Joining in the Pokemon Go fever, final year Environmental Biology student Sean Yap created an album featuring real life Pokemon you can find right here in Singapore.

There's a beautiful parallel here, considering that the original creator of Pokemon, Satoshi Taijiri, was an avid bug collector who wanted to inspire others to immerse themselves in the huge and wonderful world of nature around them.

According to a 1999 interview with Time magazine, the process of collecting bugs and observing them fascinated Satoshi:

[Bugs] fascinated me. Every time I found a new insect, it was mysterious to me. And the more I searched for insects, the more I found. If I put my hand in the river, I would get a crayfish. If there was a stick over a hole, it would create an air bubble and I'd find insects there........ Tiny discoveries like that made me excited.

Take a look at these real-life local Pokemon compiled by Yap. They can't do any special moves like Psybeam or Firespin, but you might be intrigued by what you find:

Sandslash = Malayan or Sunda Pangolin

Find a real-life Sandslash in the form of a Malayan or Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica). This is an endangered species because humans love poaching them for their scales, which, as pointed out by Yap, is really nothing more than keratin - the stuff in our hair and nails.

Buizel & Floatzel = Smooth-coated otters

Buizel & Floatzel are Smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata). These shouldn't be difficult to find considering we have our camera-friendly Bishan 10 gang. Native to Singapore, these otters have been spotted in places like Bishan Park as well as Sentosa Cove. Feel free to observe them from a safe distance. And keep your ornamental koi safely hidden away.

Dewgong = Dugong

This would be a no-brainer. Dewgong is literally inspired by a Dugong (Dugong dugon). Yap highlights that Singapore has 20% of sea grass species, making it an ideal paradise for wild dugongs. Unfortunately, land reclamation is slowly forcing them out of their homes, so keep a lookout for them while you still can!

Kingler = Fiddler Crab; Clauncer = Pistol Shrimp

Interestingly, the male Fiddler Crab's (Uca sp.) single huge claw is the crab equivalent of stuffing a sock down there. It relies on its smaller claw to dig for food and make burrows.

Pistol Shrimps (F. Alpheidae) might be the closest thing to a Pokemon considering that they emit bubble streams capable of inducing heat, shockwaves, and sound - enough to kill fish.

Geninja = Malayan Horned Frog

We end off with Yap's representation of Geninja - the Malayan Horned Frog (Megophrys nasuta). Both are masters of disguise, so much so that the Malayan Horned Frog can rarely be found. Also, Geninja is the "fastest water type in the game", just like Joseph Schooling who trashed swimming records at Rio.

View the rest of the album at Yap's Facebook page and start heading out to find some real-life Pokemon. Yap is continually updating the album with new creatures and hilarious write ups, so be sure to check it often!

Just remember that unlike virtual Pokemon, catching and handling wild animals are not only illegal, but also wrong. Please also refrain from throwing things at them.

Exploring the natural world around you might be the best way to enjoy the spirit of Pokemon this week. Make Satoshi proud.

Can't get enough of Pokemon? Check these out:

10 rare Pokémon to catch in various rumoured locations across S’pore

How rare are the Pokémon you have caught? This chart breaks it down

All photos courtesy of Sean Yap

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