# General > Member's Lounge > Nature and Conservation >  Release of animals, especially fish on Vesak Day

## Justikanz

Hi, I hope this is not too late.

AVA mentioned that due to fear of the avian flu, there is a tendency of people buying frogs and fish, among other non avian animals for release on Vesak Day.

PLEASE do NOT perform such releases. Not only will the non-native animals disturb the already badly disturbed nature here, the more agressive species will out compete local fauna very easily.

The idea of goldfish (reporetd as the most common choice for animal release noe) being released into our rivers is rather scary!...

Furthermore, the released animals that will not disturb the fragile nature of Singapore will have a high possibility of ending up dead within a few days if they are not used to finding their food in the wild.

Thus, there is no point in doing so... And it does not really flow with Buddhist teachings. (Err... No arguing of this here, please. Any disagreement, please PM me and we discuss.  :Smile:  )

Anyway, Have a nice holiday and Happy Vesak!

With Metta

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## budak

Some of the dumber cases recently have involved: star tortoises being dumped into the pond at East Coast Park, and freshwater fish like snakeheads being released into the sea. 

Good intentions + wilful ignorance = disaster!

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## MIZU

most of them r older folk.. nobody teaching them abt the fragile nature of Singapore...in their mind,it is onli freedom to the poor animal...their intention is gd ,but somehow they did it in a wrong way in our eye..if they knew or some1 teach or tell them wat is happening .. i dun think tt they will do tt thing like wat bro budak have mention (star tortoises being dumped into the pond at East Coast Park, and freshwater fish like snakeheads being released into the sea.).. :Smile:  no hard feeling .. juz a discussion.. :Smile:  i wun mind if they release apisto to my tank.. :Laughing:

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## MrTree

Release Harlequin rasboras! Nice red color brings good luck too!

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## celticfish

i suppose the LFS can get into this buy getting them to buy endlers (local species) to release!!  :Laughing:  ... rotfl...





> Release Harlequin rasboras! Nice red color brings good luck too!

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## Quixotic

But _Trigonostigma heteromorpha_ (Harlequins) are indigenous to Singapore. _Poecilia wingei_ (Endlers) are not and those found in Singapore are most probably _Poecilia reticulata_ (Guppies) ferals.

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## Justikanz

There are no local species of either guppies or Endlers...  :Razz: 

MIZU, you will be surprised the number of so called educated and young people releasing the wrong animals in the wrong place out of a wrong intention.

_Oh, MIZU, PLEASE spell properly!... It shows you respect all other forum memebrs when you make the effort to spell properly. There are no limitations to the number of characters you can type in each post. So, please take the effort to spell out each word properly and not use SMS lingo.

And it makes reading your posts a little easier than it is now. 
_

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## MIZU

if that is the case .. god will punish them..  :Mad: 

sorry for that.. too use to..will try my best to improve.. :Grin:

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## XnSdVd

1) Age does not excuse ignorance/blatant stupidity. You're older & therefore have had more time to learn

2) Singapore has our own native strains of Harlequin. I'm sure those of us who've spotted native species can see significant differances between them and those in shops.

3) Erwin! *smack* Endlers aren't from S'pore man... if you're comming on the 28th i'll show you what an unspoiled river looks like  :Wink:  

4) If you ask me, People releasing goldfish while sad, isn't as harmful as someone releasing danios or cichlids. Think of it as a compromise, if you can't save these animals, at least they won't screw up the ecosystem.

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## celticfish

oh dear.... so guys.
i was thinking of those fish that look like endlers.
i use to catch these guys from the small streams that feed into the singapore river around river valley close.
rainbow fish? its got pale blues, purple and red. with a black spot somewhere.
can some of the folks that were young enough to catch them please tell me what they are?
aren't they local?

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## Justikanz

Erwin, those were _feral_ populations of guppies. They escaped from the local farms when the farms were flooded by the heavy rains.  :Smile:  Guppies were originally from Centra America.  :Smile:

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## XnSdVd

Foreign devils!!

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## celticfish

oh... thanks thomas!

yes. yes. these are the exact foreign devils!!  :Grin:

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## richietay

> SINGAPORE : With Vesak Day approaching, the National Parks Board (NParks) has urged the public to refrain from releasing animals into the wild.
> It said domesticated animals would be unable to fend for themselves in the forest.
> 
> Most of them do not survive after being released and an estimated 90 percent die within a day.
> 
> Introducing animals non-native to Singapore into the wild would also disturb the ecological balance in nature reserves or reservoirs.
> 
> These animals are usually more aggressive or prolific breeders and may compete with the native animals for food and space.
> 
> ...


Wonder have the public apprehend the message this year round?  :Smile:

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## budak

More snakeheads in the US: http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/143221.html

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