Visit Singapore Zoo: August 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.