Discover the Ecological Diversity in a Pond in the New Low Value Definitive Stamp

Transcription

1 For Immediate Release Discover the Ecological Diversity in a Pond in the New Low Value Definitive Stamp Date of Issue: 13 April 2011 Complete set of Pond Life (Low value) stamps (S$4.08) Pre-cancelled First Day Cover affixed with eight Pond Life (Low value) stamps (S$4.35) Definitives: Pond Life Collector s Sheet comprising both high and low value stamps (S$28.00) Singapore, 12 April In this new low value definitive stamp series of 10 stamps to be released on 13 April 2011, SingPost brings you the amazing diversity and beauty of a pond ecosystem which are part of our natural heritage that few of us may actually see. This new low value definitive stamp series will complete the Pond Life definitive collection. The high value definitive Pond Life stamp set was issued on 16 February this year. This set of low value definitive stamp sets with its intricate designs shows some commonly found life forms at a pond. Page 1 of 5

2 The 1 st Local and 2 nd Local stamps spot the lovely Water Lily and the striking Water Hyacinth respectively. Water lily (Nymphaea) is a fresh water plant found in most parts of the world. It is rooted in soil in bodies of water, with leaves and flowers floating on the water surface. The leaves are round and the flowers are wonderfully showy and fragrant, lasting only a few days. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant with broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves and has long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black. Flowers are mostly lavender to pink in colour with six petals. The eight low-value stamps feature the White-Collared Kingfisher (5 ), Diving Beetle (20 ), Common Redbolt (Dragonfly) (30 ), Ornate Coraltail (Damselfly) (45 ), Black Marsh Terrapin (50 ), White-Breasted Waterhen (55 ), Common Greenback (65 ) and Common Toad (80 ). There are less than 10 documented species of Kingfishers found in Singapore and the White-Collared Kingfisher (Todirhamphus chloris) featured in this set is one of the most commonly found species. The Diving Beetle (Cybister rugosus, part of the family Dytiscoidea) is voracious predator and hunts a wide variety of prey, including other insects, tadpoles, and small fish. One of the world s oldest insects - the dragonfly Common Redbolt, (Rhodothemis rufa) is commonly found in Singapore, particularly in weedy ponds, lagoons in lowland, and water channels. The dragonfly is a valuable predator that eats mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees and ants. The Damselfly, Ornate Coraltail (Ceriagrion cerinorubellum), also known as Bi-coloured Damsel, is the most common and beautiful species of damselflies. It is easily found in many of Singapore s parks particularly around ponds, drains, canal, open streams, and is relatively big in size compared to other damselflies. The Black Marsh Terrapin (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) is known as the 'Smiling Terrapin' on account of its upwardly curved jaw line. Growing only to about 20 cm in size, this is one of the region's smallest terrapins. It feeds on frogs, freshwater prawns, worms and snails, as well as carrion. The White-Breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is the most common of the Rail family in Singapore. It feeds mainly on seeds, insects, small fish, and also nibble on worms, shoots and roots of marsh plants. The Common Greenback (Rana erythraea) is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. Commonly found near a pond, it lives in damp grass and undergrowth, and plunges into the water when alarmed. Its diet includes insects, worms and slugs, and its eggs are laid in clumps. The Common Toad or Asian Toad (Bufo melanostictus) is differentiated from a frog by its shorter legs and warty skin, and its eggs are laid in long strings. It hides in the ground and hunts for food at night, feeding on insects, larvae, spiders, slugs and worms. Larger toads may also eat small reptiles and rodents, which are swallowed alive. Page 2 of 5

3 Products on Sale Stamp collectors will be thrilled with the specially-wide range of stamp products that come with this issue, notably the special collector s sheet, priced at S$28.00, which presents all the 14 high and low value stamps, and two different first-day covers, i.e. the Pre-cancelled First Day Cover affixed with 1 st local and 2 nd local stamps (S$1.25) and the Pre-cancelled First-Day Cover affixed with 5, 20, 30, 45, 50, 55, 65 and 80 stamps (S$4.35). First day cover will be cancelled with a special Pond Life postmark. Apart from the special collector s sheet and Pre-cancelled First-Day Covers, collectors can also purchase the complete set of ten stamps (S$4.08), the Presentation Pack (S$5.95), and self-adhesive stamp booklet (S$ ). All stamp products of this issue will be on sale from 13 April 2011 at all post offices and the Singapore Philatelic Museum. Orders can also be made at SingPost s online shopping portal, vpost, Definitive stamps are stamps produced to meet normal postal demand, with new issues released every three to five years. SingPost s last definitive stamp series was issued in 2007 featuring flora and fauna. Information and enquiries For more information on this new stamp issue, please visit - End - 1 SingPost is extending S$0.15 discount for 1 st local stamp booklets/stamp sheets of 10s, started on 15 May 2010, to a full year ending 14 May Page 3 of 5

4 About Singapore Post Limited (Reg. No M) Singapore Post Limited (SingPost) is a leading provider of mail, logistics and retail solutions in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region. It is the designated Public Postal Licensee (PPL) for Singapore providing domestic and international postal services as well as end-to-end mail solutions such as data printing, lettershopping, delivery and mailroom management. As a logistics provider, SingPost offers domestic and international door-to-door delivery services, including express delivery (Speedpost) along with warehousing, fulfilment and distribution services. SingPost owns one of the largest retail distribution networks in Singapore with its extensive trichannel network of over 60 post offices, more than 300 Self-service Automated Machines (SAM) and the online shopping and shipping portal vpost. SingPost was listed on the Main Board of the SGX-ST on 13 May The company has won many awards and accolades. It is the only postal company in the world to have won the Express Mail Service (EMS) Cooperative Certification Gold Level Award by the Universal Postal Union for its Speedpost Worldwide Courier Service for ten consecutive years since It was also named runner-up in the Most Transparent Company Award 2009 for the third time at the SIAS Investors Choice Awards. For further information, please visit ~~~~~~~~~~ For general information on SingPost, call 1605 or visit us at Page 4 of 5

5 ANNEX 1 Items on Sale Price First Day Cover (without stamps) S$0.25* Pre-cancelled First-Day Cover affixed with 1st and 2nd local stamps S$1.25* Pre-cancelled First-Day Cover affixed with 5, 20, 30, 45, 50, 55, 65 and 80 stamps S$4.35* Complete set of stamps (1st local, 2nd local, 5, 20, 30, 45, 50, 55, 65 and 80 ) S$4.08 Self-adhesive Stamp Booklet (1st local x 10 stamps) S$2.55 Presentation Pack S$5.95* Collectors Sheet S$28.00 Technical Details Date of Issue : 13 April 2011 Denominations : 1st local, 2nd local, 5, 20, 30, 45, 50, 55, 65 and 80 Stamp Size : 30 mm x 27 mm - 1st Local, 2nd Local 40 mm x 30 mm - 5, 20, 30, 45, 50, 55, 65 and 80 Collectors Sheet : 240 mm x 155 mm Self-adhesive Stamp Booklet : 70 mm x 80 mm Perforation : 14 Sheet Content : 50 stamps per sheet Paper : Unwatermarked Printing Process : Rotogravure Printer : Joh Enschede Sercurity Print Designer : Eric Kong (Design Vizio) * Prices inclusive of prevailing GST for purchases within Singapore Page 5 of 5