Source : Channel NewsAsia, 29 Jan '10
By : Cheryl Lim
  

Wildlife Reserves Singapore manages the Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park and the Night Safari.

Among many projects under the partnership, endangered Giant River Terrapins – which are only a few months old – from the Singapore Zoo, along with their wild cousins in Cambodia, will be part of a Joint Turtle Initiative in Asia.

The Wildlife Conservation Society currently manages 500 conservation projects in more than 60 countries. It also manages five parks in New York City - the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo.

One other project the partnership will undertake is a turtle workshop for specialists in Asia, which will give them the opportunity to take stock of the current situation of endangered turtles in the region, as well as share their conservation strategies.

2010 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Biodiversity, and in the spirit of that, all four organisations said they hope the collaboration will tap into the knowledge from all four sides, and will help enhance global conservation efforts.

The parties also committed to exchanging best practices and technical expertise, along with promoting public awareness about the importance of preserving global biodiversity.

Ward Wood, chairman of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said: "Not only is every culture imbued with nature, but from a very pragmatic point of view, we need nature in order to continue to survive."

Claire Chiang, chairperson of the Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund, said: "It will only do good to the way we manage our zoos better, we will discover the rainforest biodiversity. We can then nurture our own crop of expertise to manage our own parks, at an even higher quality level."

The partners said the agreement will also allow for the testing of new ideas and projects.