Painting,
Reefs of Singapore

In the past, there were approximately sixty offshore reefs around Singapore, mainly to the south of the mainland. However, since the mid 1970s, land reclamation has destroyed or severely damaged many of the reefs. Increased turbidity levels in the sea have caused a severe reduction in live coral and marine creature populations on the reefs that remain. Despite the devastation, coral reefs of Singapore still support a large variety of marine life, including more than 200 species of coral, over 100 species of reef fish, seahorses, sea slugs, anemones, cuttlefish, sea snakes, sponges, feather stars, cone shells, shrimps, crabs, clams, sea urchins and many other organisms.

However, many threats to Singapore reefs still remain. These threats include sedimentation via land reclamation and dredging, accidental oil spills and recreational activities such as diving and boating.  This painting is meant to create awareness and bring attention to the fragile nature of the remaining marine reefs around Singapore. All of the creatures depicted in this painting have been observed in the remaining reefs around Singapore, in surveys conducted in recent years by universities and other institutions. We must protect these reefs to ensure they survive and flourish into the future.