#wildlife Singapore. The Epaulette Shark gives birth in the Singapore #o...

 

 

 26 December 2025. WILDLIFE SINGAPORE EDUCATIONAL VIDEO. A rare sighting of the Epaulette Shark giving birth in the ex-Singapore Oceanarium in April 2024 when the building was named S.E.A Aquarium. 

I thank Sri, a domestic migrant worker from Indonesia for presenting to me this rare smartphone footage in April 2024. She had lost this clip somewhere in her cloud storage. I produce this video to document and share with viewers of the joyful (to wildlife conservationists) event of an Epaulette Shark giving birth. 

P.S AN EPAULETTE is an ornamental shoulder piece on an item of clothing, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform. National servicemen will know what is an apaulette. Can you see the black circular spots on both shoulders of the Epaulette Shark? They look like epaulettes!

4358. The Epaulette Shark gives birth.

WILDLIFE SINGAPORE EDUCATIONAL VIDEO. 
Dr Sing Kong Yuen. 28 December 2025

1. Why is this fish name as the Epaulette Shark?

 

 Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations

Why is this fish called epaulette shark? 

Can you see two black spots with white margins  behind each pectoral fin of the epaulette shark? They are reminiscent of military epaulettes. Hence, the name epaulette shark.

 2. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the epaulette shark as of Least Concern. It is not captured by either commercial or recreational fisheries, and is minimally affected by collection for the aquarium trade and fishery 

 

3. Oviparous.  

The Epaulette shark is oviparous. She produces young by means of eggs which are hatched after they have been laid by the parents, as in birds. In this video, you will see an egg laid! 

4. Location of this shark.
You may see her in the Singapore Oceanarium.

 

 

 

 No, the epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) is not viviparous (live-bearing). It is, in fact, oviparous, which means it reproduces by laying eggs

 

 

• Egg-Laying Habit: Females deposit pairs of egg capsules (usually two at a time) on the seafloor, often tucking them into crevices in coral reefs.
• Production Volume: A female can produce between 20 and 50 eggs per year, with pairs of eggs deposited every 14 days or so between August and December.
• Development: The eggs have tough, leathery, fibrous cases that help them entangle on the seafloor. They typically hatch after a gestation period of approximately 120 to 130 days.
• Hatchlings: The newborn pups are fully independent immediately upon hatching, measuring roughly 14 to 16 cm (about 5.5 to 6.5 inches) long. 

While many shark species are viviparous (giving birth to live young with a placenta) or ovoviviparous (eggs hatch inside the mother), the epaulette shark belongs to the group that relies on

 

 A rare sighting of the Epaulette Shark giving birth in the ex-Singapore Oceanarium in April 2024 when the building was named S.E.A Aquarium.

P.S AN EPAULETTE is an ornamental shoulder piece on an item of clothing, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform. . Can you see the black circular spots on both shoulders of the Epaulette Shark? They look like epaulettes! 

 

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a decoration worn on the shoulder of a piece of clothing, especially on a military coat, shirt, etc.

4357. SINGAPORE OCEANARIUM

 WILDLIFE SINGAPORE STORIES. 
This Educational Video from Doctor Sing Kong Yuen

shows images and four clips of marine life in the
Singapore Oceanarium in Sentosa.

One clip shows the Epaulette Shark giving birth while 
the other 3 clips show the beautiful colours of jellyfishes.

The Singapore Oceanarium, formerly S.E.A. Aquarium, is an oceanarium located on Sentosa, situated in southern Singapore.

S.E.A. Aquarium ceased operations on 30 April 2025 for rebranding and expansion works.

It reopened as Singapore Oceanarium on 24 July 2025. The expanded oceanarium is divided into 22 zones which showcases diverse marine life, each telling a story about the ocean's past, present and future.

 

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#vet dwarf #hamster surgery ear wart costs

 

 

 

4356. Banyan Villas built in 2005

 23 Dec 2025:

Banyan Villas in Singapore refer to a private housing development in the Lentor Plain area which is part of Lentor Estate. These are mainly 3-storey terraced houses and one or two semi-detached.

The area is relatively quiet and has a recently renovated Banyan Villas Park and Children's Playground. A feeder bus service brings residents to the Yio Chu Kang MRT Station.

The newer Lentor MRT Station is within a 15-20 minute walk from Lentor Plain houses.

With the completion of the new Banyan Villas Park, the playground for children is new. A larger pavilion for residents to gather for a party.

However, there is no fitness corner in this small Children's playground.

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SECOND GOOGLE REVIEW
24 Dec 2025: An attractive photo of Banyan Villas is taken AND POSTED IN THIS REVIEW.

SINGAPORE - 24 DEC 2024: 5.15pm. Banyan Villas is a freehold landed estate development at Lentor Plain consisting 64 landed development. Mainly 3-storey inter and corner terrace houses, it was completed in 2005. Shuttle bus to Yio Chu Kang MRT Station. 10-minute walk to Lentor MRT Station. The Seasons Park (background) is a condominium. 

TO BUY STOCK PHOTOS:
shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

 

 

 

4355. Sparrows

SINGAPORE - 17 DEC 2025: Yishun area. The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) is resident (non-migratory) in many areas of Singapore. It has a chestnut cap, white cheeks with a black spot.

 

 SINGAPORE - 23 OCT 2025: The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) has a rich chestnut crown and a black patch on each pure white cheek. It prefers woodland and farmland areas rather than dense cities. Its population has reduced recently. 

 

 CHINA - 24 OCT 2024: 11.40am. Wildlife. An Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) perches on the entrance gate of the Huang Xiang Memorial in Yunmeng County. It was part of the flock present.

 SINGAPORE - 5 FEB 2024: 1.16pm. A plump Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) feeds on the stalk of the plumed cockscomb (Celosia argentea) grown in a public garden.

 CHINA - 24 OCT 2024: 11.40am. Wildlife. An Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) perches on the entrance gate of the Huang Xiang Memorial in Yunmeng County. It was part of the flock present. 

 

FINLAND. 17 Mar 2023. The male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is seen in Saariselka, Finland on 17 Mar 2023. Spring begins officially on 20 Mar 2023. He is different from the Tree Sparrow which has a chestnut crown.  

 

 SINGAPORE - 13 MAR 2024: The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) has a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. Male and female birds have similar plumage. 

 

 INDONESIA - 15 MAY 2023: An opportunistic Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) eats the leftover fruits on a plate from the breakfast of a diner who has vacated the table in the Bintan Residence hotel in Bintan Island.

 

 INDONESIA - 17 MAY 2023: An Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) eats the cheese when nobody is near the salad boat structure in the Bintan Residence hotel in Bintan. He has to be careful about the sharpness of the cheese knife.

 

 

 SINGAPORE - 26 APR 2023: The Eurasian tree sparrow  (Passer montanus) is a passerine bird with a rich chestnut crown and nape, and a black patch on each pure white cheek. It has  three toes facing forward and one backward. Gardens by the Bay area.

 

PIXELS.COM

 

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The Eurasian tree sparrow is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult.

 

 

Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.

The Eurasian tree sparrow's untidy nest is built in a natural cavity, a hole in a building or the disused nest of a European magpie or white stork. The typical clutch is five or six eggs which hatch in under two weeks. This sparrow feeds mainly on seeds, but invertebrates are also consumed, particularly during the breeding season. 

As with other small birds, infection by parasites and diseases, and predation by birds of prey take their toll, and the typical life span is about two years.

The Eurasian tree sparrow is widespread in the towns and cities of eastern Asia, but in Europe it is a bird of lightly wooded open countryside, with the house sparrow breeding in the more urban areas.

 

 

The Eurasian tree sparrow's extensive range and large population ensure that it is not endangered globally, but there have been large declines in western European populations, in part due to changes in farming practices involving increased use of herbicides and loss of winter stubble fields. In eastern Asia and western Australia, this species is sometimes viewed as a pest, although it is also widely celebrated in oriental art.

4354: ORANGE APHIDS

 An orange aphid usually refers to the Oleander Aphid (Aphis nerii), a bright yellow-orange pest with black legs/antennae commonly found on milkweed and oleanders, sucking plant sap, exuding sticky honeydew, and sometimes being avoided by predators due to sequestered toxins. 

Other orange aphids, like Indomegoura indica, target different hosts (daylilies, bladdernut) and have distinct features like waxy bodies. While they weaken plants, small infestations are often part of the ecosystem, but large ones can be managed with water sprays, neem oil, or encouraging beneficial insects. 

 

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Oleander Aphid (Aphis nerii)

• Appearance: Bright yellow/orange body, black cornicles (tubes), legs, and antennae.
• Hosts: Milkweeds (Asclepias), Oleander (Nerium oleander), Vinca, and other plants in the dogbane family.
• Impact: Sucks phloem sap, causing weakness and coating plants with sticky honeydew, which can grow sooty mold.
• Toxicity: Sequester cardiac glycosides from hosts, making them distasteful or toxic to some predators like ladybugs and lacewings, allowing large populations to grow. 
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• Other Orange Aphids
• Indomegoura indica: Also known as the waxed orange aphid, it's orange with white wax, found on daylilies and bladdernut trees, with darker siphunculi (cornicles).

This video demonstrates how to apply neem oil to your plants:

 

 

Management

• Water Spray: A strong jet of water can dislodge them.
• Hose Spray: Can wash them off.
• Neem Oil/Insecticidal Soap: Effective organic options, may need multiple applications.
• Encourage Predators: Ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps help control them naturally.
• Hand Removal: Wiping them off with fingers.
• Orange Peel Spray: A homemade deterrent spray from orange peels boiled in water. 
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#howto maintain healthy lime plants which will bloom abundant flowers? ...

This video shows that banana skin and orange peels used as natural free "fertilisers" over the soil of the pot, sunlight and rain water will sustain an older lime plant over the years. Around 21 December 2025, this video shows it produces abundant healthy snow-white buds and flowers. 

MY MESSAGE: Nuture (a plant or relationship) with love - you will reap good fruits of labour. 

4352. PHOTOGRAPH FLOWERS IN A BREEZE. Use tv mode and tripod to get sharp image of flower.

 SINGAPORE - 21 DEC 2025: 11.55am. The blooming Wrightia antidysenterica is cultivated as an ornamental plant in the Banyan Villas Park and playground, opposite 35 Lentor Plain. Its flower has snow-white petals and arched core with yellow throat, making it extremely attractive. 

To photograph this plant in a breezy environment, use tripod, tv mode, Canon R5, 105mm, 1 over 1250 sec, f over 4.5 and ISO 200.  

 

 Wrightia antidysenterica
An attractive flowerwith white arches and yellow throatBanyan Villas Park, Lentor Plain, 

21 Dec 2025  11.55am
Canon R5, 105mm, 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, iso 200

 

 

 

 

 

4351. PHOTOGRAPHY OF AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF. Tip: Use EV +1/3, tv mode

 9V-OFJ Scoot Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner named Bo Jiohas taken off from Changi Airport,

19 Dec 2025, 3.20pm

Canon R5, 105mm, tv mode,  1/2000 sec, f/4.5, IS0 160, handheld, EV+1/3