Animal Conservation & Research Program in Singapore

This initiative started as a conservation effort to rescue Horseshoe Crabs entrapped in deployed and abandoned fishing nets at the Mandai mudflats. It then evolved to basic research on their population structure and on to more sophisticated research to improve our understanding of this little-known ancient mariner, the Horseshoe Crab, which is as old as the dinosaurs.

Over the years, we had students from primary, secondary and international schools, trainee teachers from NIE and members of the public collaborating in rescue and research on the Mandai mudflats. This activity is a real immersion in "muddy hands-on and legs in mud" and "out of the comfort zone" search and, if necessary, rescue work. We introduce and train volunteers in the proper handling of the Horseshoe Crabs, and how to measure their length, identify their gender and breeding status, record measurements and release them back into the mangroves.