Demystifying ‘herps’: Enthusiasts to launch field guide on Singapore’s reptiles, amphibians


The blotchy Singapore bent-toed gecko was in 2012 ruled a unique species, of which the first specimen was found in the Republic. - Law Ing Sing via ST/ANN

SINGAPORE: Crouched in the darkness of a forested area in Mandai, Shivaram Rasu trained his camera lens on a grassy patch some 10m away, as he waited for a shy animal to call.

While the field frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) is a native species that is easily seen, photographing it while it croaks is difficult because of its skittish nature, said the 31-year-old doctoral student at National University of Singapore. He was documenting the creature’s behaviour for an upcoming field guide dedicated to Singapore’s reptiles and amphibians – the first in more than three decades.

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Singapore , field guide , reptiles , amphibians

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