Singapore Freshwater Crab Working Group

About the Singapore Freshwater Crab

The Singapore Freshwater Crab (Johora singaporensis) is one of the 3 known freshwater crab species unique to Singapore and not found anywhere else.

It is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is among the top 100 most threatened species worldwide.

About the Singapore Freshwater Crab Working Group

The freshwater crab has stringent habitat requirements and is known to exist in several freshwater streams in Singapore (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak). Surveys found a decline in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve population possibly due to stream acidification. Luckily, the crab thrives in the other two locations.

Several collaborative efforts were initiated to conserve this critically endangered species:

In 2013, NParks and NUS started a 2-year research programme to:

• Establish a feasible method for monitoring the crabs.
• Evaluate the current condition of the sites where they are found.
• Recommend actions to ensure the crabs continue to thrive in their natural environment.
• Identify potential locations for population enhancement.

In 2014, the inaugural Freshwater Crab Conservation Roundtable brought together researchers and officers from NParks, NUS, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), IUCN, and members of other governmental agencies and NGOs to develop a conservation strategy for the species.

Following the Roundtable meeting, the Conservation Strategy for the Singapore Freshwater Crab publication was created to:

• Highlight the various problems the crabs faced.
• Detail the ongoing and future conservation management efforts for the crabs.

A Working Group led by NParks with close collaboration with NUS and Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) (formerly known as WRS) was also formed to implement the Singapore Freshwater Crab Conservation strategy.

Working Group efforts

Informed by research on habitat, genetics, and population, management plans were carried out which led to significant progress in conserving the species.