NSS Kids’ Fun with Marine Life at Sentosa’s Natural Shore

By Gloria Seow, Education Committee Vice Chairperson 
Photos by Lena Chow


Our favourite shore guide Uncle Marcus Ng wowed us with the marine life at Sentosa’s natural shore in Tanjong Rimau on 24 November 2018. Setting off from the cable car station, we skirted the periphery of Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort to access this stretch of rocky beach where our exploration began. 

A Barrel Sponge (Xestospongia testudinaria) standing erect amidst clumps of seaweed and corals exposed by the receding waters. This sponge is maroon to pinkish in colour and has a cavity in the centre that makes it a ready receptacle for animals to take refuge in.  

This amazing shoreline brims with life, from colourful corals to crabs, fishes, molluscs and more. We are always motivated by the possibility of new discoveries carried in by the tides. 

The Giant Carpet Anemone is made up of masses of swaying tentacles that host symbiotic single-celled algae called zooxanthellae. Food produced by zooxanthellae photosynthesis is shared with the host. Carpet anemones supplement their diet by trapping fine particles, but do not eat large animals. If you look closely, you might find Peacock-tail Anemone Shrimp (Periclimines brevicarpalis) or False Clown Fish (Amphiprion ocellaris, or simply 'Nemo') amidst the tentacles. 

Nudibranch means "naked gills" and there are about 3,000 species in the world today. We came across the dapper Polka-dot Nudibranch (Jorunna funebris), a handsome blob at 5 cm long with feathery gills on its back. It feeds on a blue sponge (Neopetrosia spp). 

This is an odd flattened view of the Ornate Leaf Slug (Elysia ornata) with its 'wings' or parapodia fully obscuring its head and long body. Usually, it appears slug-like with parapodia that ripple with each passing wave. It is fairly well camouflaged against what it feeds on - the Hairy green seaweed (Bryopsis spp), which gives it a greenish coloration that varies between individuals. 

Does this coral resemble a fried egg? It is called the Omelette Leathery Soft Coral. 

Unfortunately, halfway through the walk, we were chased away by a Sentosa ranger. He claimed that we needed a permit from Sentosa to be there. There was no such requirement in the past. Such bureaucracy is uncalled for as we were simply accessing a public area. Perhaps the best solution is to construct a proper footpath at the hotel's periphery for the public, to eliminate any possibility of trespassing into hotel grounds.