Yes, you read right. The clown fish that children the world over now know as Nemo is a native of our own backyard, the waters off Kusu Island.

For decades, Kusu Island has been the island of pilgrimage for Taoist devotees. Most Singaporeans have no idea that this nondescript islet is actually also a hotbed of rich marine life. In fact, many other Southern Islands of Singapore such as Sentosa, Pulau Hantu, St John's Island, etc, are also home to the remains of our coral life.

Singapore is listed in the World Atlas of Coral Reefs of the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). Coral reefs cover 284,300 sq km of the earth's surface, an area just half the size of France. Out of the 80 countries that are listed with coral reefs, Singapore has the 71st spot with a modest reef area of less than 100 sq km. Neighbouring popular dive spots, Malaysia and Thailand, occupy the 17th and 26th spots respectively.

While the snooty justify blowing money on overseas diving packages, the quality of the marine life here, I've been told, stands up to comparison with those of neighbouring countries. A diver who had traveled all the way to Manado in Indonesia to catch a glimpse of the purportedly elusive anemone shrimp, was later indignant to realise that the creature can actually be found frolicking in the waters around Kusu Island!

Benefits of coral reefs

Corals reefs are more than just the bedrock of the marine ecosystem. Besides aesthetic value, the sea-life around them provide food for hundreds of millions of people, many of whom have no other source of animal protein. In the case of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, coral reefs are also an important source of income and employment through tourism and marine recreation. In addition, these limestone structures host an extraordinary variety of marine plants and animals. In more specific terms, over 25% of all known marine species, 700 species of coral, more than 4,000 different species of fish and thousands of other plants and animals rely on these coral reefs for their rudimentary sustainability. But a more astounding fact is that people with HIV infections are actually treated with chemicals extracted from a Caribbean reef sponge. In fact, more than half of all new cancer drug research focuses on marine organisms.

Singapore Coral Reefs

According to a local study, the reefs in Singapore harbour close to 200 species of hard corals from 55 genera. This, given the size of the reefs and natural conditions, places our reefs almost on par with the richness of coral species in the more extensive reefs of the region. Our reefs here also sustain good diversity of other marine organisms ala Nemo, whose common name is False Clown Anemone Fish. To date, 111 reef fish species from 30 families have been recorded.

Using the present statistics and a little stretch of imagination, one can conjure up an image of the once teeming marine landscape in the earlier days. The mid 1970s was the time when our fledgling nation was starting to make great strides in economic progress. Land reclamation took on the role of an inexorable, but necessary evil. A great proportion of the once 60 offshore islands and patch reefs (a type of coral reef) most of which were situated in the South made way for the country's expansion of its total land area. In the process, many of the coral reef organisms were severely affected. Since 1986, most coral reefs in Singapore have lost up to 65% of their live coral cover.

Rediscover the Southern Islands

Not all is lost though. Thankfully, we haven't quite plumbed the depths of the ocean yet. The good news is, there are still a myriad of fascinating corals and marine creatures in the Southern Islands today. These include the brain corals, cauliflower corals and mushroom corals. There are also the sponges, sea squirts and feather-duster worms. Intriguing names, to say the least. More familiar will be what often lands on your dining table; the reef fishes such as groupers, snappers, scads and trevallies.

In an endeavour to increase awareness of the marine habitat in Singapore, a group of local marine conservation activists known as the Blue Water Volunteers (BWV) have launched a project named Reefwalk, with the objective of introducing Singaporeans to the remaining reefs in Singapore. The wonderful thing about this educational tour is that you do not have to know how to swim or dive to engage in finding Nemo. The walks will be conducted during low tide when the vibrant marine biodiversity is showcased in its unadulterated glory. Guided walks at Kusu Island will be held on 14 November and 12 December 2004.

To sign up, email mingsheng81@yahoo.com.sg. Participation is on a first-come-first-served basis.

Jeffrey Low, a BWV committee member, says that the awareness level of the marine habitat in Singapore is very low and that people generally do not equate the island with marine life. Surely nonsense when Singapore and Malaysia are located in the same geographical location, so the quality of marine life in our shared expanse of ocean can't be vastly different. A diver since 1986, he adds that diving off Pulau Hantu and St John's Island has given him a different perspective of Singapore.

Another BWV member, Loh Tse-Lynn, concurs. She says that it is largely due to poor water visibility caused by sedimentation that most people fail to see what truly lies beneath, a veritable treasure trove of marine splendour. She even likens diving in Singapore to being a surreal experience. "On a good day with optimal visibility conditions, the luxuriant marine life here is such that you feel like you are diving in the waters of Pulau Tioman," she enthuses. During her diving trips here, she has seen colourful sponges and sea slugs, sea snakes, starfish and even reef sharks!

For more information about the Southern Islands, visit http://www.wildsingapore.com

Information was adapted with permission from the websites of United Nations Environment Programme WorldConservation Monitoring Centre and Coral Reefs of Singapore.

Did you Know...?

• Coral reefs are massive structures deposited by living creatures.
• Corals comprise tiny, fragile animals and the skeletons they leave behind when they die.
• The Great Barrier Reef is said to be the only natural structure clearly visible from space.
• Coral reefs are often referred to as the 'rainforests of the oceans'.
• Indonesia is the largest reef nation followed by Australia and the Philippines.