Of Whales and Dinosaurs: The Story of Singapore's Natural History Museum
Kevin Y.L. Tan
Singapore: NUS Press, 2015
ISBN: 9789971698553

This is the story of Southeast Asia's natural history collections. Officially established in 1878, the previous Raffles Museum -- the oldest in the region -- has one of the largest collections of Southeast Asian animals.

With the opening of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore in 2015, the original Raffles Museum was 'reincarnated' and the loop on its remarkable 127-year history has closed. Beneath the sleek exterior of the modern museum building lies a saga of titanic struggles and changes. That the collections survived at all -- through the multiple challenges of the nineteenth century, the disruption of World War Two, and its potential disintegration in the face of Singapore's modernization -- is nothing short of miraculous.

This book is not only an institutional history of the museum but also tells the story of the frustrations, commitment and courage of the numerous individuals who battled officialdom, innovated endlessly and overcame the odds to protect Singapore's natural history heritage.

Rainforest in a City
Chua Ee Kiam
Singapore: National Parks Board, 2015
ISBN: 9789810917128

Rainforest in a City is yet another collaboration between National Parks Board (NParks) and Dr Chua Ee Kiam. The book highlights the natural heritage found in the nature reserves of Bukit Timah and the Central Catchment. While urban growth may be inevitable with an increase in population numbers, it is vital nonetheless to balance development with the conservation of our native biodiversity. It is a role all of us have to play to ensure the long-term survival of our precious rainforests in our city.

This book includes more than 400 images taken within Singapore's rainforests over the three-year span of the project. Readers will be taken into the deep recesses of these forests, to observe their inhabitants at various stages of their life cycles -- both in the day and in the night. Through the book, readers will be inducted into the world of these little-known Singaporeans that are thriving in our midst. Included in this book, too, are exclusive interviews with researchers and scientists who have made significant contributions to our conservation vision.

HABIT©AT
Atelier HOKO
Singapore: Math Paper Press, 2014
ISBN: 9789810921170

HABIT©AT is an inquiry into how street cats in Singapore inhabit the man-made spaces of the suburban landscapes. This publication explores the intrinsic relationship between cats and their surrounding, encouraging the viewing of our urban landscape not simply as public space but one charged with possibilities through the cats' adaptive appropriation. Their ability to discern subtle qualities and identify 'gifts' from the surrounding is a wisdom that human beings can humbly learn from and apply to our own approach towards dwelling.

Naked Ape, Naked Boss: The Man Behind the Singapore Zoo & the World's First Night Safari: Bernard Harrison
Kirpal Singh
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2014
ISBN: 9789814351720

Bernard Harrison is credited for having shaped Singapore's most attractive and iconic leisure destinations — the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari. For nearly 30 years he was intimately involved and engaged with the transformation and creative developments of these nature parks.

This book explores Harrison's journey and focuses on the critical phases which served as moments of reckoning. How easy was it for this passionate and determined man who couldn't and wouldn't take "no" for an answer to do what he really and truly wanted? What shaped his personality? What problems did he encounter in wanting to create a zoo and a night safari that Singapore could be, and is, proud of? In both the personal and the professional fields, his positioning of certain beliefs and value-systems are put in context and readers will be made aware of the intimate drivers of his passions.

From the Belly of the Cat
Stephanie Ye (ed.)
Singapore: Math Paper Press, 2013
ISBN: 9789810776565

Writers and cats have long enjoyed a special affinity, unsurprisingly since both spend much time sitting around and judging people. Discover the Lion City through the eyes of its cats and their humans in From the Belly of the Cat, an anthology of fifteen feline tales by some of the citystate’s most exciting writers and notorious cat sympathisers. For best results, read this book at home on the sofa on a rainy afternoon, with a cup of warm tea within reach, and a cat by your side.

A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of Singapore
Yong Ding Li, Lim Kim Chuah & Lee Tiah Khee
Oxford: John Beaufoy, 2013
ISBN: 9781906780890

This easy-to-use identification guide to the 280 bird species most commonly seen in Singapore is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from Singapore's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers geography and climate, vegetation, opportunities for naturalists and the main sites for viewing the listed species. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the birds of Singapore encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, IUCN status.

Wild Singapore
Geoffrey Davison, Ria Tan, & Benjamin Lee
US: John Beaufoy Publishing, 2012
ISBN: 9781906780722

The book starts with a look at Singapore's wild past: its biogeography from before human occupation up to 19th century changes and finishes with a look at the possible future of wildlife in the country. In between, there are full details on the current flora and fauna to be found in and on Singapore's reefs and rocks, mangroves and mud, lowland and swamp forests, and parks and gardens. A unique feature in each chapter is the 'Guided Tour' which takes readers to specific habitats to explore the trees, birds, plants and animals to be found there. Written by three expert authors, Wild Singapore provides an authoritative and entertaining survey of the wide spectrum of wildlife on the land and in the seas of Singapore.

Private Lives: An Expose of Singapore's Rainforests
Wang Luan Keng
Singapore: Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, 2012
ISBN: 9789810724733

The latest in this brilliantly done series of interesting books about Singapore's nature and biodiversity. It covers maybe the most important habitat of all: the tropical rainforests, which still cover small sections of the island. Packed with new information and new stunning photography of charismatic animals and plants that will surprise you. Great souvenir and gift item as well as important reference for serious students of tropical ecology.

Singapore Biodiversity: An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Development
Peter K.L. Ng (ed.)
Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 2011
ISBN: 9789814260084

Amidst Singapore's glistening urban landscape there is an amazing diversity of life - wildlife that continues to thrive and flourish in spite of multiple threats to the island's fragile ecosystem. This groundbreaking encyclopedia represents the first-ever comprehensive guide to nature in Singapore and is written by the city's foremost authorities on the natural environment, who describe in detail more than 40,000 species of flora and fauna that make up the island's biodiversity. The encyclopedia comprises two parts: the first is a fine collection of essays outlining issues relating to biodiversity, ecosystems and sustainability; the second part of the book is a comprehensive A-Z directory of over 1,500 entries, covering virtually every known organism found in Singapore. This unique reference work is not only academically rigorous - based as it is on the latest cutting-edge data and fieldwork - but its richly illustrated presentation is eminently suitable for a wider, non-specialist readership.

Our Kuching: the Vanishing Street Cats of Singapore: Through the Lens of Jon Boon
Jon Boon (photos), Sweeleng Teoh (text)
Singapore: Secondmouse Books, 2010
ISBN: 9789810874674

Our Kuching: the Vanishing Street Cats of Singapore is a pictorial celebration of the Singapore street cat. Each picture tells a compelling story of their lives and provides a snapshot of life in the heartlands in 21st century Singapore. The pictures are accompanied by heart-warming captions of the cats and snippets of trivia on the history and origins of the neighbourhoods in which they are found.