IT WAS a one-off incident, says the cleaning company whose supervisor was filmed beating up a worker outside the Singapore Zoo.
And it had nothing to do with the death of its employee, Mr Nordin Montong, the Malaysian cleaner killed by white tigers at the zoo last month.
Mr Jason Law, operations director at Sun City Maintenance, said: 'The beating incident and Nordin's death are completely unrelated.'
The company came forward to 'clear the air' over the handphone video, which had been taken about six months ago.
Mr Law, 44, told The New Paper that the beating, involving a supervisor called Alan, was a 'one-off incident' after a misunderstanding between Alan and a foreign worker named Phang Siau Nian.
Sun City was not able to give us the contact details of Alan, a Singaporean in his 30s, and Mr Phang, a Malaysian in his early 20s, as they had left the company.
Started with a look
Mr Stanley Kuta Teo Ukau, 20, a Sun City cleaner who witnessed the beating, said Alan got upset because he felt Mr Phang had given him a defiant look during his briefing after work at about 6pm.
Speaking in Malay, Mr Stanley, who is from Sarawak in Malaysia, said: 'We were waiting for transport. Phang didn't say anything, but he was showing a 'black face' (looking angry). Alan took it in a bad way.
'They were already not on good terms.
'For example, we're supposed to tuck in our uniforms, but Phang refused to do so despite being told off repeatedly by Alan. Phang can also be quite hot-tempered.'
He added that an ambulance and a police patrol car showed up and Mr Phang was examined for serious injury.
Sun City's operations director, Mr Law, who has been with the company for about 10 years, said there was no visible injury on Mr Phang. He did not know who had called the police.
No official report was lodged, so the police did not investigate further.
Mr Phang worked for Sun City for about four months before he went back to Sarawak in July.
According to Mr Stanley, Mr Phang said he had matters to see to.
Alan had worked for the company for two to three years.
Mr Law said Alan had been quite 'rash and impulsive', but his actions should not be taken to represent Sun City's treatment of its workers.
He said: 'I knew about the beating and that it had been recorded on the handphone of one of the workers. I also knew it was being circulated.
'We didn't do anything to suppress the incident in any way. Why should we? The company had not done anything wrong. Fights can break out for all sorts of reasons.'
Mr Law had advised Mr Phang that it was up to him to make a police report.
'I told him that if he wanted to make a report, no one would stop him,' he said.
Privately settled
Mr Phang eventually settled the matter privately with Alan and accepted compensation from him. Mr Law did not know the amount agreed upon.
He said: 'The company issued Alan a warning letter. He acknowledged it. The incident was noted in his record.'
Mr Stanley also said he was aware of the compensation, but not the amount.
He added: 'If the matter was not properly settled, the rest of us would have been unhappy. We would not have continued working for Sun City.'
'It is not right for a supervisor to beat up a worker.'
Mr Law said that a few months after the incident, Alan was asked to resign because of attitude problems.
'He would turn up late for work or not come at all. In addition to what had happened, we felt it was unacceptable,' he said.
Mr Law also stressed that Mr Phang had not resigned because of the beating or because he was ill-treated.
He said: 'Why would we ill-treat our workers? They are our assets. We are not irresponsible employers. If we were, why would I personally accompany Nordin's body back to Sarawak?
'Everybody advised me against it, because they were worried that I would be held responsible for his death and be attacked in his village.'
He claimed that there was a tense moment after the burial, when a relative holding a parang asked him, 'Insurance, how?'
Mr Law said: 'Luckily, Nordin's brother-in-law stepped in. He told me not to go anywhere by myself as it was not safe. Later, he drove me back to my hotel.'
He added: 'I believe I have a good relationship with my workers. I go to the work sites and ask if they are happy with their work, their accommodation.
'I have workers who stay with me for a few years. In an industry with a turnover rate of a few months, this is very rare.'
Mr Stanley, who has been with Sun City for eight months, said: 'The beating incident did make us very upset, but in other matters, the company treats us okay.'
Friday, December 05, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Post-mortem on Singapore Zoo staff mauled to death by white Tigers
This is captured from Sammyboy forum, Possible reason why My favourite White Tiger mauled Zoo staff to death, A ONE off incident?
Sg Zoo Not Proactive But Retroactive
Dear ALL,
With the grisly death of the employee of the Singapore Zoo still very much the talk of the town, I like to state that the management of the Singapore Zoo has failed in its responsibility in looking after the welfare of their employees or those who work in their premises.
If Nordin Montong was indeed "mentally disturbed" then there would have been signs of this many days if not weeks prior to this fatal incident.
Had his supervisors, managers or immediate superiors noticed or bothered to notice then they should have ordered him to seek medical help and perhaps this incident could have been averted. Or at least he wouldn't have died being mauled by tigers.
Reacting to his actions after the fact only compounds the mal-management of human assets in the Singapore Zoo. All reports talk of how he is merely a contract worker and what sort of behaviour he exhibited, all done as if the distance themselves and avoid responsibility.
The point is that many people in organisations as large as the Singapore Zoo depend on contract workers, this is the reality of business today, but at what cost? There is distinct lack of responsibility and accountability towards the very people that work to bring prestige, fame and keep the place running for the organisation itself.
A life was needlessly lost and despite exhibiting all the telltale signs of mental problems, as SPH's ST so boldly states, but the question that goes abegging is why was he ignored?
Wasn't there anyone who could have intervened? Don't huge organisations like the Sg Zoo have meetings with its staff and don't supervisors and managers look out for potential problems among their staff?
Poor all round management and poor humanistics stands out, IMHO.
Personally, when I was a teenager, I used to volunteer at the zoo during school holidays. Bernard Harrison had been there for the longest time and he would talk to all employees at least once a week and he would sometimes call out people for 1 on 1 talks in his office if he sensed something amiss.
Especially when one of the primate keepers was all depressed when Pinky the orang utan died some weeks earlier.
Of course this was way back then when employees were all zoo staff and contract workers were unheard of.
No matter how one feels about Nordin Montong's nationality and the FT issue, one must have some sympathy. The basis of Singapore society has become such that "you die your business" has taken its toll once again. This time it's an FT next time another Sgean.
How many suicides are the result of this attitude? How many lives have been lost because the business model of Singapore leaves no room for personal intervention and interests before organisational. The simple simple answer is, because it makes no economic sense to do so.
There is something seriously wrong with regards to employer to employee relationships in Sg, and this I bet my very last inflation ravaged dollar that this is merely the tip of a collossal iceberg.
Cheers,
MentisMortis
Sg Zoo Not Proactive But Retroactive
Dear ALL,
With the grisly death of the employee of the Singapore Zoo still very much the talk of the town, I like to state that the management of the Singapore Zoo has failed in its responsibility in looking after the welfare of their employees or those who work in their premises.
If Nordin Montong was indeed "mentally disturbed" then there would have been signs of this many days if not weeks prior to this fatal incident.
Had his supervisors, managers or immediate superiors noticed or bothered to notice then they should have ordered him to seek medical help and perhaps this incident could have been averted. Or at least he wouldn't have died being mauled by tigers.
Reacting to his actions after the fact only compounds the mal-management of human assets in the Singapore Zoo. All reports talk of how he is merely a contract worker and what sort of behaviour he exhibited, all done as if the distance themselves and avoid responsibility.
The point is that many people in organisations as large as the Singapore Zoo depend on contract workers, this is the reality of business today, but at what cost? There is distinct lack of responsibility and accountability towards the very people that work to bring prestige, fame and keep the place running for the organisation itself.
A life was needlessly lost and despite exhibiting all the telltale signs of mental problems, as SPH's ST so boldly states, but the question that goes abegging is why was he ignored?
Wasn't there anyone who could have intervened? Don't huge organisations like the Sg Zoo have meetings with its staff and don't supervisors and managers look out for potential problems among their staff?
Poor all round management and poor humanistics stands out, IMHO.
Personally, when I was a teenager, I used to volunteer at the zoo during school holidays. Bernard Harrison had been there for the longest time and he would talk to all employees at least once a week and he would sometimes call out people for 1 on 1 talks in his office if he sensed something amiss.
Especially when one of the primate keepers was all depressed when Pinky the orang utan died some weeks earlier.
Of course this was way back then when employees were all zoo staff and contract workers were unheard of.
No matter how one feels about Nordin Montong's nationality and the FT issue, one must have some sympathy. The basis of Singapore society has become such that "you die your business" has taken its toll once again. This time it's an FT next time another Sgean.
How many suicides are the result of this attitude? How many lives have been lost because the business model of Singapore leaves no room for personal intervention and interests before organisational. The simple simple answer is, because it makes no economic sense to do so.
There is something seriously wrong with regards to employer to employee relationships in Sg, and this I bet my very last inflation ravaged dollar that this is merely the tip of a collossal iceberg.
Cheers,
MentisMortis
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tigers would have been shot if...
I will be very upset if those white tigers are hurt...
Cleaner Nordin Montong's fatal mauling by two white tigers at the Singapore Zoo raised questions about safety. Yesterday, Mr Biswajit Guha, the zoo's assisant director of zoology, and Ms Isabel Cheng, the director of sales, marketing and communications of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, addressed such concerns.
Q: Could the Zoo's licensed shooters have arrived sooner?
Mr Biswajit Guha: The shooters' weapons are stored in an armoury, and the shooters have to get the weapons and then go to the scene (the location of the armoury could not be disclosed for security reasons).
After collecting their weapons, the shooters arrived at the white tiger exhibit within five minutes.
But the tigers were already back in their dens by the time the shooters arrived.
If the tigers could not be lured back to their dens by then, the shooters would have shot and killed the animals.
Q: How far is the armoury from the white tiger enclosure?
Mr Guha: It is slightly less than 800m away. It can be reached within three minutes by running or buggy.
Q: What items are placed in the armoury?
Mr Guha: (Each armoury) contains our weapons and live rounds. The weapons are double-barrelled shotguns and 0.375calibre rifles.
Q: How many licensed shooters does the Zoo have and where are they positioned?
Mr Guha: We have a pool of 16licensed shooters between the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.
As a standard operating procedure (SOP), upon collection of their arms, the designated officers will go to the front of the exhibit where the incident is takingplace.
Q: How many shooters were on duty and where were they positioned?
Mr Guha: At this time, we are not able to check how many out of our 16 licensed shooters were working on Nov 13. However, on any working day, a minimum of four licensed shooters are on duty.
On Nov 13, two licensed shooters were activated to collect their weapons. They then positioned themselves at the front of the white tiger exhibit.
Q: Witnesses said that they saw the keepers mainly throwing umbrellas and using a long pole to distract the tigers on Thursday. Could they have been better equipped?
Mr Guha: The keepers also used items from a nearby safety box to distract the tigers. All of the items and more were used to distract the tigets.
These included fire extinguishers, extensible poles, cymbals, loud hailers and clay balls.
Q: Can you tell us your standard operating procedures for handling the various dangerous animals, should a similar incident occur?
Mr Guha: These are confidential internal documents which we are unable to share with external parties.
Q: What happens to the tigers now?
Mr Guha: They are still being looked after and maintained by the Zoo. We have no plans to put them down.
The keepers have been told to keep an eye on them and we want to give them time to recover from the event.
But we are not having extra security measures for the tigers. We think that the white tiger exhibit should be back in action within less than a week.
The tigers are not dangerous to humans. They would not attack humans unless they were taunted, or they thought the humans were prey
Q: Did Mr Nordin have any history of mental illness?
Mr Guha: As far as we know, he was all right when he reported for work on Thursday morning. He was hardworking and there was no indication that he had any mental problems when he was working in the Zoo.
Q: Will the Zoo be reviewing the safety features in the white tiger exhibit and its other dangerous animal enclosures?
Mr Guha: We are looking into the possibility of installing alarm buttons, like those activated by pressing or breaking a glass, near the enclosures so that visitors and/or keepers can raise an alarm more quickly if something happens at these places.
We will increase the frequency of patrols by our keepers and ground staff, especially during lunch time.
The Zoo has 50 keepers and 30 ground staff walking or cycling around its premises daily.
Ms Cheng: The white tiger exhibit is very safe. We have safety features to guard against someone who accidentally falls in the enclosure, like a planter bed below the railing and cable wires that the person can roll onto to prevent him falling into the moat.
In addition, fences on the left and right wings of the exhibit measure 8.5m, inclusive of the water moat wall. The exhibit is permanently surrounded by a water moat 10m wide from the shore to the overhang at the visitors' bridge, and 8.5m from the rock platform to the overhang at the visitors' bridge.
At its deepest, the water is 1.75m deep in the moat.
These enclosure measurements conform to international safety guidelines imposed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Our lion and polar bear exhibits are also well-protected. But we cannot completely secure against someone who intentionally enters the enclosure.
The incident on Thursday was such a case.
Cleaner Nordin Montong's fatal mauling by two white tigers at the Singapore Zoo raised questions about safety. Yesterday, Mr Biswajit Guha, the zoo's assisant director of zoology, and Ms Isabel Cheng, the director of sales, marketing and communications of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, addressed such concerns.
Q: Could the Zoo's licensed shooters have arrived sooner?
Mr Biswajit Guha: The shooters' weapons are stored in an armoury, and the shooters have to get the weapons and then go to the scene (the location of the armoury could not be disclosed for security reasons).
After collecting their weapons, the shooters arrived at the white tiger exhibit within five minutes.
But the tigers were already back in their dens by the time the shooters arrived.
If the tigers could not be lured back to their dens by then, the shooters would have shot and killed the animals.
Q: How far is the armoury from the white tiger enclosure?
Mr Guha: It is slightly less than 800m away. It can be reached within three minutes by running or buggy.
Q: What items are placed in the armoury?
Mr Guha: (Each armoury) contains our weapons and live rounds. The weapons are double-barrelled shotguns and 0.375calibre rifles.
Q: How many licensed shooters does the Zoo have and where are they positioned?
Mr Guha: We have a pool of 16licensed shooters between the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.
As a standard operating procedure (SOP), upon collection of their arms, the designated officers will go to the front of the exhibit where the incident is takingplace.
Q: How many shooters were on duty and where were they positioned?
Mr Guha: At this time, we are not able to check how many out of our 16 licensed shooters were working on Nov 13. However, on any working day, a minimum of four licensed shooters are on duty.
On Nov 13, two licensed shooters were activated to collect their weapons. They then positioned themselves at the front of the white tiger exhibit.
Q: Witnesses said that they saw the keepers mainly throwing umbrellas and using a long pole to distract the tigers on Thursday. Could they have been better equipped?
Mr Guha: The keepers also used items from a nearby safety box to distract the tigers. All of the items and more were used to distract the tigets.
These included fire extinguishers, extensible poles, cymbals, loud hailers and clay balls.
Q: Can you tell us your standard operating procedures for handling the various dangerous animals, should a similar incident occur?
Mr Guha: These are confidential internal documents which we are unable to share with external parties.
Q: What happens to the tigers now?
Mr Guha: They are still being looked after and maintained by the Zoo. We have no plans to put them down.
The keepers have been told to keep an eye on them and we want to give them time to recover from the event.
But we are not having extra security measures for the tigers. We think that the white tiger exhibit should be back in action within less than a week.
The tigers are not dangerous to humans. They would not attack humans unless they were taunted, or they thought the humans were prey
Q: Did Mr Nordin have any history of mental illness?
Mr Guha: As far as we know, he was all right when he reported for work on Thursday morning. He was hardworking and there was no indication that he had any mental problems when he was working in the Zoo.
Q: Will the Zoo be reviewing the safety features in the white tiger exhibit and its other dangerous animal enclosures?
Mr Guha: We are looking into the possibility of installing alarm buttons, like those activated by pressing or breaking a glass, near the enclosures so that visitors and/or keepers can raise an alarm more quickly if something happens at these places.
We will increase the frequency of patrols by our keepers and ground staff, especially during lunch time.
The Zoo has 50 keepers and 30 ground staff walking or cycling around its premises daily.
Ms Cheng: The white tiger exhibit is very safe. We have safety features to guard against someone who accidentally falls in the enclosure, like a planter bed below the railing and cable wires that the person can roll onto to prevent him falling into the moat.
In addition, fences on the left and right wings of the exhibit measure 8.5m, inclusive of the water moat wall. The exhibit is permanently surrounded by a water moat 10m wide from the shore to the overhang at the visitors' bridge, and 8.5m from the rock platform to the overhang at the visitors' bridge.
At its deepest, the water is 1.75m deep in the moat.
These enclosure measurements conform to international safety guidelines imposed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Our lion and polar bear exhibits are also well-protected. But we cannot completely secure against someone who intentionally enters the enclosure.
The incident on Thursday was such a case.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Continue to Visit the Singapore Zoo
Please continue to visit the Singapore Zoo, nothing have changed except that its star inhabitants - the three white tigers - were nowhere in sight.
A red sign hanging on a wooden gate, which barred access to the viewing gallery of the white tiger enclosure, bore the words 'Exhibit closed. Any inconvenience is regretted'.
It was a stark contrast to the scene only the day before in which horrified visitors screamed and watched helplessly from the viewing gallery as a cleaner who had jumped into the enclosure was mauled to death by the tigers.
The temporary closure of the exhibit was for investigation purposes and to allow the tigers to settle down following the incident, zoo officials said.
But that did not stop local and foreign visitors from stopping by the enclosure of one of the Singapore Zoo's key attractions yesterday.
Some were there hoping to view the extremely rare tigers, others out of curiosity to see for themselves where the incident had taken place. A number were disappointed tourists who were there specifically to see the white tigers.
Though the viewing gallery was closed, the enclosure area was still clearly visible from the sides.
Polytechnic student Gillian Chan, 19, wanted to check how the tigers, her favourite zoo exhibit, were doing after she heard about the incident.
'I am very concerned about the tigers and I hope they won't be put to sleep because it wasn't their fault,' Miss Chan, who visits the zoo almost yearly to see the white tigers, said.
Miss Jolin Chew, 25, a sales co-ordinator, and her friend, Miss Ng Li Xin, 25, a share registrar, had taken leave to visit the zoo.
They had planned their visit a few weeks before and yesterday's incident did not put them off. They headed for the white tiger exhibit first, hoping to see them.
Disappointed
Miss Ng said: 'I don't think the zoo is unsafe just because of the incident as the man jumped into the enclosure on his own.'
One Malaysian family was disappointed.
Mr Lee Hon Leong, 38, who arrived in Singapore with his family yesterday, said: 'We had come all the way from Kuala Lumpur because the white tigers are very rare.'
His crestfallen daughter, 13, and son, 9, had been excited about seeing the tigers.
'Perhaps we will drop by again after six months so that we can see the tigers,' Mr Lee said.
Several tourists from Australia were also disappointed at the closure.
Mrs Leanne Stummer, 40, and her husband were at the zoo for the first time with the main purpose of viewing the tigers because of their rarity.
'We read online that it was one of the main attractions of the zoo here and wanted to see them,' she said.
Although disappointed, she was sympathetic about the tragedy.
'People need to remember that these are wild animals,' she added.
Mr Mike Barnett, 57, and his wife, while disappointed, also understood why the enclosure had to be closed.
'The tigers need time and quiet to settle down after what happened,' he said.
A woman was seen gesturing and discussing in Mandarin with friends how the cleaner could have climbed into the enclosure. She declined to be interviewed.
The zoo opened the Rainforest Kidzworld, a new exhibit targeted at children, yesterday afternoon.
Ms Isabel Cheng, director of sales, marketing and communications, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said it was not possible to reschedule the event at such late notice.
She said that Thursday's incident was an isolated case.
'The safety of our visitors and employees were not compromised, thus we decided to proceed with the grand opening,' she added.
Groups of kindergarten children trooped past the white tiger enclosure led by their teachers on their way to the Rainforest Kidzworld. Some stopped to look before moving on.
Teacher Chew May Ling, 31, said: 'We had hoped the children could see the tigers, but they are too young to know what happened. We are just here for the opening of Kidzworld.'
A red sign hanging on a wooden gate, which barred access to the viewing gallery of the white tiger enclosure, bore the words 'Exhibit closed. Any inconvenience is regretted'.
It was a stark contrast to the scene only the day before in which horrified visitors screamed and watched helplessly from the viewing gallery as a cleaner who had jumped into the enclosure was mauled to death by the tigers.
The temporary closure of the exhibit was for investigation purposes and to allow the tigers to settle down following the incident, zoo officials said.
But that did not stop local and foreign visitors from stopping by the enclosure of one of the Singapore Zoo's key attractions yesterday.
Some were there hoping to view the extremely rare tigers, others out of curiosity to see for themselves where the incident had taken place. A number were disappointed tourists who were there specifically to see the white tigers.
Though the viewing gallery was closed, the enclosure area was still clearly visible from the sides.
Polytechnic student Gillian Chan, 19, wanted to check how the tigers, her favourite zoo exhibit, were doing after she heard about the incident.
'I am very concerned about the tigers and I hope they won't be put to sleep because it wasn't their fault,' Miss Chan, who visits the zoo almost yearly to see the white tigers, said.
Miss Jolin Chew, 25, a sales co-ordinator, and her friend, Miss Ng Li Xin, 25, a share registrar, had taken leave to visit the zoo.
They had planned their visit a few weeks before and yesterday's incident did not put them off. They headed for the white tiger exhibit first, hoping to see them.
Disappointed
Miss Ng said: 'I don't think the zoo is unsafe just because of the incident as the man jumped into the enclosure on his own.'
One Malaysian family was disappointed.
Mr Lee Hon Leong, 38, who arrived in Singapore with his family yesterday, said: 'We had come all the way from Kuala Lumpur because the white tigers are very rare.'
His crestfallen daughter, 13, and son, 9, had been excited about seeing the tigers.
'Perhaps we will drop by again after six months so that we can see the tigers,' Mr Lee said.
Several tourists from Australia were also disappointed at the closure.
Mrs Leanne Stummer, 40, and her husband were at the zoo for the first time with the main purpose of viewing the tigers because of their rarity.
'We read online that it was one of the main attractions of the zoo here and wanted to see them,' she said.
Although disappointed, she was sympathetic about the tragedy.
'People need to remember that these are wild animals,' she added.
Mr Mike Barnett, 57, and his wife, while disappointed, also understood why the enclosure had to be closed.
'The tigers need time and quiet to settle down after what happened,' he said.
A woman was seen gesturing and discussing in Mandarin with friends how the cleaner could have climbed into the enclosure. She declined to be interviewed.
The zoo opened the Rainforest Kidzworld, a new exhibit targeted at children, yesterday afternoon.
Ms Isabel Cheng, director of sales, marketing and communications, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said it was not possible to reschedule the event at such late notice.
She said that Thursday's incident was an isolated case.
'The safety of our visitors and employees were not compromised, thus we decided to proceed with the grand opening,' she added.
Groups of kindergarten children trooped past the white tiger enclosure led by their teachers on their way to the Rainforest Kidzworld. Some stopped to look before moving on.
Teacher Chew May Ling, 31, said: 'We had hoped the children could see the tigers, but they are too young to know what happened. We are just here for the opening of Kidzworld.'
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Singapore Zoo Business as usual
A day after a cleaner was mauled to death at the Singapore Zoo’s white tiger enclosure, officials assured the public that the exhibit is "very safe".
It held a news conference on Friday to clear any doubts even as it opened its latest S$12 million attraction.
Business was as usual at the Singapore. Visitors streamed in to view the latest attraction called the Rainforest Kidzworld which opened in time for the school holidays.
Gracing the launch was executive director and CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ms Ho Ching.
She said: "The zoo has deepened its own knowledge and expertise through the years. I have full respect for the team at the WildLife Reserves for their hard work, passion and constant care. It is amazing how their dedication and imagination have created a natural and safe wildlife habitat only half an hour away from the city lights."
The chairman of Wildlife Reserves, which owns the zoo, took the opportunity to speak on the incident.
Claire Chiang, non—executive chairman, Wildlife Reserves, said: "Let me take a few minutes to address the unfortunate incident at the white tiger exhibit yesterday. Our sympathies and condolences go to Mr Nordin Bin Montong’s family. I would like to reassure all visitors that the white tiger exhibit is very safe and is as safe as any part of the zoo.
The safety measures we have implemented exceed the standards recommended by the association of zoos and aquariums (AZA). AZA is the internationally recognised organisation that accredits only institutions that have achieved rigorous standards for animal care, education, wildlife conservation and science."
Visitors too, didn’t seem too concerned about safety.
Aaron Tan, a visitor, said: "The enclosure is actually quite safe as long as you don’t go close into the enclosure itself. So I can still bring my kid here."
At a news conference later, zoo officials addressed other concerns raised, including the five—minute response time it took the sharpshooters to reach the scene.
Biswajit Guha, assistant director, Singapore Zoo, said: "The five—minute situation is essentially sufficient to go to a hotspot in the case of an animal escape. This was an extraordinary situation whereby someone had actually jumped in.
“Even if it had been a fall and the person was trying very hard to avoid the tigers and had gone to the deep end, we are quite confident he would have been able to move in, in time."
He added that firing tranquilisers would not have saved the cleaner as it could have further provoked the animals.
He added: "Tranquilisers don’t work instantaneously. So it will take about five minutes before having an impact on the animal. And to have such a sharp impact coming into contact with an animal, it could provoke the animal more and there might be a more drastic reaction."
Meanwhile, the Singapore Zoo said it will not be stationing armed officers at the enclosures which are deemed dangerous. But it will definitely be increasing its patrols conducted by the zoo’s keepers and operational staff.
Staff who witnessed the incident or need counselling will also be taken care of.
The zoo hopes to re—open the white tiger attraction within the next few days.
It held a news conference on Friday to clear any doubts even as it opened its latest S$12 million attraction.
Business was as usual at the Singapore. Visitors streamed in to view the latest attraction called the Rainforest Kidzworld which opened in time for the school holidays.
Gracing the launch was executive director and CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ms Ho Ching.
She said: "The zoo has deepened its own knowledge and expertise through the years. I have full respect for the team at the WildLife Reserves for their hard work, passion and constant care. It is amazing how their dedication and imagination have created a natural and safe wildlife habitat only half an hour away from the city lights."
The chairman of Wildlife Reserves, which owns the zoo, took the opportunity to speak on the incident.
Claire Chiang, non—executive chairman, Wildlife Reserves, said: "Let me take a few minutes to address the unfortunate incident at the white tiger exhibit yesterday. Our sympathies and condolences go to Mr Nordin Bin Montong’s family. I would like to reassure all visitors that the white tiger exhibit is very safe and is as safe as any part of the zoo.
The safety measures we have implemented exceed the standards recommended by the association of zoos and aquariums (AZA). AZA is the internationally recognised organisation that accredits only institutions that have achieved rigorous standards for animal care, education, wildlife conservation and science."
Visitors too, didn’t seem too concerned about safety.
Aaron Tan, a visitor, said: "The enclosure is actually quite safe as long as you don’t go close into the enclosure itself. So I can still bring my kid here."
At a news conference later, zoo officials addressed other concerns raised, including the five—minute response time it took the sharpshooters to reach the scene.
Biswajit Guha, assistant director, Singapore Zoo, said: "The five—minute situation is essentially sufficient to go to a hotspot in the case of an animal escape. This was an extraordinary situation whereby someone had actually jumped in.
“Even if it had been a fall and the person was trying very hard to avoid the tigers and had gone to the deep end, we are quite confident he would have been able to move in, in time."
He added that firing tranquilisers would not have saved the cleaner as it could have further provoked the animals.
He added: "Tranquilisers don’t work instantaneously. So it will take about five minutes before having an impact on the animal. And to have such a sharp impact coming into contact with an animal, it could provoke the animal more and there might be a more drastic reaction."
Meanwhile, the Singapore Zoo said it will not be stationing armed officers at the enclosures which are deemed dangerous. But it will definitely be increasing its patrols conducted by the zoo’s keepers and operational staff.
Staff who witnessed the incident or need counselling will also be taken care of.
The zoo hopes to re—open the white tiger attraction within the next few days.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Speeding elephant too much for comfort!
'A zoo employee rang his bell frantically to warn visitors to flee from the elephant's path.'
MR TAN JUAN YEW: 'My family and I visited the Singapore Zoo last Saturday. As we rested in a shelter, we saw an elephant speed past. A zoo employee riding a bicycle beside it rang his bell frantically to visitors to flee from the elephant's path. We broke into a cold sweat when we saw a pram in the middle of its path. Fortunately, the father quickly pushed it aside just before the elephant ran past. Later, we found out that the pram was empty as the baby was with its mother. Still, it was dangerous, especially for children and the elderly who may not be able to react in time.'
The Singapore Zoo will look into this problem!
MR TAN JUAN YEW: 'My family and I visited the Singapore Zoo last Saturday. As we rested in a shelter, we saw an elephant speed past. A zoo employee riding a bicycle beside it rang his bell frantically to visitors to flee from the elephant's path. We broke into a cold sweat when we saw a pram in the middle of its path. Fortunately, the father quickly pushed it aside just before the elephant ran past. Later, we found out that the pram was empty as the baby was with its mother. Still, it was dangerous, especially for children and the elderly who may not be able to react in time.'
The Singapore Zoo will look into this problem!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Singapore Zoo claim first Human tragedy
SINGAPORE, Nov 13, 2008 (AFP) - An apparently disturbed worker was mauled to death by three tigers at the Singapore Zoo on Thursday when he deliberately jumped into their enclosure, the zoo said.
The white tigers pounced on the 32-year-old contract cleaner after he jumped into the moat surrounding their enclosure and then moved toward the animals, the zoo said in a statement.
The zoo, one of Singapore's most prominent tourist attractions, described the victim as "apparently disturbed and agitated".
Fellow workers reported that he "was acting a little bit erratic and odd, throwing papers around" before the incident, assistant director of zoology Biswajit Guha told Singapore's 938Live radio.
Guha said the cleaner worked at the chimpanzee area and was on his lunch break when the tragedy occurred.
"Goodbye, I won't be seeing you again," Guha quoted the victim as telling one of the zookeepers.
"And they saw him riding off on a bicycle and coming back in through the front entrance again, and then about five minutes later, the whole alert came on the walkie talkie," he said.
Horrified visitors screamed as zookeepers rushed into the tiger enclosure to try to rescue the victim.
They threw rocks to try to distract the animals, which dragged their victim toward a passageway, said Guha.
Zoo workers finally succeeded in luring the tigers away from the man and confining them to their pens, but paramedics later pronounced him dead.
The victim had injuries mainly to his head and neck, Lieutenant Colonel N. Subhas, the director of public affairs with the Singapore Civil Defence Force, told AFP.
The zoo identified the dead man as Nordin Bin Montong, a zoo contract worker from Malaysia.
"At no time was any visitor or Singapore Zoo staff exposed to any danger," the zoo said.
Police said they were called to the zoo about 12:30 pm (0430 GMT) and were investigating the "unnatural" death.
The zoo said the moat and other permanent safety features at the enclosure meant there was no risk to visitors or staff.
"Nonetheless, we have temporarily closed the White Tiger exhibit to visitors to facilitate investigations into this unfortunate incident," it said.
The white tigers pounced on the 32-year-old contract cleaner after he jumped into the moat surrounding their enclosure and then moved toward the animals, the zoo said in a statement.
The zoo, one of Singapore's most prominent tourist attractions, described the victim as "apparently disturbed and agitated".
Fellow workers reported that he "was acting a little bit erratic and odd, throwing papers around" before the incident, assistant director of zoology Biswajit Guha told Singapore's 938Live radio.
Guha said the cleaner worked at the chimpanzee area and was on his lunch break when the tragedy occurred.
"Goodbye, I won't be seeing you again," Guha quoted the victim as telling one of the zookeepers.
"And they saw him riding off on a bicycle and coming back in through the front entrance again, and then about five minutes later, the whole alert came on the walkie talkie," he said.
Horrified visitors screamed as zookeepers rushed into the tiger enclosure to try to rescue the victim.
They threw rocks to try to distract the animals, which dragged their victim toward a passageway, said Guha.
Zoo workers finally succeeded in luring the tigers away from the man and confining them to their pens, but paramedics later pronounced him dead.
The victim had injuries mainly to his head and neck, Lieutenant Colonel N. Subhas, the director of public affairs with the Singapore Civil Defence Force, told AFP.
The zoo identified the dead man as Nordin Bin Montong, a zoo contract worker from Malaysia.
"At no time was any visitor or Singapore Zoo staff exposed to any danger," the zoo said.
Police said they were called to the zoo about 12:30 pm (0430 GMT) and were investigating the "unnatural" death.
The zoo said the moat and other permanent safety features at the enclosure meant there was no risk to visitors or staff.
"Nonetheless, we have temporarily closed the White Tiger exhibit to visitors to facilitate investigations into this unfortunate incident," it said.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Zoo...phonics anyone?
http://www.zoo-phonics.com.sg
Isn't it wonderful to see your child excel?
We think so, too! That's exactly why we have the Zoo-phonics School here in Singapore.
For nearly nineteen years, Char and Gigi two award-winning veteran American teachers, have put their heart and soul into the program, developing, refining and advocating the Zoo-phonics methodology. Today, their highly-acclaimed programme is used successfully in over 6000 schools worldwide.
At Zoo-phonics School Singapore, we present you with this playful, unique, effective approach that will have your child well on the way to reading success in just a few sessions.
We invite you to join us as we can't wait to share Zoo-phonics with you and hear you talk triumphantly about your little 'reading champ'.
New Nov/Dec 2008 Holiday Programmes are now available.
Isn't it wonderful to see your child excel?
We think so, too! That's exactly why we have the Zoo-phonics School here in Singapore.
For nearly nineteen years, Char and Gigi two award-winning veteran American teachers, have put their heart and soul into the program, developing, refining and advocating the Zoo-phonics methodology. Today, their highly-acclaimed programme is used successfully in over 6000 schools worldwide.
At Zoo-phonics School Singapore, we present you with this playful, unique, effective approach that will have your child well on the way to reading success in just a few sessions.
We invite you to join us as we can't wait to share Zoo-phonics with you and hear you talk triumphantly about your little 'reading champ'.
New Nov/Dec 2008 Holiday Programmes are now available.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Next Generation Technologies for Next Generation Learning
First five FutureSchools Partner Four Consortia to Develop Next Generation Infocomm Solutions in Education
Imagine immersive learning environments that can mimic different kinds of scenarios in the classroom. Without having to visit the Singapore Zoo, Science students can, for example, immerse themselves in a 4-Dimensional (4D) environment and observe a lion’s behaviour, record it and share the information with fellow students. Such highly immersive and interactive solutions will soon be a reality for Singapore’s pioneer batch of FutureSchools, when fully implemented by 2012.
Announced in May 2008, by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), four consortia have been selected to design and deploy next generation infocomm-enabled solutions for five FutureSchools, namely, Beacon Primary School, Canberra Primary School, Crescent Girls’ School, Hwa Chong Institution and Jurong Secondary School.
However nothing beats the REAL thing! Visit the Singapore Zoo this school Holiday!
Imagine immersive learning environments that can mimic different kinds of scenarios in the classroom. Without having to visit the Singapore Zoo, Science students can, for example, immerse themselves in a 4-Dimensional (4D) environment and observe a lion’s behaviour, record it and share the information with fellow students. Such highly immersive and interactive solutions will soon be a reality for Singapore’s pioneer batch of FutureSchools, when fully implemented by 2012.
Announced in May 2008, by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), four consortia have been selected to design and deploy next generation infocomm-enabled solutions for five FutureSchools, namely, Beacon Primary School, Canberra Primary School, Crescent Girls’ School, Hwa Chong Institution and Jurong Secondary School.
However nothing beats the REAL thing! Visit the Singapore Zoo this school Holiday!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Zoo Animals being Attacked
Australia - A 7-year-old boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said Friday.
The 30-minute rampage, caught on the zoo's security camera, happened early Wednesday after the boy jumped a security fence at the Alice Springs Reptile Center in central Australia, said zoo director Rex Neindorf.
The child then went on a killing spree, bashing three lizards to death with a rock, including the zoo's beloved, 20-year-old goanna, which he then fed to "Terry," an 11-foot, 440-pound saltwater crocodile, said Neindorf.
The boy also fed several live animals to Terry by throwing them over the two fences surrounding the crocodile's enclosure, at one point climbing over the outer fence to get closer to the giant reptile.
In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said, adding: "It was like he was playing a game."
By the time he was done, 13 animals worth around $5,500 had been killed, including a turtle, bearded dragons and thorny devil lizards, Neindorf said. Although none were considered rare, some are difficult to replace, he said.
"We're horrified that anyone can do this and saddened by the age of the child," Neindorf said.
Alice Springs police said they are unable to press charges against the boy because of his age. Children under age 10 can't be charged with criminal offenses in the Northern Territory. His name was not released because of his age.
Neindorf said he plans to sue the boy's parents.
The boy's small size is probably the reason he didn't trip the zoo's security system, which relies on sensors to detect intruders, Neindorf said.
"I just want people to learn that they can't let their children go and run amok," Neindorf said. "If we can't put the blame onto the child, then someone has to accept the responsibility."
The 30-minute rampage, caught on the zoo's security camera, happened early Wednesday after the boy jumped a security fence at the Alice Springs Reptile Center in central Australia, said zoo director Rex Neindorf.
The child then went on a killing spree, bashing three lizards to death with a rock, including the zoo's beloved, 20-year-old goanna, which he then fed to "Terry," an 11-foot, 440-pound saltwater crocodile, said Neindorf.
The boy also fed several live animals to Terry by throwing them over the two fences surrounding the crocodile's enclosure, at one point climbing over the outer fence to get closer to the giant reptile.
In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said, adding: "It was like he was playing a game."
By the time he was done, 13 animals worth around $5,500 had been killed, including a turtle, bearded dragons and thorny devil lizards, Neindorf said. Although none were considered rare, some are difficult to replace, he said.
"We're horrified that anyone can do this and saddened by the age of the child," Neindorf said.
Alice Springs police said they are unable to press charges against the boy because of his age. Children under age 10 can't be charged with criminal offenses in the Northern Territory. His name was not released because of his age.
Neindorf said he plans to sue the boy's parents.
The boy's small size is probably the reason he didn't trip the zoo's security system, which relies on sensors to detect intruders, Neindorf said.
"I just want people to learn that they can't let their children go and run amok," Neindorf said. "If we can't put the blame onto the child, then someone has to accept the responsibility."
Saturday, October 04, 2008
They are not for the weak hearts
Halloween Horrors at Night Safari
Event Dates : 19th Oct 2007 to
27th Oct 2007
Venue: : Night Safari
Category : Special Programme
Description
The whole park will be transformed into a haunted Rainforest with scare zones, spooky tram rides, Halloween party, Halloween Cocktail Tream and lots of fun and scares.
Activities will be over the weekends only: 19, 20, 26 & 27 October.
Some of the highlights are :
Enter the Haunted Rainforest and be greeted by a parade of the dead who have risen and taken over the Night Safari.
Embark on the haunted tram ride.
Venture into the haunted Forest Giant's trail, which meanders into the Pet Cemetery and Bridge of Hell.
Event Dates : 19th Oct 2007 to
27th Oct 2007
Venue: : Night Safari
Category : Special Programme
Description
The whole park will be transformed into a haunted Rainforest with scare zones, spooky tram rides, Halloween party, Halloween Cocktail Tream and lots of fun and scares.
Activities will be over the weekends only: 19, 20, 26 & 27 October.
Some of the highlights are :
Enter the Haunted Rainforest and be greeted by a parade of the dead who have risen and taken over the Night Safari.
Embark on the haunted tram ride.
Venture into the haunted Forest Giant's trail, which meanders into the Pet Cemetery and Bridge of Hell.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Halloween Party at the SIngapore Zoo
Night Safari
Details for "Halloween Mocktails"
Halloween Mocktails
A frightfully fun evening among friends
Friday, 24 October 2008
Night Safari
7:30pm & 8:30pm tram rides available
Wicked witches. Bubbling points. Hanging skeletons and creepy crawlies.
This Halloween, a night of spooky fun and suspense awaits all who dare to venture into the Haunted Rainforest at the Night Safari.
Take a ride on board the ghouslishly decked out Halloween Cocktail Express and sip on specially concocted cocktail that will send tingles down your spine. Feast on spider-themed cakes and prepare your journey into the darkness of the 'Haunted Rainforest.'
*Please note that the Student member and Student non-member pricing is for children ages between 3 to 12 years old.
Send an email to Jasmin at sponsor.admin@aasingapore.com for the choice of timing for the tram rides.
SPECIAL OFFER
The first 3 to sign up for this event will win a free ticket for a friend. To win, please send an email saying "Sign Me Up!" to aas@aasingapore.com and we'll automatically sign up two tickets for the price of one.
Details for "Halloween Mocktails"
Halloween Mocktails
A frightfully fun evening among friends
Friday, 24 October 2008
Night Safari
7:30pm & 8:30pm tram rides available
Wicked witches. Bubbling points. Hanging skeletons and creepy crawlies.
This Halloween, a night of spooky fun and suspense awaits all who dare to venture into the Haunted Rainforest at the Night Safari.
Take a ride on board the ghouslishly decked out Halloween Cocktail Express and sip on specially concocted cocktail that will send tingles down your spine. Feast on spider-themed cakes and prepare your journey into the darkness of the 'Haunted Rainforest.'
*Please note that the Student member and Student non-member pricing is for children ages between 3 to 12 years old.
Send an email to Jasmin at sponsor.admin@aasingapore.com for the choice of timing for the tram rides.
SPECIAL OFFER
The first 3 to sign up for this event will win a free ticket for a friend. To win, please send an email saying "Sign Me Up!" to aas@aasingapore.com and we'll automatically sign up two tickets for the price of one.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Virtual Etour Singapore Zoo
http://www.etour-singapore.com/singapore-zoo.html
I'm impressed!
Tips for Enjoying the Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo is quite a big place. A little bit of planning with make your trip there more enjoyable. Here are some tips for enjoying the Zoo:
The Animal Shows
While the animal exhibits are great by themselves, the animal shows are must-see in my opinion. Here's the schedule of the main animal shows:
Splash Safari (a sealion, manatees, penguins, pelicans)
11am, 2.30pm, 5pm
Elephants at Work and Play
11.30am, 3.30pm
Note that it's almost impossible to see the first 2 shows (11am + 11.30am) together.
If you are arriving in the morning, consider the 11.30am + 2.30pm shows.
If you are arriving in the afternoon, just combine any of the Splash Safaris with the elephant show at 3.30pm.
The elephants will give the front row spectators a 'welcome shower'. They have the 'stuff' hidden in their trunks. If you don't want to get wet, sit 2 or 3 rows back. Otherwise, this could be a great way to surprise your little ones or your travel companions. Get them to sit in the front row and get your camera ready! But remember to take a change of clothes for them. Enjoy ;-)
If you are taking children to the Splash Safari, sit them near the front. There's a chance for them to shake hands with the sealion. Prepare your kids to put up their hands quickly when the show master asks for volunteers. Believe me, they'll be very excited about this.
Other Singapore Zoo Tips
If you plan of having a buffet breakfast with the animals (a.k.a. Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife), it's better to book ahead (Tel: +65 6360 8560). 9-10am daily, on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Singapore Zoo has a well-thought-out animal feeding schedule. It is worthwhile to follow their so-called 'feeding trails' - there's nothing like seeing animals during meal time. Get a brochure at the entrance, which tells you when the feeding times are.
Here are 3 interesting feeding trails grouped by location:
Morning:
10.30am - Treetops Trail (siamang & false gavial) & Otters
11.00am - Primate Kingdom (apes)
(These are near the Zoo entrance.)
Afternoon:
1.05pm - Polar Bear
1.15pm - White Rhinos
1.25pm - African Lions
2.00pm - Treetops Trail
2.10pm - Otters
2.20pm - White Tigers
2.30pm - Pygmy Hippos
If you are sensitive to mosquitoes and other insects, take some repellent with you. A hat and lots of water would be useful too.
If you don't fancy walking a lot in Singapore's heat, (pay and...) take the tram and hop off whenever you feel like it.
Many visitors like to combine a trip to the Zoo with the Night Safari, which is just next to the Zoo. It can be very tiring if you have an entire day at the Zoo, followed by the Night Safari. This is especially so if you are taking kids there.
One way to overcome this is see the Zoo in the afternoon, have dinner at the Night Safari restaurants, and then visit the Night Safari. Grab a Bongo Burger for dinner and sit near the stage - at 7pm, the fire-eating Bornean tribesmen will get you all pumped up for night!
The Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park have a 3-in-1 joint ticket called the Park Hopper Ticket. This is great value if you plan on visiting all 3 parks. You get to save a chunk off the total ticket price. You may get the Park Hopper at any of the 3 parks and take up to a month to see all 3 parks.
3-in-1 Park Hopper Adult Ticket: $40 (save $16.50)
3-in-1 Park Hopper Child Ticket: $20, (save $8.50)
Normal Singapore Zoo Entrance Fee:
Adult, $16.50.
Child (3-12), $8.50.
You may also get the 2-in-1 Singapore Zoo + Night Safari Park Hopper ticket for $30 ($15, child). Savings of $8.50 per adult. Savings of $4.50 per child.
Transport Options to Singapore Zoo
I'm impressed!
Tips for Enjoying the Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo is quite a big place. A little bit of planning with make your trip there more enjoyable. Here are some tips for enjoying the Zoo:
The Animal Shows
While the animal exhibits are great by themselves, the animal shows are must-see in my opinion. Here's the schedule of the main animal shows:
Splash Safari (a sealion, manatees, penguins, pelicans)
11am, 2.30pm, 5pm
Elephants at Work and Play
11.30am, 3.30pm
Note that it's almost impossible to see the first 2 shows (11am + 11.30am) together.
If you are arriving in the morning, consider the 11.30am + 2.30pm shows.
If you are arriving in the afternoon, just combine any of the Splash Safaris with the elephant show at 3.30pm.
The elephants will give the front row spectators a 'welcome shower'. They have the 'stuff' hidden in their trunks. If you don't want to get wet, sit 2 or 3 rows back. Otherwise, this could be a great way to surprise your little ones or your travel companions. Get them to sit in the front row and get your camera ready! But remember to take a change of clothes for them. Enjoy ;-)
If you are taking children to the Splash Safari, sit them near the front. There's a chance for them to shake hands with the sealion. Prepare your kids to put up their hands quickly when the show master asks for volunteers. Believe me, they'll be very excited about this.
Other Singapore Zoo Tips
If you plan of having a buffet breakfast with the animals (a.k.a. Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife), it's better to book ahead (Tel: +65 6360 8560). 9-10am daily, on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Singapore Zoo has a well-thought-out animal feeding schedule. It is worthwhile to follow their so-called 'feeding trails' - there's nothing like seeing animals during meal time. Get a brochure at the entrance, which tells you when the feeding times are.
Here are 3 interesting feeding trails grouped by location:
Morning:
10.30am - Treetops Trail (siamang & false gavial) & Otters
11.00am - Primate Kingdom (apes)
(These are near the Zoo entrance.)
Afternoon:
1.05pm - Polar Bear
1.15pm - White Rhinos
1.25pm - African Lions
2.00pm - Treetops Trail
2.10pm - Otters
2.20pm - White Tigers
2.30pm - Pygmy Hippos
If you are sensitive to mosquitoes and other insects, take some repellent with you. A hat and lots of water would be useful too.
If you don't fancy walking a lot in Singapore's heat, (pay and...) take the tram and hop off whenever you feel like it.
Many visitors like to combine a trip to the Zoo with the Night Safari, which is just next to the Zoo. It can be very tiring if you have an entire day at the Zoo, followed by the Night Safari. This is especially so if you are taking kids there.
One way to overcome this is see the Zoo in the afternoon, have dinner at the Night Safari restaurants, and then visit the Night Safari. Grab a Bongo Burger for dinner and sit near the stage - at 7pm, the fire-eating Bornean tribesmen will get you all pumped up for night!
The Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park have a 3-in-1 joint ticket called the Park Hopper Ticket. This is great value if you plan on visiting all 3 parks. You get to save a chunk off the total ticket price. You may get the Park Hopper at any of the 3 parks and take up to a month to see all 3 parks.
3-in-1 Park Hopper Adult Ticket: $40 (save $16.50)
3-in-1 Park Hopper Child Ticket: $20, (save $8.50)
Normal Singapore Zoo Entrance Fee:
Adult, $16.50.
Child (3-12), $8.50.
You may also get the 2-in-1 Singapore Zoo + Night Safari Park Hopper ticket for $30 ($15, child). Savings of $8.50 per adult. Savings of $4.50 per child.
Transport Options to Singapore Zoo
(Map of Singapore Zoo and Singapore Night Safari)
Cheapest: MRT to Ang Mo Kio Station + Bus 138 to Zoo entrance.
Fastest: Drive. Take the PIE, then BKE. Take Exit 7. Follow the Singapore Zoo signboard.
Smartest: Take a taxi. About $15-20 from a city hotel. Shared among 4 persons = $4 to $5 per person.
Essential Information:
Opening hours: 8.30am - 6pm.
Singapore Zoo address: 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826.
Tel: +65 6269 3411
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Its Children's Day!
WORLD ANIMAL DAY
Singapore Zoo will be showcasing a day full of animal enrichment programmes. Visitors can learn how simple 'toys' help the Zoo's residents keep active. At the same time, learn how you can adopt similar techniques and improve your pets' quality of life through positive reinforcement. Part of Animal Enrichment Day.
Where: Singapore Zoo When: Sat:10am-4pm Admission: $16.50(adult)$8.50(child) Tel: 6534-5122
For your little loved ones.
Singapore Zoo will be showcasing a day full of animal enrichment programmes. Visitors can learn how simple 'toys' help the Zoo's residents keep active. At the same time, learn how you can adopt similar techniques and improve your pets' quality of life through positive reinforcement. Part of Animal Enrichment Day.
Where: Singapore Zoo When: Sat:10am-4pm Admission: $16.50(adult)$8.50(child) Tel: 6534-5122
For your little loved ones.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Animal attack victims will be compensated
If you were attacked by a wild animal, you can get compensation from the Welfare Department of Malaysia.
Victims or their family members can claim up to RM20,000 if they were confirmed to have been attacked by wild animals, including a tiger, panther, elephant, python, crocodile, bear or gaur.
State Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Saharudin Anan said those attacked should lodge a report with the department and fill in a form provided by the Welfare Department.
With the endorsement from Perhilitan and the hospital, he said a victim would be compensated based on the injuries.
"The maximum payment of RM20,000 will only be paid if the victim died or sufferred permanent disability after the attack."
Saharudin said the fund was set up last year, but no one had applied for it in Pahang.
He said a 49-year-old man, who was attacked by a panther in Kampung Panching near here on Sept 7, was eligible for the compensation. Saharudin said Perhilitan was still investigating the case.
Victims or their family members can claim up to RM20,000 if they were confirmed to have been attacked by wild animals, including a tiger, panther, elephant, python, crocodile, bear or gaur.
State Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Saharudin Anan said those attacked should lodge a report with the department and fill in a form provided by the Welfare Department.
With the endorsement from Perhilitan and the hospital, he said a victim would be compensated based on the injuries.
"The maximum payment of RM20,000 will only be paid if the victim died or sufferred permanent disability after the attack."
Saharudin said the fund was set up last year, but no one had applied for it in Pahang.
He said a 49-year-old man, who was attacked by a panther in Kampung Panching near here on Sept 7, was eligible for the compensation. Saharudin said Perhilitan was still investigating the case.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Singapore Zoo not doing enough to attract F1 fans
Television sets on its premises and in each of its 28 capsules showing live Formula 1 action. Fringe activities such as fire twirlers, samba dance and live band performances. Deejays hitting the deck and gigs by local celebrities like Kumar and John Molina.
The Singapore Flyer is going all out with these to woo visitors during the Republic’s inaugural night Grand Prix race over the weekend of September 26-28.
“Next to getting an F1 Paddock Pass, you can’t get any closer to the pit building than at the Singapore Flyer,” said its general manager Steven Yeo.
But it appears to be the only tourist attraction in town doing so.
A random check with other popular attractions, such as Sentosa, the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, revealed that little has been planned to tap the influx of at least 50,000 visitors for the race.
This, when the Flyer is rolling out a slew of ticketing packages to cater to crowds of various levels of affluence: From a regular flight at S$29.50 with an open bar, to a luxurious lounge party at S$688, which includes a three-day trackside pass.
With Singapore hosing the first F1 night race, it seems the perfect opportunity to aggressively market this as the choice tourist destination - and also boost chances of hitting the target of 10.8 million visitors this year, given slowing tourist arrivals in the first half.
So, why are other tourist attractions not doing more?
It could be because they do not think these will increase visitorship significantly, said tourism and hospitality expert Judy Siguaw.
“The other tourist attractions might not think it is necessary to have special promotions or programmes. We have the Singapore Biennale and the Singapore River Festival going on at the same time, for example, and these visitors will have enough on their hands to keep them entertained,” said the dean of the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management.
But it’s not as if nothing can be done to “sell” Singapore, Dr Siguaw added. Having readily available information at the airport on the sights and activities in Singapore “wouldn’t hurt”.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Mint and Logo House Singapore will be launching commemorative F1 coins and medallions tomorrow.
The S$2 silver proof coin and S$2 cupro-nickel proof-like coin will be sold at S$282 and S$47 each. - TODAY
Zoo to attract F1 fans? Racing with the Cheetahs?
The Singapore Flyer is going all out with these to woo visitors during the Republic’s inaugural night Grand Prix race over the weekend of September 26-28.
“Next to getting an F1 Paddock Pass, you can’t get any closer to the pit building than at the Singapore Flyer,” said its general manager Steven Yeo.
But it appears to be the only tourist attraction in town doing so.
A random check with other popular attractions, such as Sentosa, the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, revealed that little has been planned to tap the influx of at least 50,000 visitors for the race.
This, when the Flyer is rolling out a slew of ticketing packages to cater to crowds of various levels of affluence: From a regular flight at S$29.50 with an open bar, to a luxurious lounge party at S$688, which includes a three-day trackside pass.
With Singapore hosing the first F1 night race, it seems the perfect opportunity to aggressively market this as the choice tourist destination - and also boost chances of hitting the target of 10.8 million visitors this year, given slowing tourist arrivals in the first half.
So, why are other tourist attractions not doing more?
It could be because they do not think these will increase visitorship significantly, said tourism and hospitality expert Judy Siguaw.
“The other tourist attractions might not think it is necessary to have special promotions or programmes. We have the Singapore Biennale and the Singapore River Festival going on at the same time, for example, and these visitors will have enough on their hands to keep them entertained,” said the dean of the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management.
But it’s not as if nothing can be done to “sell” Singapore, Dr Siguaw added. Having readily available information at the airport on the sights and activities in Singapore “wouldn’t hurt”.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Mint and Logo House Singapore will be launching commemorative F1 coins and medallions tomorrow.
The S$2 silver proof coin and S$2 cupro-nickel proof-like coin will be sold at S$282 and S$47 each. - TODAY
Zoo to attract F1 fans? Racing with the Cheetahs?
Friday, September 12, 2008
ACRES takes legal action against wildlife centre contractor
CNA - Work has halted at Singapore's first Wildlife Rescue Centre. Managed by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), the centre is now embroiled in an environmental pollution lawsuit.
At the heart of the case is the contractor engaged to construct the wildlife centre. It is alleged that A.N.A Contractor Pte Ltd had dumped woodchips onto the site, leading to the discharge of wastewater into the watercourse linked to Kranji Reservoir.
The discharge originates from a site located at Jalan Lekar – in the North-Western part of Singapore – that is meant to house rescued wildlife.
In its writ of summons to A.N.A Contractor and its director, Mr Tan Boon Kwee, who was the clerk of works for the rescue centre project, ACRES alleged that the toxic discharge is the result of A.N.A burying woodchips on the site.
Subsequent tests by environmental consultants, using boreholes dug up to 13 metres underground, showed that contaminants in the ground water included petroleum hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds.
ACRES will be claiming damages and losses as a result of the actions of A.N.A Contractor and its director.
In a statement to Channel NewsAsia, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said its officers found that the discharge contained high organic content. Its investigation also revealed that ACRES' contractor had used woodchips for the earth works at the site.
NEA has initiated prosecution against A.N.A Contractor, under the Environmental Protection and Management Act, for causing discharge of water with high organic content.
Under the Act, the penalties for discharging toxic substances or hazardous substances into inland waters are a fine of up to S$100,000 and a jail term of up to 12 months. NEA said the prosecution action is still pending the court's judgement.
It added that although woodchips do not contain any toxic chemical or hydrocarbon, it can discharge water with high organic content when it decays. But like any decayed or dried wood, when the decay is complete, the woodchips will no longer give rise to any discharge of high organic content waste water.
As for the hydrocarbons found present in the ground water by environmental consultant ENVIRONcorp, NEA said it is not unusual for hydrocarbons to be present in trace levels in the soil.
The agency added that it is monitoring the site and there has been no such further discharge into the watercourse.
Louis Ng, executive director, ACRES, said: "It's been a long and tiring journey for us and we look forward to ACRES Wildlife Rescue Centre becoming a landmark facility for the protection of animals. But at the same time, we will work tirelessly to rectify all these problems that have arisen.
"These setbacks have not dampened our spirit, our passion and determination to make a difference, and we will learn from this setback. We'll move forward, we'll stay positive and we'll definitely become stronger."
ACRES is now appealing to other construction companies to help in the excavation and rebuilding works. Notwithstanding the delay, it said it would open the front portion of the centre, which includes the Volunteer House, Education Centre and Administrative Building, on Friday.
The Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre will open soon, following further talks with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority. The opening of the Animal Sanctuary, which needs to be torn down, is delayed for at least another six months.
To date, the work of ACRES has led to the rescue of more than 200 wild animals. ACRES has also conducted more than 280 roadshows and talks in Singapore to create awareness on animal protection issues.
At the heart of the case is the contractor engaged to construct the wildlife centre. It is alleged that A.N.A Contractor Pte Ltd had dumped woodchips onto the site, leading to the discharge of wastewater into the watercourse linked to Kranji Reservoir.
The discharge originates from a site located at Jalan Lekar – in the North-Western part of Singapore – that is meant to house rescued wildlife.
In its writ of summons to A.N.A Contractor and its director, Mr Tan Boon Kwee, who was the clerk of works for the rescue centre project, ACRES alleged that the toxic discharge is the result of A.N.A burying woodchips on the site.
Subsequent tests by environmental consultants, using boreholes dug up to 13 metres underground, showed that contaminants in the ground water included petroleum hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds.
ACRES will be claiming damages and losses as a result of the actions of A.N.A Contractor and its director.
In a statement to Channel NewsAsia, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said its officers found that the discharge contained high organic content. Its investigation also revealed that ACRES' contractor had used woodchips for the earth works at the site.
NEA has initiated prosecution against A.N.A Contractor, under the Environmental Protection and Management Act, for causing discharge of water with high organic content.
Under the Act, the penalties for discharging toxic substances or hazardous substances into inland waters are a fine of up to S$100,000 and a jail term of up to 12 months. NEA said the prosecution action is still pending the court's judgement.
It added that although woodchips do not contain any toxic chemical or hydrocarbon, it can discharge water with high organic content when it decays. But like any decayed or dried wood, when the decay is complete, the woodchips will no longer give rise to any discharge of high organic content waste water.
As for the hydrocarbons found present in the ground water by environmental consultant ENVIRONcorp, NEA said it is not unusual for hydrocarbons to be present in trace levels in the soil.
The agency added that it is monitoring the site and there has been no such further discharge into the watercourse.
Louis Ng, executive director, ACRES, said: "It's been a long and tiring journey for us and we look forward to ACRES Wildlife Rescue Centre becoming a landmark facility for the protection of animals. But at the same time, we will work tirelessly to rectify all these problems that have arisen.
"These setbacks have not dampened our spirit, our passion and determination to make a difference, and we will learn from this setback. We'll move forward, we'll stay positive and we'll definitely become stronger."
ACRES is now appealing to other construction companies to help in the excavation and rebuilding works. Notwithstanding the delay, it said it would open the front portion of the centre, which includes the Volunteer House, Education Centre and Administrative Building, on Friday.
The Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre will open soon, following further talks with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority. The opening of the Animal Sanctuary, which needs to be torn down, is delayed for at least another six months.
To date, the work of ACRES has led to the rescue of more than 200 wild animals. ACRES has also conducted more than 280 roadshows and talks in Singapore to create awareness on animal protection issues.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari get 3 star Awards
The Singapore Zoo
The Night Safari
Four tourist attractions from Singapore have received a 3—star rating from Michelin, the renowned French lifestyle surveyors.
Raffles Hotel, Botanic Gardens, Night Safari and the Singapore Zoological Gardens now join the ranks of famous international attractions like the Paris Eiffel Tower and New York Empire State Building, in having a 3—star Michelin rating.
Michelin, which has been publishing travel guides since 1900, only picked 25 countries in the world to feature.
And it is the first time that Michelin is publishing a travel guide on Singapore. The other Asian countries with this honour are China, Japan and Thailand.
Christian Delhaye, president, Worldwide Strategic Business Unit, Michelin Maps and Guides, said: "The Europeans are very interested in Singapore as a destination, it’s an entry door to the Asian world."
To rank the sites, writers anonymously visited the attractions and assessed them according to criteria such as authenticity, aesthetics, service quality and convenience.
One out of every five visitors to Singapore consults a guidebook before they arrive.
Michelin sold 1.5 million guidebooks worldwide last year and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) hopes that the Singapore edition will boost tourism arrival numbers.
Close to 1.3 million Europeans visited Singapore last year. Double—digit growth rates were seen in tourist arrivals from Spain, Russia, Denmark and France.
The STB believes that the Michelin guide will not only help market Singapore to a Western audience, but to other Asian travellers as well.
Margaret Teo, assistant chief executive (leisure), Singapore Tourism Board, added: "Michelin intends to produce a pocket—sized version of the guide in Chinese, and that will be available for sale in China; and there is also a must—see guide, made available, targeting the India market.
"So with these two markets as one of our key source markets, I think that will value add to the experience of tourists from India and China."
Singapore aims to attract 17 million visitor arrivals and generate S$30 billion in tourism receipts by 2015. — CNA
Friday, September 05, 2008
Another Green Polar Bear
A polar bear, its fur stained with algae, stands in its cage at Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, central Japan, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008. Three polar bears at the zoo changed their colors in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae, prompting many questions from visitors concerned about whether the animals are sick or carrying mold, a zoo official said. (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Shuzo Shikano)
Green polar bears are drawing questions from puzzled visitors at a Japanese zoo.
Three normally white polar bears at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in central Japan changed their color in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae.
The sight of green polar bears has prompted many questions from visitors concerned about whether the animals are sick or carrying mold, zoo official Masami Kurobe said Sunday.
"Visitors seem to be shocked by the color, and we are asked every day why they are so green," he said.
High temperatures in July and August and less-frequent water changes because of the zoo's conservation efforts caused an algae growth in the bear pond and safety moat, Kurobe said.
Algae that enters hollow spaces in the bears' fur is hard to rinse off, he said.
The bears are expected to return to their natural color when the algae growth subsides in November, Kurobe said.
The question is will these Polar bears be shipped OUT?!
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