Picture Word Cards Picture Word Engage young children with 30 hand painted picture word cards of flora and fauna that can be found in . The back of each card contains key information on the plant or animal, including fun facts that will capture the interest of the children. Cards Plantain Squirrel

Group: (Callosciurus notatus) A Pre-school Educational Resource Mammals Size:

Head–body length: 22 cm Description: The upper parts of its on Singapore, a City in a Garden, Tail length: 21 cm body and tail are olive brown. Its belly and the Habitat: insides of its limbs are Forests, gardens, parks reddish brown. There are and its Biodiversity black and white stripes on Fun Facts! Where to find it: the sides of its body. It has Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, a long and bushy tail, and The Plantain Squirrel has some similarities with birds Central Catchment Nature eyes that are ringed in Reserve, Singapore Botanic white. – its chirping calls are Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland often mistaken for bird Reserve, most gardens and parks calls and it even creates Ecological roles: a spherical nest of twigs It feeds on both plants and and leaves, which is animals, and is preyed Plantain Squirrel upon by snakes and birds. known as a drey.

Vanda Miss Joaquim (Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim)

Fauna featured: Description: Its flowers are about 6 cm tall Growth Form: and 5 cm wide. The flowers Climber have three sepals and two petals that range from whitish in colour • Asian Toad to light pink. Orchid flowers also Size: have a special petal known as Indeterminate (climbers a 'lip'. The lip of the Vanda Miss • Blue Sprite Damselfly can grow as tall as their Joaquim is shaped like an angel, support) is bright pink in the middle, and has an orange centre withV Habitat: reddish-purple spots. anda Miss Joaquim • Brahminy Kite Gardens Where to find it: • Collared Kingfisher Singapore Botanic Gardens • Common Parasol Dragonfly Fun Facts! Our national flower originated from the garden of Agnes Joaquim, after • Forest Fighting Fish whom it was named. It is • Four-lined Tree Frog used as an ornamental plant. • Leopard Cat • Long-tailed Macaque • Malayan Colugo Flora featured: • Malayan Water Monitor • Bird’s Nest Fern • Olive-backed Sunbird • Casuarina • Oriental Pied Hornbill • Cattail • Painted Jezebel • Fish Poison Tree • Plantain Squirrel • Gelam • Smooth-coated Otter • Meranti • Sunda Pangolin • Swamp Fern • Swamp Forest Crab • Tembusu • White-bellied Sea Eagle • Tiger Orchid • Yellow-spotted Mudskipper • Vanda Miss Joaquim Bird’s Nest Fern Birdʼs Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Epiphyte It grows in the form of a rosette which looks like a bird's nest. Size: Fallen leaves from the host tree Maximum height: 1. 2 m are caught in the 'nest', and help to provide nutrients for the Bird's Nest Fern as they Habitat: break down. Lowland forests

Where to find it: , , Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, urban areas throughout Singapore Fun Facts! Description: This fern grows on the The young fronds can be branches of host trees. Its eaten. Its fronds are known leaves are long and wide. to have been used for It has large roots that are easing labour pains and a covered with many brown lotion made from the fronds hairs. Light brown spores is sometimes used for develop on the lower treating fever. surface of the fronds. Casuarina Casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Tree It can improve the condition of the soil and helps to prevent Size: erosion. It commonly grows in Maximum height: 40 m coastal sand dunes.

Habitat: Coastal forests, sandy beaches

Where to find it: , Pulau Semakau Fun Facts! The wood from this tree is Description: extremely hard and dense, Its leaves are tiny scales and is often used for that surround grey-green, constructing stilts, poles and needle-like twigs. Its fruits fences in coastal areas. are small, winged nuts that People like to plant Casuarina are contained in cone-like trees in windy areas because clusters that split open they act as a windbreak. when they are ripe. It is also considered one of the best firewood species in the world. Cattail Cattail (Typha angustifolia)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Herb It can remove toxic elements from water. Dense clusters of Size: cattails provide cover for Maximum height: 3 m wetland animals, and the leaves provide nesting material for some species of wetland Habitat: birds. Freshwater wetlands

Where to find it: Edges of reservoirs and other freshwater bodies Fun Facts! Description: The part that looks like a It has thick, narrow and ‘cattail’ is a cluster of sword-shaped leaves. thousands of flowers. Cattails Flowering stalks grow up to are common here, and in 2 m tall. After pollination, many other parts of the the slightest disturbance world, because their seeds will send the seeds floating are easily distributed over through the air to be long distances. The dispersed by the wind. underground stems and pollen can be dried and made into flour. Fish Poison Tree Fish Poison Tree (Barringtonia asiatica)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Tree It is the food plant for some moth larvae. Fruit bats and Size: night-flying moths are attracted Maximum height: 30 m to its flowers and act as pollinators. Habitat: Coastal forests

Where to find it: Sungei Buloh Wetland Fun Facts! Reserve, Singapore Botanic While they contain toxic Gardens, Labrador Park, substances, the fruit and sandy coasts and seashores seeds are edible when cooked. Fishermen use them Description: as fish poison to disable fish It has a round crown with so they float to the water large, shiny, dark green surface. The bark, leaves leaves. Its flowers appear and fruits have been fluffy because they have used by some to treat many white, pink-tipped backaches and sore joints. stamens. Its fruit is shaped Oil can be extracted from like a lantern and turns the seeds and used as brown from green as it fuel for lanterns. matures. Gelam Gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Tree It is a known food plant for the caterpillar of the Atlas Moth. Its Size: flowers are often visited by the Maximum Height: 40 m Olive-backed Sunbird and Crimson Sunbird. Habitat: Coastal forests Fun Facts! Where to find it: Kampong Glam was named , Pulau Ubin after this tree, likely due to its abundance in that area in the Description: past. The leaves are used to Its trunk is spongy to the distill cajeputi oil for its varied touch with white, flaky medicinal uses, such as in the bark. It has greyish-green treatment of earaches, leaves with a leathery headaches, toothaches, texture and tiny flowers burns, wounds and skin with white, greenish-white diseases. The hard timber is or cream petals. Its fruits popularly used in carving, can be cup shaped or cabinet work, boat building round, and contain many and as firewood. Flakes of tiny seeds. the bark are used for insulation and stuffing pillows. Meranti Meranti (Shorea bracteolata)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Tree It grows to a great height and emerges from above the Size: canopy of rainforests. Maximum height: 50 m

Habitat: Primary rainforests

Where to find it: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Description: Its leaves are oval or Fun Facts! egg shaped. Its fruit is a The timber from this tree is nut that is green and egg suitable for making furniture. shaped, and has three When ripe, the fruits drop long wings and two from the tree and spin like shorter wings. It has small helicopters in the air as cream or yellow flowers they are carried away by the that occur in bunches of wind to other places where up to five. they will grow into big trees. Swamp Fern Swamp Fern (Acrostichum aureum)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Herb It grows on the landward side of mangrove forests, and its Size: roots help to prevent erosion Maximum height: 3 m by holding the soil in place.

Habitat: Mangrove forests

Where to find it: Pulau Ubin, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, coastal areas

Description: Its large fronds are divided into smaller segments. They are dark Fun Facts! green and have a length The young fronds can be of between 1 m and 4 m. consumed as vegetables. The fronds can be shredded or crushed and applied to wounds or ulcers. Tembusu Tembusu (Cyrtophyllum fragrans)

Growth Form: Ecological roles: Tree Its flowers are visited by skipper butterflies and moths, and its Size: fruits and seeds are eaten and Maximum height: 55 m dispersed by bats and birds.

Habitat: Primary and secondary forests

Where to find it: Central Catchment Nature Fun Facts! Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Several Tembusu trees in Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore are Heritage other gardens and parks Trees, including the one featured on the back of Description: Singapore's five-dollar note. Its bark is deeply fissured, That particular tree is located while its roots are buttress- at the Singapore Botanic like. Its leaves have pointed Gardens. Strong, long-lasting tips. Its creamy-white flowers and resistant to termites, its are fragrant, and occur in timber is used to make clusters. Its fruits are roundish chopping boards, berries that turn orange or bridges and boats. red from green. Tiger Orchid Tiger Orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum)

Growth Form: They are pale greenish yellow Epiphyte with orange brown spots and they turn darker as they mature. Size: Each flower is about 10 cm Maximum height: 2 m wide. The flower stalks can carry around 40 flowers, and the fruits are pear-shaped. The leaves are Habitat: thin and strap-like, with pointed Lowland forests tips.

Where to find it: Ecological roles: Bukit Timah Nature It is likely pollinated by large Reserve, Labrador bees. Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore Botanic Gardens, other gardens and parks

Description: This plant gets the name Fun Fact! ‘Tiger Orchid’ from its The Tiger Orchid is the flowers, which resemble largest orchid species in the the markings of a tiger. world, and can weigh up to more than a tonne! Vanda Miss Joaquim Vanda Miss Joaquim (Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim)

Growth Form: Description: Climber Its flowers are about 6 cm tall and 5 cm wide. The flowers Size: have three sepals and two petals Indeterminate (climbers that range from whitish in colour can grow as tall as their to light pink. Orchid flowers also support) have a special petal known as a 'lip'. The lip of the Vanda Miss Joaquim is shaped like an angel, Habitat: is bright pink in the middle, and Gardens has an orange centre with reddish-purple spots. Where to find it: Singapore Botanic Gardens

Fun Facts! Our national flower originated from the garden of Agnes Joaquim, after whom it was named. It is used as an ornamental plant. Asian Toad Asian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

Group: Description: Amphibians It has warty skin and a body and limbs that are grey to yellowish brown. It has raised, Size: oval-shaped glands on the Snout–vent length: sides of its head behind its 10 cm eyes. Its head has two black low ridges on top. Habitat: Forests, gardens, parks, other urban areas Ecological roles: It feeds on many insects and snails. The tadpoles feed on Where to find it: aquatic algae. Common throughout Singapore, including Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Fun Facts! The Asian Toad helps some plants by controlling the populations of their pests. The tadpoles help to improve the water quality of ponds by eating the algae. Collared Kingfisher Collared Kingf isher (Todiramphus chloris)

Group: Description: Birds Its head and upperparts are turquoise, while its underparts and collar are white. It has a Size: large bill with a pinkish lower Head–tail length: 25 cm half.

Habitat: Forests, mangroves, Ecological roles: It feeds on insects, worms, gardens, parks lizards, snails, frogs, crabs, shrimps, small fish and Where to find it: sometimes small birds. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, gardens and parks around Singapore

Fun Fact! The Collared Kingfisher nests in tree holes and termite mounds. Four-lined Tree Frog Four-lined Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)

Group: Description: Amphibians Its skin is relatively smooth. It has long and slender limbs, Size: and feet with flattened tips. Snout–vent length: 7.5 cm Its back is brown, grey or yellow, often with four thin, blackish stripes. Females are Habitat: considerably larger than males. Forests, urban areas Ecological roles: Where to find it: It feeds on insects and small Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, animals, and is preyed upon Central Catchment Nature by snakes and birds. Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Fun Fact! The Four-lined Tree Frog lays its eggs in vegetation that overhangs ponds, in a foamy mass that is glued to the vegetation. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water below to begin their lives. Long-tailed Macaque Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Group: Description: Mammals The upper parts of its body are olive brown. It has a greyish face and distinctive white Size: eyelids. Head–body length: 45 cm Tail length: 56.5 cm Ecological roles: It lives in large troupes in and Habitat: on the edges of forests and Forests, gardens, parks parks. It feeds mainly on fruits, dispersing the seeds of many Where to find it: plants, but is an opportunistic , omnivore. It is preyed upon by Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, pythons and eagles. Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Fun Fact! The Long-tailed Macaque is also known as the Crab-eating Macaque, as it can be seen foraging for crabs along beaches. Malayan Colugo Malayan Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus)

Group: Description: Mammals The upper parts of its body may be grey or reddish brown, and can have black streaks. Size: There are whitish eye rings Head–body length: 38 cm around its large eyes. It has Tail length: 26.5 cm a special skin membrane that extends from its neck, down Habitat: the sides of its body, to its tail. Forests It has a pointed muzzle and large claws on its feet. Where to find it: Bukit Batok Nature Park, Ecological roles: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, It lives in trees and feeds on Central Catchment Nature leaves, leaf shoots and flower Reserve buds.

Fun Facts! The Malayan Colugo is one of the few mammals in Singapore that is able to glide from tree to tree by spreading open its skin membrane. An infant colugo clings to the underside of its mother. Olive-backed Sunbird Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis)

Group: Description: Birds Males have a deep metallic- blue forehead, throat and Size: breast. Females are olive green Head–tail length: 12 cm and have a yellow eyebrow. Both males and females have bright yellow underparts. Habitat: Forests, mangroves, gardens, parks, other urban areas Ecological roles: It feeds mainly on nectar and insects, and is often seen Where to find it: actively foraging for insects Common throughout amongst foliage. It pollinates Singapore the flowers of many plants. It builds its nests in a wide variety of habitats including potted plants on balconies and even man-made objects. Fun Fact! The Olive-backed Sunbird is often mistaken as a hummingbird, because it occasionally hovers when foraging or collecting nest material. However, hummingbirds are usually found in North and South America, while sunbirds are usually found in Europe, Africa and Asia. Oriental Pied Hornbill Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris)

Group: Description: Birds It has a black body with a white belly. Its wings are edged Size: in white, and the underside of Head–tail length: 70 cm its tail is also white. Its casque (a hard structure on top of the bill) is yellowish with a black Habitat: patch and is larger in males Forests, gardens, parks than females. Its bill is also yellowish, while its face has a Where to find it: light blue patch. Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Istana Park, Pulau Ecological roles: Ubin, Singapore Botanic It is omnivorous, feeding mainly Gardens, Sungei Buloh on fruit but is known to also eat Wetland Reserve reptiles and large insects, especially when nesting. Fun Fact! When breeding, the female Oriental Pied Hornbill seals herself inside her nest, usually a tree hole, using a plaster made from mud and fibres. During this time, the male hunts for food and passes the food into the nest through a narrow slit. Painted Jezebel Painted Jezebel (Delias hyparete metarete)

Group: Description: Insects The tops of its wings are white with black veins and margins. Its hind wings are bright yellow Size: on the bottoms and red along Wingspan: 8 cm the edges. It likes to fly high up in the tops of trees. Habitat: Forests, mangroves, gardens, parks, Ecological roles: other urban areas The Painted Jezebel has a close relationship with the Common Malayan Mistletoe, a plant that Where to find it: grows on some trees. The adult Common throughout butterflies pollinate the flowers Singapore and lay their eggs on the leaves, which provide food for the caterpillars once they hatch.

Fun Fact! Scientists believe that the bright colours on its wings protect the Painted Jezebel by warning predators to stay away. Blue Sprite Damselfly Blue Sprite Damselfly (Pseudagrion microcephalum)

Group: Insects Description: Males are bluish with dark Size: bands on the thorax. Females Wingspan: 1.8 cm are brownish with green Head–abdomen length: markings on the thorax. Fun Fact! 3 cm Do you know how to Ecological roles: differentiate a damselfly from Habitat: The larvae feed on mosquito a dragonfly? When at rest, Freshwater habitats, larvae and other small animals. the dragonfly spreads out its gardens and parks Adult damselflies feed on wings like an aeroplane, but insects including mosquitoes. the damselfly rests with its wings folded up. Where to find it: Common at most ponds in public parks around Singapore Brahminy Kite Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

Group: Birds Description: Its body is chestnut with a white Size: head and breast. Its wings are Head–tail length: 50 cm also chestnut but the tips are black. Fun Fact! Like most other birds of prey, Habitat: the Brahminy Kite sometimes Forests, grasslands, Ecological roles: rides on spirals of hot air, so mangroves, gardens, Strictly carnivorous, it that it does not need to flap parks, other urban areas scavenges for food and is often its wings so much. When it observed feeding on dead fish does so, it looks like it is and crabs in freshwater and Where to find it: circling in the sky. This is coastal wetlands. It known as thermalling. Many locations throughout occasionally hunts live prey Singapore such as fish and rodents. Common Parasol Dragonfly Common Parasol Dragonfly (Neurothemis fluctuans)

Group: Insects Description: Its body is reddish and its Size: wings are almost entirely Wingspan: 2.5 cm brownish red. The males have Head–abdomen length: a brownish-red thorax and Fun Fact! 3.5 cm abdomen. The females are duller in colour and have Dragonflies provide natural clear wings. control of mosquito Habitat: populations, and help to Freshwater habitats, prevent mosquito-borne gardens, parks, Ecological roles: diseases such as dengue. urban areas The larvae feed on mosquito larvae and other small animals. Adult dragonflies feed on Where to find it: insects including mosquitoes. Most ponds in public parks around Singapore Forest Fighting Fish Forest Fighting Fish (Betta pugnax)

Group: Fish Description: It has a brown and slender Size: body with scales that are Fun Facts! Head–tail length: 6.5 cm iridescent blue or green Young Forest Fighting Fish (they seem to change colour are protected by their father, when you look at them in which carries the eggs and

Habitat: different light or from different fry in its mouth. These fish Forest streams angles). Adults have two black can change their colours too, horizontal stripes. depending on their mood, Where to find it: such as when they are Bukit Timah Nature Ecological roles: stressed or aggressive. Reserve, Central Catchment It feeds on small aquatic insects Nature Reserve and worms. Leopard Cat Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)

Group: Mammals Description: The upper parts of its body and Size: tail are reddish or yellowish with Head–body length: 56 cm black spots. It has a round head Tail length: 26 cm with a short muzzle and large, Fun Fact! rounded ears. The backs of its The Leopard Cat's name ears are black with white spots. comes from the

Habitat: leopard-like spots on its Forests Ecological roles: body. However, it is much It is strictly carnivorous, feeding smaller than a leopard. Where to find it: mainly on small vertebrate It is about the size of Pulau Ubin animals such as frogs, lizards, a domestic cat. rats and birds. Although they usually live alone, they can also be found in pairs or in small family groups. Malayan Water Monitor Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator)

Group: Reptiles Description: Ecological roles: Its body is greyish brown to It mainly inhabits terrestrial Size: black. It has thick, leathery areas near water and is a Head–tail length: 3 m skin with small non- good swimmer and diver. It overlapping scales. Its can also climb trees. It feeds tongue is slender and on small animals and fish. Habitat: forked. Its snout is long and Forests, mangroves, gardens, slender, with nostrils parks positioned close to the tip. Fun Fact! Where to find it: The Malayan Water Monitor Central Catchment Nature is often mistakenly identified Reserve, , as an Iguana or Pulau Ubin, Singapore Botanic Komodo Dragon. Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Plantain Squirrel Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus)

Group: Mammals Description: The upper parts of its Size: body and tail are olive Head–body length: 22 cm brown. Its belly and the Fun Facts! Tail length: 21 cm insides of its limbs are reddish brown. There are The Plantain Squirrel has black and white stripes on some similarities with birds Habitat: the sides of its body. It has – its chirping calls are Forests, gardens, parks a long and bushy tail, and often mistaken for bird eyes that are ringed in calls and it even creates Where to find it: white. a spherical nest of twigs Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and leaves, which is Central Catchment Nature Ecological roles: known as a drey. Reserve, Singapore Botanic It feeds on both plants and Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland animals, and is preyed Reserve, most gardens and parks upon by snakes and birds. Smooth-coated Otter Smooth-coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata)

Group: Mammals Description: The upper parts of its body are Size: brown and buffy, while its throat Head–body length: 65 cm and the sides of its neck are Tail length: 45 cm cream coloured. Its fur is short, smooth and sleek. It has a long Fun Fact! and sleek body with short limbs In Bangladesh, Habitat: and a flattened tail. Its fingers Smooth-coated Otters are Mangroves, mudflats and feet are fully webbed, with bred in captivity. They are claws that are prominent. Where to find it: tamed and trained to assist fishermen. Pulau Ubin, Sungei Buloh Ecological roles: Wetland Reserve, some It is strictly carnivorous, feeding gardens and parks mainly on fish but also eating crustaceans and other small animals. Sunda Pangolin Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica)

Group: Mammals Description: Its body and tail are covered Size: with brown scales. It has long Head–body length: 65 cm claws on its feet. It wraps its Fun Facts! Tail length: 56 cm long, tapered tail around its body when it is disturbed, to The Sunda Pangolin is protect its non-scaly underparts. hunted for its skin, scales and Habitat: meat, due to the unproven Forests belief that they possess Ecological roles: special healing powers. The Using its sticky tongue, it feeds Where to find it: infant rides on its mother's on ants and termites from nests back at the base of its tail. Bukit Batok Nature Park, excavated using its powerful Bukit Timah Nature claws. It has few natural Reserve, Central Catchment predators in Singapore. Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin Swamp Forest Crab Swamp Forest Crab (Parathelphusa reticulata)

Group: Crustaceans Description: Ecological roles: Its hard upper shell is known It digs burrows in the sides of as a carapace. Its two front muddy banks. It feeds on plant Size: legs are called pincers, and matter predominantly, but also Carapace length: 4 cm the rest are known as scavenges for animals when walking legs. Its shell is the opportunity arises. Habitat: covered in a network of Freshwater swamps orange and reddish brown, which provides good camouflage in the swamp. Where to find it: When it is young, the shell Fun Fact! Central Catchment Nature is spotted. As the crab Reserve The Swamp Forest Crab is grows, the spots gradually only found in Singapore and change into distinctive nowhere else in the world. reticulated patterns, hence its scientific name. White-bellied Sea Eagle White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Group: Birds Description: Its head, underparts and Fun Fact! Size: wedge-shaped tail are white The White-bellied Sea Eagle Head–tail length: 70 cm with greyish upperparts. is a good hunter. When it Ecological roles: has spotted a fish, it will fly Habitat: low over water, then prepare It feeds primarily on fish but is Freshwater and coastal to strike by holding its feet far also known to eat sea snakes. habitats forward. It strikes in a quick backwards motion, while Where to find it: flapping its wings at the Bukit Timah Nature same time to lift itself up in Reserve, Central Catchment the air immediately after it Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, has grasped the fish all coastal parks in its talons. Yellow-spotted Mudskipper Yellow-spotted Mudskipper (Periophthalmus walailakae)

Group: Fish Description: Its cheeks and body are grey Size: with scattered yellowish spots. Head–tail length: 13 cm Its upper body has brownish spots. Its first dorsal fin is Fun Fact! brownish red with a broad The Yellow-spotted Habitat: black band and narrow white Mudskipper is said to be Mangroves, mudflats, margin. Its second dorsal fin nocturnal, leaving its burrow sandflats has a black stripe in the at night to forage and middle. returning to the burrow Where to find it: in the morning. Pasir Ris Park, Pulau Ubin, Ecological roles: Sungei Buloh Wetland It feeds on crabs and insects, Reserve and digs burrows in mud.