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The foundation for my interest in nature had been laid in my childhood I believe. Growing up in a small
town in the Greater Munich area and still unspoilt by Game Boys and computer games, spending your free time outside was the
natural thing to do. "Walk in the Woods", the Sunday matinée program by my parents probably contributed its part, too,
although I did not appreciate it as much as I should have at that time.
In the mid-'90s, my job with a large German
corporation brought me to Singapore and from day one I was intrigued by the myriad of strange plants and animals I came
across on my rambles through the parks and gardens here.
There was just one snag: although there was a world full of
natural wonders waiting to be discovered, most of it remained exotic and unfamiliar, and a lot of interesting details escaped
my notice.
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That changed, however, when I picked up guiding. Although it was more or less by accident,
in retrospect it seems like a rare stroke of luck
how I got started: a newspaper article I stumbled across one day about the volunteer guide program of Sungei Buloh
caught my interest, and with too much time on my hands just then, I signed up. That was in 2002. The rest is history, as they
say.
Through training programs and talks with rangers and like-minded people the previously unfamiliar became familiar,
and every new discovery whet my appetite for more.
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My knowledge of the local fauna and flora grew, and so did my excitement - I became hooked.
One of the
benefits of volunteer guiding was that I could share my experiences with others. It didn't take me long to realize that
others were facing the same dilemma I once faced: plenty to look at, but even more to overlook.
And so one thing led to
another in the end: what was merely meant to be a hobby somehow grew into a passion and has even turned into something like a
career now.
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A couple of years have passed since then, but my enthusiasm has never waned. The sheer splendour of the
tropics and a never-ending wealth of details make sure of that.
A small selection of what Singapore's nature
places have to offer can be found on these websites. After several years as a nature guide I'm sure that the "wild" side of
Singapore will also excite you. Enjoy!
Robert Heigermoser
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