WHEN you next visit the Jurong BirdPark, the Singapore Zoo or the Night Safari, you could be helping to rescue Singapore's endangered animals.

Since April, 20 cents from each entry ticket to the three parks have been donated to a new conservation fund.

The Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund was officially launched yesterday by Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), the parent company of the three parks. The fund is the first public one here aimed specifically at protecting the island's endangered species.

It will fund local conservation efforts, and it also aims to raise awareness about the effect of climate change on the range of plant and animal life, as well as snuff out illegal wildlife trade.

WRS has put $1 million in seed money into the fund. Another $100,000 has been pledged by corporate and private donors. It further aims to raise $1 million every year from ticket sales. An annual charity bazaar on World Animal Day is planned and donation boxes will be placed in the three parks.

This marks a big step forward in financial support for conservation, considering that WRS spent $500,000 on conservation in its own parks over the last 22 years.

The new fund has committed $500,000 over five years to the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Ah Meng Conservation Fund, which will study the banded langur monkey as its first project. Fewer than 30 such monkeys are estimated to be left here.

Another project it will support is a monthly wild bird survey to catalogue Singapore's endangered birds and to identify those that can be protected. A separate survey on flying squirrels and giant squirrels has been lined up.

Before grants are awarded, proposed projects are assessed by a panel of eight experts from agencies including the National Parks Board, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and the zoo. The panel will make its recommendations to a five-member board of trustees, which will set the level of funding for approved projects.

WRS will not apply for grants for its own conservation projects, as it will continue to use funds from its own operating budget for those, said Ms Fanny Lai, group chief executive of WRS.

Trustee Leo Tan, director of special projects at NUS' Faculty of Science, said the fund was a boon to those who want to work on protecting wildlife.

'There are many things we don't understand yet. This is why research is critical. The fund will identify those species we should be looking at,' he said.

Those working to administer the fund, such as honorary managing director Daisy Ling, are all WRS employees doing this on a voluntary basis. Ms Claire Chiang, who chairs both WRS and the fund, said that when the fund is more established, it will hire its own administrative staff.

The charity has Institution of a Public Character status, meaning it is allowed to collect tax-deductible donations.

President S R Nathan, who was at the launch of the fund, sealed a time capsule containing wishes for Singapore's wildlife made by the public. It will be opened in 2023, when the zoo marks its 50th anniversary.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.