Business District, bordering the Central Water Catchment to the north, Bukit Panjang to the northwest, Queenstown to the south, Tanglin to the southeast, Clementi to the southwest, Novena to the east and Bukit Batok to the west.
The Kallang River is the longest river in Singapore, flowing for 10 kilometers from the Lower Peirce Reservoir to the Kallang Basin. It originates in the planning area of Central Water Catchment, flows in a southeast direction through Bishan and Toa Payoh, before finally arriving in Kallang.
MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore's oldest reservoir. The reservoir was completed in 1868 by impounding water with an earth embankment, and was then known as the Impounding Reservoir or Thomson Reservoir.
The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a 1.7-square-kilometre (0.66 sq mi) nature reserve near the geographic centre of Singapore, located on the slopes of Bukit Timah Hill, the country's highest natural peak standing at a height of approximately 165 metres (541 ft), and parts of the surrounding area, located actually in Bukit Panjang. The nature reserve is about 15 kilometres from the Downtown Core, Singapore's central business district (CBD).
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve in the northwest area of Singapore. It is the first wetlands reserve to be gazetted in Singapore (2002), and its global importance as a stop-over point for migratory birds was recognised by the inclusion of the reserve into the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network. The reserve, with an area of 130 hectares, was listed as an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2003.
Singapore has about 65 species of mammals, 390 species of birds, 110 species of reptiles, 30 species of amphibians, more than 300 butterfly species, 127 dragonfly species, and over 2,000 recorded species of marine wildlife.
The Raffles' banded langur, also known as the banded leaf monkey or banded surili, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is endemic to Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia. The species underwent taxonomic revisions in 2019 and 2020, in which two former subspecies were elevated to separate species. As a result, the Raffles' banded langur meets the criteria for being listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. It is mainly threatened by habitat loss.
The Bukit Timah Monkey Man, commonly abbreviated as BTM or BTMM, is a legendary creature said to inhabit Singapore, chiefly in the forested Bukit Timah region. The creature is often cited as a forest-dwelling hominid or primate, and is also accounted for as being immortal; however, its exact identity remains unknown, and its existence disputed. Documentation of the BTM is sparse and scattered; the creature is largely considered a product of local folklore.
Singapore has a wide variety of flora. Plants are mainly used to beautify the landscape of Singapore. The national flower is a hybrid orchid, Vanda Miss Joaquim.
The wildlife of Singapore is surprisingly diverse despite its rapid urbanisation. The majority of fauna that remain on the island exist in nature reserves such as the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
The National Biodiversity Centre is a branch of the National Parks Board and serves as Singapore's one-stop centre for biodiversity-related information and activities. It manages all available information and data on biodiversity in Singapore. Diverse biodiversity-related information and data are currently generated, stored and updated by different organisations and individuals. The National Biodiversity Centre will maximize the usefulness of such information and data by linking them in a single meta-database. Having complete and up-to-date information is crucial for many decision-making processes involving biodiversity. This hub of biodiversity information and data at the National Biodiversity Centre will also allow knowledge gaps to be better identified and addressed.
Dairy Farm Nature Park is a 63-hectare nature park located at 100 Dairy Farm Road, Upper Bukit Timah in the west side of Singapore. Dairy Farm Nature Park is known as a recreational area that offers a variety of attractions for visitors to explore. Some of the more notable attraction of the park includes the Singapore Quarry and Dairy Farm Quarry, both of which will enhance the unique opportunities for outdoor activities and appreciation of the nature environment in Singapore. Singapore Quarry is one of the two quarries that is located in Dairy Farm Nature Park where visitors can spot dragon files and even birds while admiring the scenic lake view. Meanwhile, Dairy Farm Quarry offers an experience of the region's geological history and it is surrounded by lush greenery and even rock cliffs. With these two quarries at the park, it will definitely contribute to the park's appeal for visitors to explore and hike.
The Singaporean government has established four nature reserves in Singapore. They are the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Labrador Nature Reserve, and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
The Central Water Catchment, also known as the Central Catchment Area, is a designated planning area and one of the two main water catchments of Singapore. The country's main reservoirs – MacRitchie, Upper Seletar, Upper Peirce and Lower Peirce – are in the central catchment area.
Lower Peirce Reservoir Park is a park located along Old Upper Thomson Road in Singapore and overlooks Lower Peirce Reservoir, Singapore's second oldest reservoir. A mature secondary rainforest lines the bank with numerous rubber trees and oil palms. A 900-metre boardwalk constructed in Nov 1998 provides an outdoor classroom for nature study and recreation in a natural forest environment. Interpretative boards on the flora and fauna in the forest serves as a guide together with bum rest, scenic view and picnic points along the route. The boardwalk was specially routed and built on existing trails to elevate the compaction and soil erosion caused by the overuse of these trails in the forest to ensure the protection floral and fauna on the forest floor.
The Eco-Link@BKE is an ecological bridge in Singapore which connects the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve with the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.