27 & 28 Jun 2015 – NUS Toddycats were out in full force at the Festival of Biodiversity – a team of 69 volunteers, doing eight shifts over two days engaged the public at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) and International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) booths at Vivocity from 10am to 10pm!
DAY 1 (27th June 2015)
At 7.30AM, the first shift of Toddycats arrived at Vivocity and in an hour, set up booths, put up posters and tables and arranged the carefully transported specimens from the museum.
The Festival was graced by MOS Desmond Lee, who launched the Marine Conservation Action Plan, to better protect Singapore’s marine ecosystems. After the Festival had been officially opened, Mr Lee walked around the Central Court to visit the booths!
The Specimen Transport Team at the LKCNHM Loading Bay
Toddycats engaging the crowd at the LKCNHM booth
Teaching children about Singapore’s amazing marine biodiversity!
One of the Toddycats sharing storis with MOS Desmond Lee about plant specimens.
After the official opening, the crowd continued to visit the booths. Toddycats regaled the public with stories about the specimens and answered questions.
The Common Palm Civet Intern, Claudia Ang, with the juvenile Civet specimen.
The Toddycats also had two Bug Boxes on display, to highlight bugs of Singapore and fascinating visitors with stories!
Bugs are cool!
At the end of Day 1, as we packed up, some Toddycats were still going strong after 12 hours!
Sofina Ng talks about the baby dugong to a visitor even as the specimens are being packed away!
DAY 2
Day 2 began with fresh faces arriving to help set-up! Re-energized, the volunteers continued to engage the public. The crowd was large and relentless. Many families and groups approached us with pertinent questions about Singapore’s biodiversity.
The crowd was relentless, but the Toddycats were up to the challenge!
Once again, volunteers were excited to share stories about wildlife in Singapore. Toddycats were also selling tickets for the Biodiversity of Singapore Symposium IV.
Lynn Ng, the Toddycats-SG50 Intern manning the BoSS IV Booth!
Many people who were interested to find out more about recent happenings in Singapore’s Green Scene came by to buy tickets, and we look forward to seeing them at the event in a month’s time!
Toddycat volunteers themselves loved the specimens and displays.
Alvin Wong posing with the Bug Box!
Erin Tan, holding the massive fruit cluster of the Nipah Palm!
The Festival of Biodiversity was also an opportunity for Toddycats to meet up which one another again.
A Toddycats reunion!
At the end of the Day 2, the remaining volunteers packed up the specimens and took stock. But not before arming ourselves with a favourite specimen for a group photo.
NUS Toddycats have been active participants of the annual Festival of Biodiversity. Although always exhausting, it is one of the most meaningful outreach efforts we are part of. We certainly look forward to the Festival of Biodiversity 2016!
Have a treasure-trove of nature-related stories but not sure who to share them with? Come join the NUS Toddycats at the Festival of Biodiversity 2017! This annual event aims to create awareness and promote efforts in conserving and enhancing our local biodiversity. Check out various recounts of past years’ 
NUS Toddycats! 