Visit Singapore Zoo: 2013

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Tourists get to enjoy Greenery, Animals, Birds & Aquatic Life in Singapore

Singapore is a tiny country, she doesn't have large areas for Nature. Yet tourist from all over the world arrive to enjoy our Gardens,Birds, Zoo animals and Marine life.

Amazing isn't it!

Gardens by the Bay
www.gardensbythebay.com.sg

Singapore Zoo
www.zoo.com.sg

River Safari
www.riversafari.com.sg

Jurong Bird Park
www.birdpark.com.sg

Marine Life Park
http://www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Homepage/Attractions/MarineLifePark

Sentosa Underwater World
www.underwaterworld.com.sg

Visit Singapore, its Yours! 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

NTUC Member has its Privileges


Offer Date: Now till 31 Dec 2013

Up to 30% OFF admission*

Come explore the best rainforest zoo in the world, where over 2,800 animals and an exciting ecological adventure awaits you! Stroll along the shaded boardwalks and observe our animals as they frolic amidst lush surroundings that mimic their habitat in the wild!

*30% OFF admission is applicable on weekdays only, 10% OFF admission on weekends and Public Holidays


Friday, November 15, 2013

Kidzranger Tour


If you have children aged between 5 and 12 years old who love animals, this hands-on programme is an excellent experience.  Our Kidzranger Tour turns children into zookeepers for a stint. They’ll get their own Kidzranger vest, and a pin-on button that gives them special access to areas in the Rainforest Kidzworld that are otherwise only open to our zookeepers. It’s a fun-filled and educational experience that is sure to bring out the sparkle in every child’s eyes.

Tour highlights:
  •     Mingle with the horses, ponies and falabellas and learn how to tell them apart.
  •     Find out about the animals’ quirky habits that may surprise you.
  •     Try your hand at grooming a falabella and rabbit.
  •     Feed our hungry goats.
  •     Experience what it’s like to be a zookeeper.
  •     Learn what it takes to be a responsible pet owner.

Venue            Timing                            Duration               Price
Rainforest      10.30am & 3.00pm        45 minutes            $15.00(Child 5 - 12 years old)
Kidzworld    
       
To register for the Kidzranger Tour,
Call (65) 6269 3411 or
Email wilddiscoverer@wrs.com.sg

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Cry of the Tiger



Just skin and bones, Melani the Sumatran Tigress teeters towards death and then somehow stumbles back to life. She’s become a tragic and disturbing example of what can happen to a majestic animal in the supposed care of humans.

Melani should have been safe. Unlike tigers in a jungle habitat trying to survive the threats of poachers, development and environmental destruction, she was in a zoo. But the Surabaya Zoo has proved to be no sanctuary.

A few years ago Melani and three other Sumatran Tigers were fed meat tainted with formaldehyde. Only Melani survived – and then only just. Her organs were so damaged she was unable to absorb requisite nutrients from her food and couldn’t maintain necessary condition. Until recently this skeletal creature was doomed to crawl around a small dark enclosure critics say resembled a dungeon.

Now, finally, she’s getting expert care elsewhere, it’s still no sure bet she’ll survive. If she doesn’t then you can scratch another Sumatran Tiger off the estimated population of between just 300 and 400.

“She’s a creature that’s been neglected and abused inside a zoo that is deemed to care for her. To see an animal struggle through this sort of thing you know she wants to live. It’s her will that’s keeping her alive.” SYBELLE FOXCROFT Conservationist, Cee4Life

The Surabaya Zoo still drags in plenty of visitors, but it doesn’t appear that much of the money generated by ticket sales and other zoo enterprises goes to caring for animals. Local families who come here for an affordable day out appear oblivious to the startling poor condition of many of the animals and their enclosures.

Those who do know about animal welfare say Surabaya Zoo is a disgrace and grow frustrated and increasingly angry that the City Government responsible for it is not working to solve the problem.

Indonesia Correspondent George Roberts investigates how a facility once thought to be among South East Asia’s finest zoos has become a squalid hell-hole for its inhabitants. Beyond Surabaya he explores why Indonesia appears to put such a low priority on its majestic and important creatures that are being pressed ever closer toward extinction.

Foreign Correspondent on how a facility once thought to be among Southeast Asia's finest zoos has become a squalid hell-hole for its inhabitants.

In bustling Surabaya on the Indonesian island of Java, this is a hot ticket, particularly at the weekend. It’ll cost you a dollar fifty to step inside the Surabaya Zoo and join the crowd. And every week 10,000 people wander through what was once considered one of the best zoos in South East Asia.

It’s a relatively affordable day out for local families who appear to enjoy themselves but seem oblivious to the condition of the residents and their enclosures. These days Surabaya Zoo is more of a house of horrors than a wildlife wonderland.


TONY SUMAMPAU: “Around Indonesia I think Surabaya Zoo is one of the zoos that never been approved as a zoo because the facility and the condition of the animal is not good at all”.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “I reckon right now it should be quarantined. I think it should be closed. They need to step in now and they need to quarantine that place right now. It’s a disease carrying death zoo”.

ROBERTS: Sri Penta has the unenviable task of trying to care for the zoo’s residents as best she can and as this sunny, energetic curator shows us around, it’s clear that the job in front of her is overwhelming.

SRI PENTA: “The animals died suddenly. The cause varies – the number of animals in the cage… too many males within a group… the health factor… the poor environmental conditions in the cages… these are probably some of the factors that caused the death of the animals”.

ROBERTS: Everywhere you look there are stark and confronting examples of animals in squalid, cramped conditions. Australian camels appear sick and emaciated. Australian pelicans are crammed in wing to wing. Some animals appear to be begging to be let out.

SRI PENTA: “Well, we’re close to the animals on a daily basis – and when there are so many deaths within the last 3 months, of course, we felt very disappointed. We feel a sense of loss”.

ROBERTS: About 50 animals have died in just three months including this adult orang-utan on the day we arrived. Beyond these walls Indonesia’s orang-utans in Borneo and Sumatra are endangered. This baby male orang-utan may survive. His parents rejected him so he’s being kept away from the zoo’s other diseased apes. It’s extraordinary that they’ve escaped human threats in the wild, but here in a place they should be safe and healthy, they’re anything but.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “Most of all because of the holding facility they’ve got is very poor. The humidity is very high and they are very dark inside and it’s easily transmit diseases one to the others and the second thing is, the exhibit is very old, mostly left over by Dutch maybe 50 years or 70 years ago”.

ROBERTS: Tony Sumampau is one of Indonesia’s most respected animal experts and he’s particularly concerned about some vitally important residents – Surabaya Zoo’s Sumatran tigers.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “They have no room for exercise, for these three tigers in Surabaya Zoo. They have no sunlight when they are growing so until now they don’t have any facility for them to exercise, to climb the tree, to going up, jump up and jump down and things like that – that makes their muscle becoming weaker and weaker every day and the food is not very good as well”.

ROBERTS: The appalling condition of the zoo’s Sumatran tiger population is perhaps the most difficult to comprehend. These magnificent creatures should be the pride of Indonesia, the dominant predator among the country’s exotic species. But populations have been devastated by development and poaching. Here at the zoo though, the picture is no more positive for this critically endangered animal.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: [Cec4life, wildlife charity] “In regard to diseases that are inside that Zoo, there’s tuberculosis, there’s hepatitis... and the animals are also dying of pneumonia”.

ROBERTS: There are thought to be only about three to four hundred Sumatran Tigers left in the wild. In here, 15 share their cramped quarters with others like this Bengal Tiger.
Sri Penta has seen the best and worst of this place in her 20 years here. Now though it’s so bad she’s risking her job showing us the conditions the tigers are still kept in.

“Why is it not good for the tigers?”

SRI PENTA: “It is not good because the cage is too small, their resting pen is too small, and humid, as you can see the floor can’t dry, it’s humid and the sun can’t get inside. So health-wise it’s not good, it’s not healthy, and in the future it will have an impact on the health of the animals”.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “They’re going to die. I have no doubt that they’ll die. It is absolutely atrocious what they’re doing in this zoo”.

ROBERTS: The dire plight of Surabaya’s tigers has enraged animal conservationists around the world. Australian Sybelle Foxcroft is one who came to Indonesia to try to help, drawn by one awful life and death struggle, the case of tigress Melani.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “At Surabaya Zoo she was kept in what I could equate to a dungeon. They did that because the public were horrified but then they didn’t really do anything about her and they left her there for a very long time. So she didn’t get any sunlight, she didn’t get anything”.

ROBERTS: Melani and three other Sumatran tigers were malnourished and kept in cramped conditions. Then in 2008 they were fed meat contaminated with the preservative formaldehyde. Three tigers died. Incredibly Melani lived… but only just. And she’d endure five years of suffering before a public clamour finally brought government intervention, her evacuation from the zoo and proper treatment.

Sybelle Foxcroft was instrumental in getting Melani out of Surabaya.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “She’s a creature that has been neglected and abused inside a zoo that is deemed to care for her. She’s just woken up this morning and she’s not wanting to eat freely like she normally does but she’s probably looking at everybody also, being distracted, but her feeding can take up to about two hours and this is kind of normal also, but at the moment she just doesn’t seem that hungry”.

ROBERTS: Melani is recovering at a place called Taman Safari Park outside Bogor, about a two hour drive south of Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “Well she’s so very frail from her ordeal with this poison and then starvation. The starvation caused her body to start consuming her own organs so right now she’s struggling to live”.

ROBERTS: Taman Safari is owned and run by Tony Sumampau and it’s dramatically different to Melani’s old home in Surabaya. It spans 150 hectares and looks less like a zoo and more like a faithful recreation of a wild animal’s natural setting. Resident tigers can stretch their legs in relatively wide open spaces and when they need attention or when wild tigers are brought here injured after a run in with a poacher, there are sophisticated facilities at an on site animal hospital.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “Genetically they are very nice. They are a wild tiger in fact so it’s good to keep their young to release them in the wild which is very important”.

ROBERTS: The Safari Park is looking after 28 Sumatran tigers who are under threat.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “Well someone poisoned him when he was quite young, less than 2 years old I think”.

ROBERTS: “So he’s angry with humans since that I suppose”.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “Yeah but I thought he was going to die at that time but hopefully he’s recovered from the poisons and become a real tiger now”.

ROBERTS: “A real man”.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “A real man”.

ROBERTS: The success of Taman Safari leaves Surabaya in the shade with 1.8 million visitors a year, it pulls in tens of millions of dollars on ticket sales alone. There’s restaurants and rides, as well as merchandise and a kind of side show alley area that’s clearly a profit machine. With that the Park employs 750 staff and provides well for its animals. So around about now you might be wondering why Tony Sumampau hasn’t been called in to sort out the mess at Surabaya.

The short answer is he has, or rather had and the experience goes some way to explaining the intractable problems gripping the zoo in Java and imperilling its Sumatran tigers.
It’s a rat’s nest of vested interests, power struggles, nepotism, ineptitude and disinterest.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “I think the Surabaya Zoo is more likely a management conflict between one management team and the other team”.

ROBERTS: “But why are the animals in such poor condition?”

TONY SUMAMPAU: “Well because they don’t understand about the animal welfare issue”.

ROBERTS: Tony Sumampau was enlisted to fix Surabaya Zoo back in 2010. He says he tried to establish programs to better train zoo keepers to care for animals and tried to rebuild or renew animal enclosures but money was scant and so was good will. The zoo is staffed by people with family connections and he says the animal’s interests just don’t rank as a priority.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “They don’t really know how to manage the zoo but they’re just thinking of gaining some money from the visitor for the purpose of their own welfare, not the animal welfare. The things that make the Surabaya Zoo is getting worse and worse”.

MAYOR RISMAHARANI: “It was founded and built using public money from an idea by journalists at the time. And it grew to become one of the biggest zoos in South East Asia”.

ROBERTS: Earlier this year Tony Sumampau was kicked out by this woman – the formidable but very popular Mayor of Surabaya – Tri Rismaharani.
The Surabaya Municipal Council is responsible for running the zoo and owns the land it occupies. The Mayor claims a lifelong interest in the place.

MAYOR RISMAHARANI: “When I was little, my grandpa always me to come along to the zoo, and that’s why during junior high school I joined the Surabaya Zoo Lovers Club. When I came to the zoo, the condition was worse than it was when I was little”.

ROBERTS: Mayor Rismaharani hurled a barrage of accusations at Tony Sumampau, claiming he was secretly planning to develop the zoo into a luxury holiday resort and that he was trafficking animals.

MAYOR RISMAHARANI: “One year ago the team came to me, and said there were not enough funds for the maintenance of the zoo. They wanted to build a hotel… a restaurant. That’s when I got upset – why did I get upset? Because the zoo is the pride of the Surabaya people”.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “This is just silly you know? I’m helping for free not for the... for stealing animals inside the zoo. If I wanted to get the animal I can ask the Minister - I like this animal - then I can get it just for free but I’ve never done that you know. But they keep accusing me like that. I don’t know why”.

ROBERTS: “So you never took a proposal to them about a hotel?”

TONY SUMAMPAU: “No, never. Never. I’ve never seen one too”. [laughing]

ROBERTS: Critics of the mayor in turn claim she has her own development plans for the central city site. They accuse her of interfering for years in its affairs before taking personal control of the zoo, even though she has no expertise in the field.

MAYOR RISHMAHARANI: “I think time will tell if what we do is right or wrong. Conditions were bad back then. I had to deploy 5000 municipal employees… to clean the cages… to scrub the cages… to mend the broken cages… to clean up the water tanks. There were five thousand people”.

ROBERTS: It’s difficult to reconcile the Mayor’s catalogue of activity with what we saw at the zoo. In the sweltering Indonesian heat, animals still swam in and drank from heavily polluted water. The mayor has declined offers of assistance and expert advice from animal welfare groups.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “About.. over a year ago I wrote to the mayor and basically asked her to please, you know, implement some humane care in Surabaya Zoo and... you know along those lines, just trying to be supportive as well and offering aid.... and I didn’t get a response from her”.

ROBERTS: “Why do you think the Mayor has refused help?”

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “I have no idea. I do not know why she’s refusing help. She has been offered help from a lot of organisations around the world and my impression that I’m getting is that she’s done some very good work around but she is not.... she’s got engineering degrees and city planning degrees. She is not an animal skilled person. She is not a zoologist or a wildlife-ologist or any animal ethics qualifications at all. She’s got to leave this one alone and allow the professionals to get in there and fix these animals or else they are going to continue to die”.

ROBERTS: And as claim and counter claim volley from one side of Indonesia to the other, the animals continue to suffer and die. In some ways the strife at Surabaya Zoo is emblematic of the nation’s vexed and sometimes hostile relationship with its wildlife, where humans and development prevail and animals lose.

Out here in the wilds of Sumatra the tiger has roamed for thousands of years but vast swathes of its jungle territory are being turned into farming land. Indonesia’s burgeoning population has pushed ever deeper into the tiger’s natural domain.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “Even in the wild, when we’re helping the tiger conflict, villagers are complaining why do you only think about the wildlife that are taking our livestock? Why not you think about our life, you know?”

ROBERTS: We’re on our way to Sesiro in north western Sumatra. Like many villages it’s carved out of the jungle wilderness and like some, it’s got its own tiger tale to tell.
Sesiro’s home to about 600 people. It’s not the poorest of places in Sumatra - the local rubber industry offers plenty of work. Villagers who run small subsistence farms here worry about losing stock to wild animals. Recently though a tiger claimed a human life.

Adi and his friends work the local rubber plantations, but illegally harvesting Sandalwood from deep in the national park is a tempting sideline that can earn a year’s salary in quick time. On a trip into the jungle hoping to strike it lucky, they came under attack from a group of Sumatran tigers.

ADI: “One of our friends got separated from us and we saw the tiger get hold of him. We saw that tiger. And we looked to the other side. There was another tiger coming at us, so we hurriedly climbed up the trees”.

ROBERTS: From that vantage point they saw their friend mauled to death.

ADI: “I’ve been working a long time in the jungle and this was the first time I saw that”.

ROBERTS: The fatal attack horrified the men and traumatised the village, but the experience made them respect the tiger and its territory in a way they’d never thought of before.
They’re not the only ones thinking about the tiger. Slowly the country’s tigers are getting attention.

MINISTER ZULKIFLI HASAN: “In the past, for decades, in Indonesian culture, people used to feel so proud having tiger’s skin in their house. They were proud owning elephant tusk. People were also proud to be able to hunt tigers. And those habits aren’t easy to let go”.

ROBERTS: Indonesia’s Forestry Minister, Zulkifli Hasan, has come to check the conservation efforts at Taman Safari Park. His ministry makes the rules and regulations for zoos but even a powerful national politician has found it difficult to solve the Surabaya mess.

MINISTER ZULKIFLI HASAN: “To revitalise it, to improve the way to manage the zoo, renovating the cages, would take an immense amount of funds. And the entrance tickets alone won’t cover it. The local government’s allocated budget of 4 billion rupees isn’t enough either. So we need time”.

ROBERTS: “And as if financial and management problems weren’t enough, now nature is throwing in more problems – evidence is emerging of a disease developing in already scant wild tiger populations that attacks the nervous system and eventually kills the animal. It’s just one reason why so much is depending on the success of a special breeding program at Taman Safari Park.

When Foreign Correspondent was visiting the park, vets performed the first artificial insemination of a Sumatran tiger in Indonesia. Semen from a sedated wild male has been injected into a wild female. If the operation is a success, the program could help keep the wild Sumatran tiger population alive.

TONY SUMAMPAU: “I would think now the tiger’s number is really at around 300... 350, nothing more than that. If we can’t save the habitat of the tigers we might lose the tiger in another 30-40 years. They will disappear in the wild, except in the zoo”.

ROBERTS: A great deal rests on the survival of Melani, the tigress as well. If she can survive the ordeal she suffered at Surabaya Zoo it will inspire and encourage all those who’ve worked so hard to save her.

SYBELLE FOXCROFT: “She’s a critically endangered Sumatra Tiger. She has the ability to show affection to the very species that hurt her so - and to see an animal struggle through this sort of thing you know she wants to live. It’s her will that’s keeping her alive. She’s a survivor and her nature is so very gentle and beautiful”.

http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2013/s3894606.htm

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Paw-sitive for INUKA at the Singapore Zoo

First polar bear born in the tropics undergoes annual health-check.
 
As Inuka, Singapore Zoo’s 22 year old polar bear entered his senior years, Singapore Zoo’s vet team performed a health check on him under general anesthesia on 9 October 2013. The first polar bear to be born in the tropics was found to be in general good health for his age. He currently measures 2.5m from nose to tail, and weighs 532kg.

The hour-long medical examination included dental, aural and paw checks. Blood results show no abnormality in his kidneys and liver. There are some warty growths on the underside of his tongue, and a biopsy has been done to confirm if they are benign and can be left alone. Inuka’s teeth also needed some attention, which was to be expected at his age. X-rays of his lower limbs confirmed what his vets have suspected for some time; that he has mild arthritis on his ankle and right wrist joints. The vets will prescribe medications as required, to manage his arthritis.

After the examination, Inuka was revived with a reverse sedative and allowed to recuperate in his den. Within two days, he was back to basking in his ice cave and in no time was paddling in his pool, at Singapore Zoo’s Frozen Tundra.


ZOO HOO WILD WOW BIRTHDAY

Make sure to mark your calendars as Singapore Zoo is ending off its 40th anniversary celebrations with a big bang!

The highlights of this wild party include the token feeding birthday surprises, where guests will be invited to share the joy of Zoo’s animal friends. Watch in awe as the chimpanzees open their gifts during selected token feeding sessions.

Kids will be entertained by the exciting magic performances and interactive games. Drop by the Rainforest Courtyard and give it a try at the special 40th anniversary props at Zoo Hoo’s Wild Wow Birthday Photowall.

Event Timings

On Saturday, Sunday every week, from Sat, Nov 30 - Sun, Dec 22, from 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM.

Highlights

Token Feeding Birthday Surprise
What’s a birthday without yummy treats? Share in the pure delight of our animal friends as they unwrap birthday presents and treats! Catch our curious chimpanzees among other animals as they open their gifts during selected token feeding sessions.

Dates: 30 Nov, 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22 December
Times & Venues:
1. Orang utan 11.00am
2. Pygmy hippo 2.30pm
3. Chimpanzee 4.35pm
4. Primate Kingdom 11.00am (Colobus monkey, Celebes macaque, lion-tailed macaque)

Wild Wow Photo Wall
Get creative with our ‘fun-ky’ 40th anniversary props at Zoo Hoo’s Wild Wow Birthday photowall and bring home a keepsake in a limited edition Zoo Hoo photo jacket for just $5.

Dates: 30 Nov, 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 December
Time: 10am – 4pm
Venue: Rainforest Courtyard (outside retail shop)

Saturday, November 02, 2013

Camping at the Singapore Zoo

Sleep With the Beast camp 23rd - 24th November 2013.

Day 1 (Saturday)    

2.45pm
Registration

2.55pm
Briefing

3.10pm
Proceed to Wild Africa

3.20pm
Wild Africa Guided Tour + Giraffe Feeding(3.45pm)
Let our guides take you on a journey around Wild Africa, understand why Africa has some of the largest and tallest land mammals. Get a chance to see eye to eye with giraffes that use their long tongues to grasp food from your hand!

4.00pm
Water Break and Toilet Break

4.15pm
Behind-The-Scenes - All About Creepy Crawlies
This tour takes you to the breeding complex of Fragile Forest. Discover how we breed and maintain butterflies, scorpions, stick insects and other invertebrates. Get to know the Creepy Crawlies, pet a stick insect and hold a hissing cockroach, if you dare!

5.15pm
Boat Ride from Boat Dock 2

5.45pm
Have Fun Pitching Your Own Tent!
A six-man tent will be provided for each family.

6.30pm
Buffet Dinner at Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant
Feast on a sumptuous international buffet spread while the chorus of cicadas, crickets and frogs serenade you under the starry sky.

7.45pm
Board Tram around Night Safari
Tour the world’s first Night Safari on a tram. You will realize that the night does have a thousand eyes. Soak in the ambience of rainforest at night and admire the nocturnal animals at their most active.

8.30pm
Explore the unknown at the new Naracoote Caves exhibit with our guide.

9.30pm
Creatures Of The Night Show
An entertaining show that not only exhibit nocturnal animal’ natural behaviours, but also enlightens the guests on conservation issues.

10.00pm
Back to the Zoo

10.15pm
Campfire, games, songs & supper

11.15pm
Sleep with the Beasts ‘Zzzzz’


Day 2 (Sunday)    

7.00am
Rise & Shine

8.00am
Get an exclusive early morning stroll around the park with our guides

9.00am
Jungle Breakfast With Wildlife
Our orangutan and other residents join you for a hearty international buffet spread. Do bring along your cameras to capture a photo with them!

10.00am
Animal Hospital Tour
Darts and guns, vitamins and calcium supplements. Discover how our 4,000 animals are kept in the pink by our zookeepers and vets.

11.00am
Free & Easy at Rainforest KidzWorld*

You are encouraged to bring your own sleeping bags, pillows, a mini portable fan, toiletries etc.
*Wet play is available at the New! Rainforest KidzWorld. Recommended for children above 110cm only. Please pack along a change of clothes for the family in the morning of Day 2 before proceeding to the Animal Hospital Tour.

Target Age Group:
Families with children aged 3 and above

Dates:
Watch this space for the next camp dates!

Duration:
2 Days 1 Night

Cost:
$145^ per child (excludes 7% GST)
$170^ per adult (excludes 7% GST)
^10% off for Friends of the Zoo, Feather Friends, Friends of River Safari, and Friends of Night Safari (Applicable only to family members whose names are registered under the membership)
Number of Participants:
Maximum: 40 pax (Registration closes once we have 40 participants)

Learn about fascinating animals, soak in the atmosphere of the wild and camp out beneath a blanket of stars. Indulge in the company of your family and lush wildlife at the Zoo.

Sunday, October 06, 2013

Baby Boomz for Singapore Wildlife

One thing I am sure of... the baby bonus is effective for animals in the Singapore!

More than 400 animal babies were born in Wildlife Reserves Singapore's (WRS) four parks between January and August, including Asia's first giant river otter baby.

The yet unnamed male pup was born on Aug 10 at the River Safari, said WRS, which today celebrates World Animal Day. It weighs 1.6kg and measures 60cm now, but can grow to a length of 1.8m and weigh up to 34kg.

Found in South American rivers, giant otters are among the rarest otters in the world, often hunted extensively for their fur and threatened by the loss of their natural habitat. Other animals born in Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari and Singapore Zoo this year include threatened species such as the orang utan, manatee and malayan tapir.

Through the years, WRS parks have exchanged many of these animals with other reputable zoos for breeding purposes. "With increasing threats such as habitat destruction and poaching, captive breeding programmes play a pivotal role in conserving threatened species for our future generations," said WRS' chief life sciences officer, Dr Cheng Wen-Haur.


This one month old squirrel monkey clings on to it's mother's back at River Safari's Squirrel Monkey Forest.

Asia's 1st Giant River Otter Baby: This 'otter-ly' cute baby was born on 10 August, just after Singapore's National Day.

Male manatee Sundae, born on 19 May, swims with his 22-year-old mother, Eva, at River Safari's Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit.

Malayan tapir Putri, born on 3 June, have stripes (resembling a watermelon) to act as camouflage the forest. It is one of the most endangered animals in SE-Asia.

Joko, a male Bornean orang utan born on 21 January, clings on to his mom, Miri, at the Singapore Zoo.

Born on 17 August, this baby Linne’s two-toed sloth wraps itself around its mother, Alba.

Big Bundle of Joy: Born on 27 April, Zina, a white rhino, walks next to her mother Donsa at Singapore Zoo’s Wild Africa zone.

This baby squirrel monkey is 1 month old.

Baby porcupines, or porcupettes, have soft quills at birth which harden within a few days. This porcupette was born on 1 Sept at Night Safari.

Saturday, October 05, 2013

50 native trees planted to kick-start greening of Eco-Link@BKE



The seeds have been sown for a unique ecological bridge, the Eco-Link@BKE, that will connect two nature reserves in Singapore.

Staff and representatives from government agencies and civil organisations on Saturday planted 50 native trees at the bridge, which is described as the first of its kind in Singapore.

Greening of the connector is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The Eco-Link@BKE runs over and across the Bukit Timah Expressway.

National Parks Board (NParks) said the bridge will allow wildlife to move between the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves.

NParks said insects, butterflies and birds will make use of the bridge, and over time, animals like the pangolin, flying squirrel, palm civet and porcupine are expected to make use of the extension as well.

The crossing of wildlife will also benefit native plant species.

Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee said: “The BKE built in the 80s segmented two areas of wildlife and plant life, and it is hoped that with this eco-link bridge, we'll be able to see and record a growth in the various species that nature groups are concerned about.

“I think this represents at the symbolic level, a commitment by Singapore and Singaporeans to preserve what is precious about our biodiversity, because of itself and because of the importance of nature."

Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia celebrated 1st year anniversary in Singapore


Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and CapitaLand Limited (CapitaLand) threw a big panda party for Kai Kai and Jia Jia today, with a specially-made cake and toy for the birthday duo.

The birthday bash marks the start of week-long festivities at River Safari from Sept 7 to 15 to commemorate the pandas' one-year anniversary in Singapore. It also celebrates Jia Jia turning five on Sept 3 and Kai Kai turning 6 on Sept 14.

Male panda Kai Kai received a three-tiered birthday cake made of ice, bamboo and his favourite treats, while Jia Jia received a chime toy made of bamboo stems.

The birthday presents were specially created and presented by 10 Panda Party Planners - lucky members of the public, including five readers of the CapitaLand Inside Different Geographies e-publication, who went behind-the-scenes with panda keepers to prepare these treats for the pandas to keep them mentally and physically stimulated.

Ms Claire Chiang, Chairman, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said: "The past year has been an exciting one as we discover more about the personalities of our pandas. Kai Kai and Jia Jia are ambassadors for their own kind, and we hope that visitors who meet them will learn more about these endangered bears and be inspired to protect these magnificent creatures."

Almost 600,000 panda lovers have visited Kai Kai and Jia Jia since the Giant Panda Forest opened to the public last year. Kai Kai, who is usually laid-back, has recently been spotted climbing up a tree at 5pm every day to look out for his keepers, and preparing to retreat to his den for evening treats.

He is curious when keepers implement enrichment activities such as introducing new scents, or wrapping treats with leaves for him to find.

Jia Jia, on the other hand, is the shyer of the two. A closed-circuit television was installed in February so that visitors can see Jia Jia during moments when she chooses to stay in her den.


Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Dead polar bear Sheba lives on in Singapore Zoo as body preserved as exhibit

Mummy lives!

In death, as in life, Singapore Zoo's beloved polar bear Sheba will continue to enchant thousands of children each year.

The bear made its first appearance at the zoo yesterday, since its body was preserved by a taxidermist after it died of old age last November.

This Friday and Saturday, visitors can get up close to it as part of the zoo's Children's Day activities. Show-and-tell sessions will be held thrice each day. They are free to the public with admission to the zoo.

I seriously hope they wouldn't do that for MM Lee too.

Monday, September 30, 2013

CELEBRATE CHILDREN’S DAY WITH INUKA THE POLAR BEAR

Chill out in Singapore Zoo’s Frozen Tundra with the little ones this Children’s Day and enjoy a frosty fun time with a lineup of educational activities about polar bears. Pique your child’s curiosity about polar bears – the largest land predator in the world – in our ‘Snow’ & Tell session, and see the children go wild on a great seal hunt. To end off on a warm and fuzzy note, work on a beautiful ‘Happy Children’s Day’ card together for Inuka the polar bear!

Children’s Day activities at Singapore Zoo
Date: 4– 5 October 2013
Venue: Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Fee: Free of charge
Notes: Singapore Zoo admission rates still apply

1. Snow & Tell session
Venue: Auditorium
Duration: 20min
Time: 9.30am, 10.30am, and 11.30am

Discover how polar bears adapt, survive, and live comfortably in their cold environment in a Snow and Tell session. Participants will learn interesting facts such as the polar bears’ habitat, diet, and threats they face in the wild. Also find out how zookeepers at Singapore Zoo look after and engage our very own polar bear, Inuka. This talk is free of charge* and requires no registration. Simply follow the signs to the auditorium at the specified time slots.

2. The Great Seal Hunt
Venue: Frozen Tundra
Time: 10.00am to 2.00pm

Children get to hone their predatory instincts in the Frozen Tundra Great Seal Hunt. Participants play the role of little polar bears hunting for prey — hidden seal stickers around the Frozen Tundra exhibit. Follow the instructions on the stickers and mark out the specially designed Frozen Tundra map provided by Singapore Zoo staff. The first 100 participants to complete their map will win attractive prizes!

 3. Draw for Inuka!
Venue: Frozen Tundra
Time: Zoo operating hours – 8.30am to 6.00pm

Have your child express their creativity by penning their own drawings of Inuka wishing him a Happy Children’s Day! Participants can bring their drawings when visiting the Zoo and their work will possibly be displayed at the Frozen Tundra exhibit. A drawing corner and drawing materials will be available for children who wish to draw at the Zoo itself.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Singapore Cat Abuser


"I was informed by a friend who worked at a vet that a customer came in with a dying cat, along with the letter.

"The owner told my friend that their cat went missing for 3 to 4 weeks, and was later found at their doorstep inside a plastic bag together with the letter.

"The letter mentions that the cat was kidnapped and tortured extensively. The abuser even went as far as to describe the details of the torture.

"The cat is now in its last moments and may leave this world at any time. I hope this pyscho gets apprehended and faces the highest degree of punishment there is in this world.

"There are a lot of cases of cat abuse in Singapore, and very few of the abusers have been caught. Cats are being cut apart, thrown from buildings, and even beheaded.

"I do not understand what kind of sick-minded people who do such a thing to another living thing, let alone a helpless animal.

"Please share this post with all your family and friends. I hope someone who has any information on this case will step up and inform the authorities if you know who the culprit is.

"To that sick-minded person, I hope you get help soon. Please help yourself before you actually kill someone."

Saturday, September 07, 2013

Do you need more reason to visit the Singapore Zoo?

Great Discount. New Exhibits. Celebrating her Birthday. Come, come, don't shy!

http://thedeadcockroach.blogspot.sg/2013/06/singapore-zoo-celebrates-its-40th.html

Sunday, September 01, 2013

Kid's play at the Zoo this School Holiday


Rainforest Kidzworld offers a multitude of activities that encourage kids to satisfy their curiosity, learn through self discovery, and simply play like they don’t have a care in the world.

Whether they want to have a splashing good time in a watery playground, spend time with farmyard animals, take a rainforest challenge, visit the interesting residents of the kampung house or ride a wild animal carousel, there’s always plenty to see, do and experience.

Don’t miss our Animal Friends Show where the whole family can also enjoy a barrel of laughs watching some very special everyday pets performing amazing feats.

This thoughtfully planned attraction is an essential stop especially if you’re visiting with young children. Rainforest Kidzworld operating hours:
Opening Time:     9.00am
Closing Time:     6.00pm

(Wet Play Area closes at 5.30pm)

Please note that the Wild Animal Carousel Ride and Wet Play Area at the Rainforest Kidzworld are scheduled for maintenance closures on the following dates:

Wet Play Area Closure Dates:     Wild Animal Carousel Closure Dates:
17 Sep 2013                                2 Sep 2013
8 Oct 2013                                  1 Oct 2013
12 Nov 2013                               5 Nov 2013
3 Dec 2013                                 10 Dec 2013

Sunday, August 25, 2013

New Panda born

Giant panda Mei Xiang gives birth at Washington's national zoo

Zookeepers say giant pandas give birth to twins 50% of the time, so they will keep an eye on Mei Xiang for 24 hours

A giant panda gave birth at Washington's national zoo on Friday, causing a buzz among fans as they flocked to a panda cam's live feed to hear the cub squeal and watch the mother immediately start caring for it.

The zoo said Mei Xiang gave birth two hours after her water broke. Zoo officials said the panda team heard the cub vocalize and that the mother picked it up immediately and began cradling and caring for it.

"We have a cub!! Born at 5.32pm this evening," the zoo tweeted.

"I'm glued to the new panda cams and thrilled to hear the squeals, which appear healthy, of our newborn cub," said Dennis Kelly, director of the Smithsonian's national zoo.

Fans of the 15-year-old panda who had been tracking her suspected pregnancy on a Giant Panda Cam flocked to the live feed.

With the zoo heralding the cub's birth on Twitter, the pandas' excited fans responded in kind. Congratulations poured in under the hashtag "cubwatch," including hopes that this year's cub would survive. "Last year was so heartbreaking," as one person tweeted, while another said, "Good luck, little Butterstick 2 !!!"

Mei Xiang had previously given birth to two cubs. Tai Shan was born in 2005 and a week-old cub died last September.

Panda cubs are especially delicate and vulnerable to infection and other illness. They are about the size of a stick of butter at birth. The first weeks of life are critical for the cubs as mothers have to make sure they stay warm and get enough to eat.

Zookeepers said at a news conference on Friday night that giant pandas give birth to twins 50 percent of the time, so they will continue to keep an eye on Mei Xiang for 24 hours.

Brandie Smith, curator of mammals at the zoo, said Friday night that mindful of last year's loss, zookeepers will be more hands-on with this cub.

"We know that Mei Xiang is an excellent mother," Smith said. "When she has a cub, she will take care of it."

Smith said that will zookeepers don't want to disturb the bonding between the mother and cub, but they will take the risk and do an assessment of the cub within the first 48 hours.

The biggest concern is the cub's weight, Smith said, and that it continues to gain weight. Zookeepers will also be listening for healthy squeals from the cub, and signs and sounds that it is nursing.

The panda team will perform health checks every few days. Its gender was not immediately known.

Mei Xiang is expected to spend almost all of her time in her den for the next two weeks with her new cub.

The zoo has been on round-the-clock panda watch since August 7, when Mei Xiang began showing behavioral changes consistent with a pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy.

A Chinese panda expert performed artificial inseminations on Mei Xiang on March 30 after she failed to breed naturally with male panda Tian Tian.

Zookeepers had not been certain that Mei Xiang was pregnant, because she refused to cooperate with attempts to perform an ultrasound.

The David M Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat, which has been closed to the public since August 2, will remain closed to provide quiet time for Mei Xiang and her cub.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

WRS not acquiring new polar bears

The Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) has released a statement on Thursday saying that it does not intend to acquire new polar bears, despite a press release issued to local media on Aug 21, 2013 claiming that the Singapore Zoo will receive a polar bear cub as part of a "corporate gifting scheme".

WRS told AsiaOne that it is "not aware of this (corporate gifting) arrangement, and has not been approached by any of the parties mentioned".

Following the open of the Frozen Tundra, WRS said that there have been several enquiries from various stakeholders on whether more polar bears will be added to the park's collection as companions to Inuka.

Inuka, the first polar bear born in the tropics, moved into the new 2,700 sq m Frozen Tundra exhibit at the Singapore Zoo on May 29, 2013.

WRS said that it is currently "not actively seeking to acquire new polar bear".

"Polar bears are solitary animals by nature. Inuka's new habitat features a spacious outdoor area with multiple substrate types for him to dig and play in, a large pool, and in addition our keepers engage the bear with enrichment activities to keep him suitably stimulated," WRS added.

Here is the earlier press release issued by Gazprom on Aug 21:

The City of Singapore will soon be getting a new polar bear cub for the Zoo, courtesy of Gazprom and Royal Dutch Shell.

"The polar bear is a symbol of strength and purity," said Timur Grigolyuk, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Gazprom, Russia's largest gas company. "Like Russian oil and gas, she is a precious resource that we can share with all the world."

Gazprom and Shell are relocating polar bears to ten cities around the world. They are doing this as part of a new business partnership which will see them drill for oil in the Russian Arctic, which is losing sea ice. The companies distributed a video news release on their website explaining the process after the first polar bear was gifted to the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Moving polar bears also makes sense because polar bears have become a problem in the Arctic. Although "Arctic" means "near bear" in Greek, polar bears are today in conflict with the oil extraction industry.

"Singapore must be Arctic, not Antarctic," said Grigolyuk. "Children are very happy with bears, and we want Singapore to have maximum happiness."

Find a mate for remaining polar bear
Nov 19, 2012

I AM saddened by the death of 35-year-old Sheba, our much-beloved polar bear ("Zookeeper recalls Sheba's last days"; last Saturday).

The polar bear exhibit has been my favourite whenever I visit the zoo, and I usually spend a longer time there than at the other enclosures.

Viewing the polar bears at close range brought me much joy.

Where once there were three, there is now only one.

Sheba's son, Inuka, may be going to its new home at the River Safari, but a lone polar bear can present a forlorn sight.

I hope there are plans to find Inuka a mate to once again start the family cycle.

Bennie Cheok

Friday, August 09, 2013

Singapore's Wildlife Celebrate National Day

Animals from Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park are showing off their patriotic side this 9 August, to commemorate Singapore’s 48th birthday. Join them as they celebrate national day.

This is my country, this is my flag, this is my future... These animals are so bless to be in Singapore.

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Contractor caught in 'monkey business' over illegal trap


A government contractor is under investigation for allegedly setting up a monkey trap illegally in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

The National Parks Board (NParks) confirmed recently that it is investigating Mr Jack Pang after he was caught setting up a cage in the reserve.

Although he was hired by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to capture macaques, he allegedly did not have permission to trap them in the reserve.

In fact, under the Parks and Trees Act, no one is allowed to capture animals from nature reserves and national parks without approval from the commissioner of parks and recreation.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Wildlife bridge ready by year-end 2013


A $17 million bridge for monkeys and other wildlife is on track to be completed by the end of the year, the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Land Transport Authority confirmed on Wednesday.

Structural works for the Eco-Link@BKE are almost done, and the site is now being prepared for the planting of trees.

The 62m-long overhead bridge will reconnect Singapore's largest primary and secondary forests, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Area. Both forests have been separated by the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) since 1986, leaving animals like rare banded leaf monkeys cut off from their fellow monkeys on the other side.

"The bridge is a boon for biodiversity," said conservationist Alan Ow Yong.

When ready, it will allow animals such as flying squirrels, palm civets and pangolins an easy way to cross the BKE.

"Animals will be able to move freely between the two reserves to find other food sources as well as mates. They will also help to propagate plant species as seeds are dispersed by more animals," Mr Ow explained yesterday.

Trees planted on the bridge will also provide food for animals, NParks said. The public will not be allowed onto the bridge in the first few years, to reduce the disturbance to the wildlife.

The eco-link is situated about 600m north of Rifle Range Road, between the Pan-Island Expressway and Dairy Farm exits.

All for the love of Wild Life.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Sums up Singapore tourism scene

http://delithing.blogspot.sg/2013/07/singapore-zoo-visit.html

For those of you contemplating whether to visit the Singapore Zoo when you are on a holiday trip to Singapore, the answer is a resounding YES! Singapore is pretty small with not many things to fill up your itinerary. The usual top 5 places in Singapore that tourist would visit are as follow:

1) Esplanade (Dubbed the Singapore durian) + One Fullerton
2) Clarke Quay
3) Sentosa + Resort World (Universal Studio)
4) Orchard Road
5) Marina Bay Sands

If one were to strictly follow the usual itinerary by filling up on the 5 places mentioned above, Singapore has nothing much to offer and you would be done with the city state in a 3D2N stay here. Hence I strongly recommends the Singapore Zoo which is well known as the best Zoo in ASEAN and perhaps would even win a place (If not already) in the best zoo in the world. With the recent River Safari being opened to the public with 2 giant pandas loaned to Singapore by China as the main attraction and the much beloved Inuka (Read Ee-noo-ka) who was born in Singapore being relocated to a new climatized facility, the Singapore Zoo has became a MUST SEE if you are visiting the country.

*** Please do come visit the Singapore Zoo, because when the visit stops so does the funds to run an expensive Zoo!

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Zoo replied to TRE

http://www.tremeritus.com/2013/07/13/singapore-zoo-replies-to-open-letter-from-tre-reader/

Singapore Zoo replies to open letter from TRE reader
July 13th, 2013 | Author: Contributions

[The Singapore Zoo has replied to a TRE reader's open letter - 'Open letter to the Singapore Zoo']

Thank you for writing in again to share your thoughts and experiences. We note from past emails that you had previously enjoyed the Animal Friends Show, and were quite concerned with your feedback following your last visit.

We investigated the points you raised to make sure we can improve visitor experience; and do allow us to address some of your concerns.

Animal Friends Show

We are in the midst of re-choreographing the opening segment, and are targeting to re-introduce the dance this August.

Jayjay the cockatoo is currently being rested. Our animals’ welfare is of prime importance to us, so we do rotate their appearance schedules to accommodate breaks in their normal routine. For all our birds, we do this during their moulting season. Once Jayjay has completed moulting, he will be back in the show.

Sometimes, when the birds are moulting, we also take the opportunity to retrain certain behaviours, which is what we’re doing with the parrot slam dunk.

The bubble machine will be back to excite our guests later this month, after undergoing maintenance work.

We understand how much guests enjoy the dog interaction session at the end of each show. However, safety of our guests and animals is our top priority and we identified a need to improve the stage area to better manage these close encounters. The interaction sessions will resume in August 2013.

Membership fees

Thank you for your long-term support. Over the years, we adjust membership fees in accordance to admission rates. Singapore Zoo is managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which is a self-funded organisation. As such we do have to ensure our financial sustainability. The revenue we receive through admissions and membership fees is ploughed back into the care of the animals and their exhibits, as well as conservation efforts and manpower costs.

Singapore Zoo 40th anniversary

The 40% promotion in July is part of our year-long celebration of Singapore Zoo’s 40th birthday, and is offered as a gesture of thanks to the local community.

There is also an on-going promotion, until 31 Dec 2013, for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who turn 40 this year to enjoy 40% off admission ticket prices for themselves and four other friends when they visit during their birthday month.

In past months, we have also offered additional activities and offers to celebrate this milestone birthday, and will continue to do so until the end of the year.

We hope the above offers some clarity, and look forward to your continued support.

Regards

Wildlife Reserves Singapore
80 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore 729826

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Zoo's standard drop?

http://www.tremeritus.com/2013/07/08/standards-drop-at-the-zoo/

Open letter to the Singapore Zoo
July 8th, 2013 | Author: Contributions

Dear Sir,

I feel embarrassed to write in again. I have been writing regarding changes happening to the Animal Friends Show (AFS). I am almost speechless. This may be the last email from me.

The AFS started as the best show we enjoyed at the zoo. It was interactive, engaging, filled with cheery dance moves, light hearted music, and loved by my daughter. Even a parrot can slam dung! And Jayjay (cockatoo) can wave!

Today, we feel dismay. How did such a great show reduce to such a pitiful state, with little cheers from the audience? The show looks disjointed and ends with an empty stage.

Please allow me to recap the winning moves that are now missing:
-       Introductory dance and moves by the trainers
-       Kids given the chance to join in
-       Jayjay who waves
-       Parrot slam dung
-       Hula hoop segment that once was removed but glad that it has been

Re-introduced:
-       Bubbles that light up the atmosphere at the end
-       Kids given the chance to get close to the dogs

As a patron since 2008, I just cannot understand what’s going on. What happened to the show?

Why kids are now denied the opportunity to get close to the animals?
Is the zoo going to allow kids to touch the lions and tigers instead?

Thinking back, the closing segment does look a bit messy with kids and parents swamping the dogs. Toes get stepped on. But I think everyone enjoy the mingling. It gets crowded but it shows AFS wins hearts and smiles.

Perhaps taking a leaf from the Rainforest Fights Back, where people line up properly to take photos with the snakes, something similar can be arranged. You can maintain orderliness without creating barriers.

We are also disappointed that the annual membership fees have increased again. Did the increase go to better welfare for the staff and animals? I saw trainers at the AFS with torn and dirty looking clothes. It does not look well for the zoo. Do you know that 1/3 Singapore household average income below $3000? Do you know a toilet cleaner earns $600 a month?

Yes we welcome the 40% discount, but you should really consider running the promotion from Jan – Dec instead. As the discount is applicable to Singaporeans and PRs only, which is a fixed number, why would there be a need to squeeze everyone into July?

The sudden spike in visitorship is artificial and becomes uncomfortable for us and tourists. Did you know that you have also chosen to close the Treetop Walk for upgrading? Now everyone is squeezing through a narrow passage.

Imagine tourists who come to Singapore just after the haze. The skies are clear again, but rubbing shoulders in the noon sun is not something to wish for. Long queues for food are also annoying.

Are you certain the zoo needs expansion or do you need better planning?

Regards
Chin Wei

Saturday, June 29, 2013

A bigger, more interactive zoo for the younger generation

On its 40th birthday, Wildlife Reserves Singapore chairman Claire Chiang has big dreams for the Singapore Zoological Gardens — not only to make it more immersive, but also to expand it geographically.

Having for years been a must-visit for families with young children — this group forms the bulk of the zoo's visitors — Chiang says she hopes to revitalise the WRS's oldest wildlife park (the others being the Night Safari, the River Safari and Jurong Bird Park) to more closely cater to an increasingly tech-savvy younger generation.
[The Singapore Zoo's 40th Birthday, and your favourite zoo animals]

"We have to work harder, I feel, at the teenagers, and that's where your social media (comes in), your interactive way of bringing the zoo to that level… so youth will feel that this is also a learning laboratory," said Chiang, who spoke on the sidelines of a celebration of the Zoo's 40th birthday on Thursday.

"The future zoo for Singapore… has to be interactive, because the X, Y generation that grew up with all these gadgets would like immediately to have access to information," she said. For instance, she said that a journey through the zoo has to be an immersive one, making visitors feel like they are experiencing the rainforest, instead of simply walking through the park as a passive observer.

"We have a lot of game(s), 'press-button and then information coming out', and when you're looking at an exhibit there will be a lot of questions and answers, and there will be a lot of classroom sessions where next to your exhibit you have someone to tell the story of the animal," she explained.

"(It's) interactive in a sense not that it is gadgety, but in the process of me understanding the animals… it enhances my understanding of the role of man (in nature)," she continued. "It is actually using all your senses in an exhibit to touch and feel the exhibits; that's what it means by immersive."

Chiang also said the new Zoo will have to have "a high level of educational entertainment", as well as a high level of social media impact and effect.

"So it's going to be leveraging on technology, and using the resources that we have to recreate an experience of nature that hits the mind, the heart and the soul, and it is fun," she said.

Need to ensure zoo's future

In view of this push to attract more young people to the zoo, Chiang also shared her concern of leadership renewal for the future.

She explained that the zoo is currently a treasure trove of information that needs to be collected and archived. For example, there is a lot of knowledge that resides in a number of zookeepers who have worked with the zoo since its beginnings.

"They (the veteran zookeepers) have… all the best practices. I really wish more young Singaporeans will see this, the veterinary sciences, as well as zoo management and animal care, become their career path," she said.

"Our universities should beef up more on environmental science, as well as animal care and husbandry and veterinary sciences," she added. "So the leadership issue for the future is a challenging one, and I appeal to young Singaporeans to come and join us because this is a vocation of its own — unique and interesting."

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

2 female visitors at Singapore zoo hit by falling branch falling strong winds, slightly injured with abrasions, hurt ankle

Several roads were blocked by uprooted trees, causing massive traffic jams during and after the heavy downpour. The exit to Jurong Town Hall road on the PIE, Bukit Batok Road, Toh Guan Road and Old Jurong Road were some roads that were affected.

Items such as bamboo poles and plastic chairs were sent flying by strong winds. And at least three cars were damaged by falling trees and branches.

Two of the cars - a Toyota Vios and a Toyota Camry - had been parked at a building's open-air carpark on Toh Guan East Road, just beside the Pan Island Expressway.

Ms Crystal Wong, the owner of the Vios, was shocked by the sight of a tree on top of her car as she walked towards it after work at about 5pm. Her car had to be towed away.

"I don't usually park here," said the 31-year-old project manager, who works in a neighbouring building, bemoaning her bad luck. "The lots at my office building were all occupied because I was slightly late today."

The Camry, which served as Lay Auto's company car, had its roof damaged by the uprooted tree. Staff had earlier moved five other cars from the carpark to the showroom when branches were swaying wildly in the rain.

The third car was damaged while parked at Bukit Batok West Avenue 2.

The weather also caused part of the ceiling in the Church of St Mary of the Angels on Bukit Batok East Ave 2 to come crashing down.

Retiree Ang Lam Toh, who was at a coffee shop in Bukit Batok West Avenue 4 at 3pm yesterday, said he saw ice pellets - as large as 50-cent coins - falling from the sky, accompanied by heavy rain and gusts of wind so strong that plastic chairs which had been stacked atop one another at the coffee shop fell over.

"The wind was strong and the rain was also very heavy, there were ice pieces everywhere - some even landed in the coffee shop," said the 53-year-old.

Although the Singapore Civil Defence Force said there were no reports of people who had been injured by trees, two visitors to the Singapore Zoo suffered pain in the ankle and abrasions when a falling tree branch hit them, a spokesman for Wildlife Reserves Singapore said.


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Lost and Found: Rusty, the Red Panda Returns to National Zoo


The bushy-tailed panda has safely returned after escaping Sunday evening

The male red panda had been missing from the National Zoo in Washington D.C. since 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening. Authorities have yet to announce how the furry fugitive managed to escape.

"The keepers last saw him when they fed him on Sunday night," said Devin Murphy, a spokesperson for the zoo. "They noticed he wasn't in his cage at 7:30 a.m. when they went to check on him."

She said that zoo officials combed the grounds for the panda, who is less than a year old.

"He could be sick & hiding, or someone could have taken him," the Zoo posted on Twitter on Monday morning before finding their wayward charge. "Please help us keep an eye out for Rusty."

Red pandas are typically the size of a house cat and have big, bushy tails.

They spend most of their time in trees, even sleeping in the branches. They are most active at night, as well as in the early morning and early evening hours.

"They're raccoon-like and share certain raccoon characteristics but they're not as adept or opportunistic as raccoons," said Marc Brody, a conservationist and National Geographic grantee who founded Panda Mountain, a panda conservation center.

"And they would be hard pressed to make it on their own," he said. "If it was late in the season, there would be a lot more fruiting plants around the National Zoo. I'm sure he can live for a couple of days but to forage indefinitely, it's early in the season to feed on fruits and berries."

Brody warned that Rusty could have been in trouble if temperatures climbed. Red pandas typically live in a cooler climate and might not adapt well to the humidity of Washington.

"Red pandas generally tend to sleep in trees during the heat of the day," said Murphy. "They're not aggressive, but we are advising people to respect that he is a wild animal."

Rusty arrived in Washington D.C. in April, from a zoo in Lincoln, Nebraska. He has been on exhibit for about three weeks and is up to date on all of his shots.

He is not the only red panda to go on the lam. Yin, who lived at the Virginia Zoo from 2007 until her death in 2011, escaped twice in a month shortly after arriving in Norfolk, Va.

"She was quite the escape artist," said Winfield Danielson, the marketing and PR manager for the Virginia Zoo. "We design the habitats in accordance with the standards of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to keep the animals secure in their habitats but sometimes things happen. One time a branch fell from a tree and allowed Yin to climb over."

Monday, June 24, 2013

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Great Facebook offer for Singapore Zoo

Since I'm no longer a Friend of the Zoo, I decided to take up the Facebook offers: Your Wildlife Reserves Singapore Zoo.

To use the offer, visit Wildlife Reserves Singapore and show this email. Zoo birthday one day 40% Priced tickets Special! Only $8.80 for Adults and $5.60 for Kids!

Expires Thursday, June 27 2013 (offers for that day only). Must show IC as prove of Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident.


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Exotic mini-zoo seized from Singapore HDB Flat

More than 30 wild animals, including pythons, tortoises, a slow loris and a marmoset have been seized from a flat in Singapore in the city's largest such haul of banned wildlife in more than a decade, a government agency said Tuesday.

The owner, who kept the animals in a public housing apartment, could be jailed for two years and fined up to SG$500,000 ($297,000), the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a statement.

The 32 animals included a Sunda slow loris, a nocturnal tree-dwelling primate; a common marmoset, a small monkey with a long tail; and three ball pythons, which are popular in the pet trade because of their docile nature.

There were also three black-tailed prairie dogs, several types of tortoise, five ornate horned frogs, an iguana, a gecko and a degu, a small rodent endemic to central Chile.

"The seizure, which includes highly endangered and threatened species like the slow loris, marmoset, Indian star tortoise and ball python, is AVA's largest inland seizure of wildlife since 2002," the agency said in a statement.

"A man is currently assisting AVA in the investigations."

Residents in public housing, where most Singaporeans live, are only allowed to keep approved pets such as non-endangered birds, aquarium fish and one small dog per household.

The animals, which were rescued earlier this month, are now in the care of a company running the Singapore Zoo, said the AVA, which raided the flat after a tipoff.

It warned the public that keeping illegal wildlife could pose health hazards and threaten the densely populated tropical island's biodiversity if the animals enter the local environment.

The animals that were seized have been sent to the Wildlife Reserves Singapore for proper care and custody.

1 Sunda slow loris

1 Common marmoset

2 Indian star tortoise

3 Leopard tortoise

2 Red-footed tortoise

2 Yellow-footed  tortoise

2 Alligator snapping  turtle

3 Ball python

5 Ornate horned frog

2 Green iguana

1 Inland bearded dragon

2 Sailfin dragon

1 Lined flat-tail gecko

3 Black-tailed prairie dog

2 Degu

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

White Lions: Bangkok Men Charged with Illegal Wildlife Trading


During a house raid of Montri Boonprom-on’s residence near Bangkok, police found something they never would have expected: a menagerie of more than 200 wild animals – some with teeth. Among the creatures found by police, there were 14 rare albino lions and a legally protected species of leopard in a box.

Police made the surprising discovery after a routine call. "We received a complaint about the smell from the neighbours and after investigating, we discovered the animals hidden there," Police Colonel Ek Ekasart said.

Two Thai men, including Montri, were charged in the case with illegal wildlife trading in the case and could be sentenced to prison for up to four years and receive a fine of 40,000 baht ($1,300). Police believe the men brought the lions into Thailand with permits to sell them to zoos, but instead intended to sell them privately. One of the two men was charged with the same crime four years ago.

Alongside the big cats found stalking Montri’s home were birds, meerkats, tortoises, peafowls and monkeys. Once the process is complete, the animals will either be released into the wild or handed over to zoos. The white lions can be seen in police captivity here.

Montri, 41, is no stranger to wildlife, owning an exotic pet shop in Bangkok’s legendary Chatuchak Weekend Market, one of the world’s largest weekend markets. While the majority of the goods on sale at the market are legitimate, this story highlights Thailand’s close links with the illegal wildlife trade.

Indeed, Asia has an appetite for uncommon animals, both as pets and for use of their body parts in various traditional medicines – perhaps the best known being traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which makes use of anything from dried starfish and bear paws to dried scorpions and donkey umbilical cords. A list of other such goodies – also including dried flying lizards and rat fetuses – and their uses, can be seen here.

Thailand is trying to live down its reputation for assisting in this business – especially when it involves legally protected species – as seen in Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s announcement of legislation intended to bring the nation’s longstanding ivory trade to end this March.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Despite stricter enforcement, illegal wildlife trade at worrying levels


The illegal wildlife trade in the country is rising at worrying levels despite stricter enforcement and heavier penalties.

Greedy traffickers who gain huge profits from the cruel and unethical trade are focusing on Malaysia as it is among the few countries which still has tigers, elephants, sun bears, pangolins and other sought after species.

A live tiger is worth about US$50,000 (RM154,690) in the black market. Its skin alone can be worth up to US$35,000 (RM108,283).

A dead tiger's carcass, without the skin, fetches about US$5,000 (RM15,469). The prized parts of the big cat are sold separately with its penis worth about US$4,000 (RM12,370).

Elephant tusks sell for US$1,800 (RM5,566) a kilo while rhinoceros horns are priced at about US$97,000 (RM299,944) a kilo.

Among the animals highly sought after by poachers in Malaysia are wild boar, sambar deer, barking deer, mousedeer and porcupine and several species of rare birds.

According to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), traffickers are motivated by the high profit margins in the wildlife trade.

“Animal parts are used in traditional medicine, folk remedies and as aphrodisiacs,” said a department spokesman.

He said tigers were mostly hunted for bones, skin and body parts, bears for their gall bladders and paws, pangolins for their meat and for their scales while snakes such as pythons are traded for their skins.

Rare birds are sold at high prices while geckos are traded based on the myth that they are able to cure ailments, including erectile dysfunction.

“Wildlife crime is run by international networks and operate much like the illegal drugs and weapons business,” he said, adding that stricter laws and tighter enforcement had not deterred poachers and traffickers.

Under the new Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, any person who sets or uses any snare for the purpose of hunting can face fines ranging from RM50,000 and RM100,000 and be jailed for a maximum of two years.

Between 2008 and last year, Perhilitan enforcement officers found and destroyed 2,377 snares set by poachers in forests and protected forest reserves.

The global illegal wildlife trade is worth an estimated US$5bil (RM15.46bil) to US$20bil (RM61.84bil) annually, with China, the US and Europe as prime markets.

Kanitha Krishnasamy, senior programme officer for Traffic South-East Asia, a wildlife monitoring network, said the demand for wildlife parts was on the rise worldwide, with the rate of poaching for elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns at its highest in 20 years.

She said in Malaysia, sambar deer and barking deer have been so rampantly hunted that Perhilitan has banned all deer hunting until 2015.

“Another species of concern is the pangolin, which is the mammal most commonly encountered in seizures across South-East Asia.

“Rarer and more endangered animals like tigers and serow are also very much in demand,” she said.

She said poachers often targeted the Belum-Temengor Forest area, Taman Negara and Endau-Rompin, especially for larger animals such as tigers and bears.

“Poachers are very good at what they do. They know the landscape and are usually a part of a vast, well-oiled network that illegally takes, smuggles and trades wildlife with great speed, using clever methods to evade the law,” she said.

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Singapore Zoo or River Safari? Just visit Both!

I was asked, what attraction should I visit? The Singapore Zoo or the River Safari...

Let's look at the price of their ticket first:

Singapore Zoo Admission Fee

Per Adult $22.00

Per Child*  $14.00
(3 - 12 years old)

Per Senior Citizen** $11.00
(Tickets available at ticketing counter)

River Safari Admission Fee

The River Safari boat ride and animal exhibits along this ride will not be available until later this year. In view of that, River Safari admission tickets will be sold at a discounted price.

Per Adult     $25.00
(Usual Price $35.00)

Per Child*     $16.00
(Usual Price $23.00)
(3 - 12 years old)    

Per Senior Citizen**    $12.50
(Usual Price $17.50)

• Entry to Giant Panda Forest requires booking of viewing time slots

(Both offers a 10% Discount for Online purchase or Passion card members)
   
Singapore Zoo have more exhibits than River Safari, plus the newly open Polar Bear enclosure will surely impress all visitors. As for River Safari, unless you are there to see the Giant Panda, Kai Kai & Jia Jia, if not visiting this Tourist attraction can wait...

The whole River Safari tour (one round) really just takes my family 2 hours, at most 3! The feel in there, seeing all the huge tanks reminds me of Marine Life Park in Sentosa RWS.

The Singapore Zoo is bigger, more animals to see and more fun for the children (water play). However River Safari is NEW and because several exhibits are not ready yet, the admission fee is cheaper for now!

Singapore Zoo newest and latest: Frozen Tundra, Inuka is back! Wolverines and raccon dogs.

Monday, June 03, 2013

Piranhas at River Safari exhibit placed under maximum security

Shouldn't all animals be protected? Well, its the Piranhas people are concerned. The risk of them escaping into our local habitat, reservoirs will damage our eco-surroundings.

Their tanks are padlocked, they are microchipped and, should they breed, their eggs are destroyed.

These are the living conditions of the most highly guarded creatures at the River Safari - the red-bellied piranhas.

The security measures are befitting of their fearsome image, thanks to their portrayal as ferocious man-eaters in movies like Piranhas 3D.

But River Safari's curator Wah Yap Hon would have you know that there is little truth in that.




Saturday, June 01, 2013

Polar Bear Inuka moves into new Frozen Tundra Exhibit

AS THE first polar bear born in the tropics, Inuka has never experienced life on the frozen Arctic tundra.

Yet the 570kg furry giant's new home is perhaps the next best thing.

The $8 million Singapore Zoo enclosure is about the size of 2 1/2 basketball courts - four times bigger than the previous one.

And it is modelled on the natural environment of the Arctic, with a large pool, waterfall and an ice cave where the 22-year-old bear can rest. Called Frozen Tundra, the 2,700 sq m exhibit also includes two separate sections housing raccoon dogs and wolverines, both of which are native to sub-Arctic environments.

Inuka moved in on Wednesday.
The zoo came up with the idea of creating a new habitat in 2006. It was designed to give the Singapore-born bear - whose mother, Sheba, died last November - more space to move around, while offering the public a glimpse of the Arctic world.

"In the past, visitors wanted the animals as close to them as possible," said Wildlife Reserves Singapore director of exhibit design Cham Tud Yinn. "But as they become more educated, they appreciate the fact that animals need privacy and space."

He added that visitors may not be able to get quite as close to Inuka as they would like. However, the exhibit has more glass panels through which to view the spectacular creature.

Native to the Arctic Circle, polar bears are the world's largest land carnivores. Adult males can weigh up to 700kg. But global warming has pushed back the sea ice, shrinking their hunting grounds and cutting off their sources of food.

If global temperatures continue to rise, polar bears may become extinct within a hundred years.

The Frozen Tundra is open every day from 8.30am to 6pm.

Inuka was adopted at birth in 1990 by the SPH Foundation, the charitable arm of Straits Times' parent company Singapore Press Holdings. Its chairman, Dr Lee Boon Yang, was the guest of honour at a ceremony yesterday to mark the foundation's decision to adopt the Amazon Flooded Forest at the River Safari. This means it will sponsor the exhibit by making a donation to zoo owner Wildlife Reserves Singapore every year.

"SPH Foundation has been a long-time partner of Wildlife Reserves Singapore in supporting wildlife conservation," said Dr Lee. He added that it also sponsors the High Flyers Show at Jurong Bird Park and a conservation centre housing proboscis monkeys at the zoo.