Pulau Jong or Junk Island is a
conical island
An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...
about off the southern coast of Singapore. The small island lies north of
Pulau Sebarok and the former
Pulau Sakeng (now merged with
Pulau Semakau
Pulau Semakau (or Semakau Island) is located to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore. The Semakau Landfill is located on the eastern side of the island, and was created by the amalgamation of Pulau Sakeng (also ...
). The island is uninhabited, undeveloped, and largely inaccessible.
Etymology
According to a local
legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
behind the island's name, a
Chinese junk invader was attacked by
Malay pirates one night where the island now is. Just as the pirates were about to board the junk, the
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
(the ''Nakhodah'') awoke. When the captain saw the pirates, he uttered such a frightful yell that the
sea
A sea is a large body of salt water. There are particular seas and the sea. The sea commonly refers to the ocean, the interconnected body of seawaters that spans most of Earth. Particular seas are either marginal seas, second-order section ...
spirit turned the whole junk into an island.
Ecology
The island is surrounded by a reef, has no landing jetty, and is composed mostly of cliffs. It is therefore extremely difficult to access the interior. Although the reefs are accessible to kayak, no formal expedition to study the island's interior has been mounted.
In July 2014, a private expedition was conducted with the permission of the Singapore government. An individual swam to shore, climbed the island, and recorded video footage of the island's interior. He found no evidence of terrestrial animals of any kind, and suggested that the island is inhabited exclusively by insects, spiders, and the occasional bird.
Some
large-billed crows were seen in the trees by a bird watch group in February 2018.
References
Jong
Western Islands Planning Area
Uninhabited islands of the Pacific Ocean
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