Singapore Zoo's newly upgraded habitat for its cheetahs was officially opened by Mr S.Iswaran, Minister of State for Trade and Industry today. The revamped home offers the cheetahs, acclaimed as the fastest land mammal, more running space, and an unobstructed view for visitors from the tram route. The addition of a new glass-fronted observation hut allows visitors to potentially get nose to nose with the five-year-old cheetahs. The cheetahs, which belong to the southern African subspecies, are listed as Vulnerable to extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
“Cheetahs are facing extinction with an estimated population of only 12,000 left in the wild. We hope that with the opening of this newly upgraded habitat and the educational outreach programme which Singapore Zoo is undertaking this year-end school holidays, more people will be informed about the cheetahs’ plight and, more broadly, about the need for wildlife conservation,” said Ms Fanny Lai, Executive Director, Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.
The species is threatened in the wild as they are being squeezed out of their habitat because of human encroachment. Farmers often persecute them, as they are perceived as livestock predators, the cheetah’s natural prey having been replaced by cattle and sheep.
The new habitat will provide good mental stimulus for the cheetahs as there is a central lookout point which gives them a better vantage point from which to view their surroundings. Cheetahs favour flat land area to undulating land, and the newly constructed habitat is ideal for them as it incorporates a number of features that stimulate natural behaviour.
Built over a bigger area with better areas for running, the upgraded habitat of 817 sqm is almost three times bigger than the previous habitat of 284 sqm and took two months to complete.
Despite the numerous challenges to breeding cheetahs in captivity, Singapore Zoo successfully bred four cheetah cubs in 2002, after 29 years of trying. “I am pleased to say that this is truly a testament to the husbandry and expertise of our Zoo team. Not only is Singapore Zoo a wildlife park that visitors can enjoy, our track record for successful breeding also stands us in good stead in the world of wildlife conservation,” Ms Lai added.
In total, the Zoo has five cheetahs in its collection: three males, two of which are Singapore born and one brought in from Cango Wildlife Ranch in South Africa; and two females, one of which was born in Singapore and one brought in from the De Wildt Cheetah Breeding Centre in South Africa.
In addition to the upgraded exhibit, there is a complex of off-exhibit enclosures for the cheetahs and so we will be able to rotate our animals between a number of areas which will also provide them with extra stimulus as well as enabling us to restart breeding of the species in Singapore.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Coming to Mandai - a new nature tourism cluster
A NEW nature-themed attraction will be coming to Singapore by 2015. Minister of State for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran on Tuesday announced that the Government will be releasing a 30-hectare site in Mandai for tourism development.
The new site will be close to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and the Mandai Orchid Garden. Together, they will form a new tourism cluster for those who want to experience nature and get away from the urbanised environment.
Mr Iswaran said at the official opening of the new cheetah habitat at the zoo: 'Beyond shopping, fine dining and spa treatments, an increasing number of tourists are keen to commune with nature, visit natural habitats and see wildlife. Singapore Tourism Board, therefore, plans to develop a cluster of attractions at Mandai to make it one of Asia's top nature destinations.'
Investors and developers will be invited to submit their tender proposals for the new cluster, which is about half the size of the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, in the middle of 2008.
The tender will be awarded by the end of the year.
At the same time, the Zoo and Night Safari will be spending $70 million over the next five years to improve their facilities, upgrade animal habitats and improve prove visitors' experience by adding more trams and eateries.
Wildlife Reserve Singapore, which owns the Zoo and Night Safari, is also in the midst of planning a third attraction to complement its current facilities.
Zoo executive director Fanny Lai said that the new cluster will probably be about 10 ha in size and will focus on freshwater flora and fauna.
Currently, the Zoo and Night Safari attract 2.5 million visitors annually. With the addition of the third attraction by Wildlife Reserves Singapore and the development on the new site, STB aims to double visitorship to five million annually.
This will help to help Singapore to achieve its tourism targets of 17 million visitors spending $30 billion here.
News of the new Mandai attractions did not go down well with nature lovers like the Nature Society, which is concerned that any development there may upset the fragile ecosystem of the neighbouring nature reserves.
The new site will be close to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and the Mandai Orchid Garden. Together, they will form a new tourism cluster for those who want to experience nature and get away from the urbanised environment.
Mr Iswaran said at the official opening of the new cheetah habitat at the zoo: 'Beyond shopping, fine dining and spa treatments, an increasing number of tourists are keen to commune with nature, visit natural habitats and see wildlife. Singapore Tourism Board, therefore, plans to develop a cluster of attractions at Mandai to make it one of Asia's top nature destinations.'
Investors and developers will be invited to submit their tender proposals for the new cluster, which is about half the size of the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, in the middle of 2008.
The tender will be awarded by the end of the year.
At the same time, the Zoo and Night Safari will be spending $70 million over the next five years to improve their facilities, upgrade animal habitats and improve prove visitors' experience by adding more trams and eateries.
Wildlife Reserve Singapore, which owns the Zoo and Night Safari, is also in the midst of planning a third attraction to complement its current facilities.
Zoo executive director Fanny Lai said that the new cluster will probably be about 10 ha in size and will focus on freshwater flora and fauna.
Currently, the Zoo and Night Safari attract 2.5 million visitors annually. With the addition of the third attraction by Wildlife Reserves Singapore and the development on the new site, STB aims to double visitorship to five million annually.
This will help to help Singapore to achieve its tourism targets of 17 million visitors spending $30 billion here.
News of the new Mandai attractions did not go down well with nature lovers like the Nature Society, which is concerned that any development there may upset the fragile ecosystem of the neighbouring nature reserves.
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