President Tony Tan visits Chek Jawa

November 29, 2011

On Friday, I was among several nature volunteers that were invited to welcome President Tony Tan to our shores at Chek Jawa. The President, together with the first lady and their grandson, were greeted with beautiful weather out at the mudflats where young volunteers gave an introduction to the local odd and curious marine fauna.

It was wonderful that he even took a walk along to the mangroves, where other guides such as Subaraj gave an impromptu tour of some of our shores threatened flora like the Seashore nutmeg! Professor Peter Ng, who was one among the handful of local academics at the site, also chipped in a little talk about our shores to the First Lady, Mary Tan.

Many of the people who came to the shore today were visiting it for the first time. It was really nice to see so many new faces and I think it was a great way for them to witness the tremendous amount of work that so many volunteers and staff of NParks put into to maintaining interest and protecting our coastline. Above, visitors were greeted by three oriental pied hornbills and at least four wild boar at the Chek Jawa Visitors Center, while awaiting the arrival of President Tan. Other non-marine critters we saw included Great-billed herons, the biggest bird on our shores, White-bellied sea eagles and White-throated kingfishers.

Read more about President Tan’s visit to Chek Jawa here.

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