Rare creature makes remarkable comeback after years of lab breeding: 'This means they are surviving'

The Straits Times recently reported an exciting milestone for conservationists in Singapore. The endangered Singapore freshwater crab (Johora singaporensis) is now reproducing in the wild following reintroduction efforts in 2018.

A rare creature, the crab is found only in the Lion City. To support its survival, researchers from the National Parks Board bred the endangered species in a lab before introducing some of the animals in Bukit Batok.

Seven years later, the species is showing signs of success, as the crabs have established their own population.

"This means they are surviving, even breeding the next generation of crabs in the wild," group director for the National Parks Board's National Biodiversity Centre Dr. Karenne Tun told The Straits Times.

The successful reintroduction of the Singapore freshwater crab not only helps to safeguard this species from extinction but also supports the region's biodiversity.

Freshwater species like this one are threatened across the globe, as pollution and rising global temperatures impact their habitats. Putting the rare crab's struggle in a larger context, The Straits Times referenced a study recently published in the journal Nature, which found that 25% of all freshwater species are at risk of extinction.

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"Pollution, dams and water extraction, habitat loss and agriculture were some of the key threats facing such species, the study found," wrote The Straits Times. "Climate change impacts, such as rising temperatures and severe weather events, can also affect these species, the study noted."

The reintroduction of the Singapore freshwater crab is a step in the right direction. These organisms play a vital role in sustaining delicate habitats, such as through nutrient cycling to help support the health of the entire ecosystem.

"The awareness and protection of these natural freshwater habitats, which might otherwise be out of sight and out of mind," Darren Yeo, associate professor and head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, told The Straits Times, "also benefit other less prominent but equally important species — both freshwater and terrestrial — living in the same area."

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